Willard police outline proposed 0.5% public safety sales tax ahead of April 8 ballot

The Willard Police Chief delivered an educational briefing to the Willard City Council on a proposed 0.5% city sales tax for public safety that will appear on the April 8 ballot.

The chief told the council the tax would add 50¢ to every $100 spent in Willard and said funds would be used to raise entry pay, update equipment and facilities, and support recruitment and retention. “You want help and you want it now. So help now is our mission statement,” the chief said, summarizing the department’s mission. He emphasized the presentation was informational only and that staff could not advocate for the measure.

Council members were given context for the request: the chief said the department currently has 11 full‑time officers, which he described as about 1.7 officers per 1,000 residents, below the Department of Justice guideline he cited. He said other agencies in the region face similar recruitment pressure and that competing local agencies offer higher pay and take‑home vehicles. “For every hundred dollars that you spend in Willard, you will be paying, if you support it, an additional 50¢,” he said.

The chief outlined specific priorities should the tax pass: raising starting salaries to be more competitive, purchasing updated equipment, improving the exterior and parking of the police facility at 795 Hughes Road, and expanding programs such as youth outreach and a take‑home vehicle program the council previously authorized. He said the department is budgeted for a twelfth position in the coming fiscal year but did not announce any hire tied to the election.

Council members asked logistical questions about outreach and where the chief planned to present the information; he said he would share the information at community meetings including a chamber event and neighborhood meetings.

No formal council vote or direction to staff regarding the ballot measure was recorded in the meeting transcript. The chief repeatedly framed his remarks as education, not advocacy, and encouraged residents who want information about the ballot language and cost to attend upcoming public meetings.

Looking ahead, the chief said passage of the tax would allow the department to hire from the top of certification lists and to make incremental facility and equipment upgrades. He also said recruiting remains difficult and that pay competition from neighboring agencies is a primary driver of turnover.

The presentation closed with the chief inviting further questions and community engagement before the April 8 ballot date.