By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.-At a special meeting on Tuesday night the board of trustees voted 5-0 to consider a tri-party agreement between the township, the River Church and the Genesee County Sheriff Department for a deputy on duty during Sunday service. The deal is expected to be discussed at 5:30 p.m., Dec. 18 at the regular board of trustees meeting. The service will not impact township police service.

Tere Onica, township supervisor said on Tuesday night she was contacted by The River Church, 9430 Perry Road, following the shooting after the Nov. 5, 2017, mass shooting that occurred at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland, Texas. According to news reports, the gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, killed 26 and injured 20 others. He was shot twice by a civilian as he left the church. Kelley crashed his vehicle after a high-speed chase and was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds, including a self-inflicted head shot.
“They are a very big congregation,” said Onica “They will pay for the service and this agreement would provide a deputy each Sunday from 8 a.m.-noon. We would have the ability to sever the agreement at anytime.”
Chris Swanson, Genesee County undersheriff said the sheriff department will always protect their people.
“Everyone should remain vigilant in being safe,” said Swanson. “If they want another level of protection we’ll partner with them and the township to achieve that. Right now we work with the schools in the county to be there during sporting events. The church would reimburse the township for the extra deputy being there. This is the first church that has requested the extra service in the county.”
Representatives from The River Church did not return calls as of press time Thursday.
The township has a contract with the Genesee County Sheriff Department. On May 2, 2017 township voters OK’d renewals of 2.1 mills for police protection and 1 mill for the fire department. The five-year millage will generate an estimated $620,000 for the police services and $294,000 for the fire department.
The millage was based on a township taxable value of about $305 million and replaces the township police millage which expired December 2016. The township established a contract with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department about 17 years ago, funded then by 1 mill from area property owners.
Since 2007 the cost for police protection has risen from about $432,205 per year to the current $565,500 about a 35 percent increase. In comparison, residents of Vienna Township pay about $1 million a year for eight deputies to cover the area, while Fenton Township funds about $667,655 each year for five full-time deputies and a part-time detective. Hurley Medical Center in Flint also has a contract for five deputies, the Genesee Intermediate School District has a deputy along with a K-9, and the Genesee Health System also has a deputy.