Eaton County board authorizes staff to draft 10-year police services contract framework with Delta Township

The Eaton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 5 to authorize county leadership to continue drafting a tentative 10-year police services contract framework with Delta Township that would place county deputies on patrol in Delta Township under a paid contract and include provisions intended to address pension liabilities.

The authorization gives county negotiators direction to finalize details of the agreement after the board reviewed a financial framework prepared by the controller’s office. The framework lays out an approximate annual cost to Delta Township of about $8 million, staffing and equipment commitments, a proposed 10-year term with a three-year out option, and an optional one-time contribution to the county pension system intended to reduce future retirement liabilities.

The controller’s office staff member who presented the framework (referred to in the meeting transcript as “Ben”) said the model estimates a contract value of $7,956,816 annually under the scenario shown to the board and the township. The presentation described either 39 positions in the contract model or, in related worksheets, 38 sworn officers plus two clerical positions; the presenters described additional command and deputy positions compared with prior arrangements. The framework also includes a 15% administrative fee; the plan allocates 33% of that fee toward retirement liability reduction.

Under the framework…