By David Fleet

Editor

Atlas Twp.

– On May 2 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.

About 7 percent of registered voters turned out to approve the renewals on Tuesday with 540 yes votes to 214 no votes.

The millage is 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.

In addition, Genesee County voters approved 12,125 yes to 8,933 no, a 62 cent per month surcharge hike for 9-1-1 services. The charge will now increase to $1.86 per communication device each month to update technology for fire and police departments. According to the consortium, all 800 MHz radios within every jurisdiction in Genesee County are at the end of their life cycles and are no longer supported by Motorola. The estimated replacement cost is $7,700,300 based on current State of Michigan bid pricing. The fire paging system upgrade to 800MHz or a replacement of the VHF system is an estimated cost of $500,000.

“We are happy with the results,” said Tere Onica, township supervisor. “The Genesee County Sheriff provide excellent service for the community. Voter turnout was low, about 7 percent. That’s typical for a non-election year.”

According to the Genesee County Clerk’s Office, 6.58 percent, or 21,115 of 321,663 registered voters turned out for the May 2 election.

“The township voters supported the 9-1-1 hike,” said Onica. “We have an excellent 9-1-1 service here in Michigan. Consider all the safety needs in Genesee County including the Crim, Back to the Bricks, all the students at the University of Michigan-Flint, not to mention many high schools. It’s a small cost for a great return on safety.”