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Council narrows options for public safety millage, staff to return with recommendation
Summary
City staff laid out millage options from 2.5 to 5 mills and identified 3.5 mills as the threshold to enable a part‑time fire department; council asked staff to return Aug. 10 with one recommended rate and supplemental slides to meet the county filing deadline.
City Administrator Witherspoon presented a set of millage scenarios for a proposed public safety millage and the council spent the bulk of the meeting debating which single number to present to voters.
Witherspoon told council that "none of these millage rates accomplish the set forth goals" at lower levels and identified 3.5 mills as the threshold at which the city could achieve a part‑time fire department while addressing capital needs. He outlined staff estimates for what each rate would fund: at 3.5 mills the city could enable the part‑time fire department and neutralize an estimated $151,000 annual pull on the general fund; at 4.75–5 mills staff estimated they could cover a larger portion of health care, training and radio maintenance. Witherspoon said the annual health‑care cost is roughly $195,400 and that the figure rose about 11% this year.
Councilmembers pressed for a single number to put before voters to avoid splitting votes. One council member urged narrowing the options to a single line item so the seven voting members could coalesce; another said the council should not exceed 3.75 mills without expert analysis. The mayor/Chair suggested returning with a short set of supplemental slides that show the trade‑offs for 2.5, 3.5 and 4 mills and asked staff to come back with "one staff recommended number" at the Aug. 10 meeting so the city can meet Wayne County's filing deadline (the administrator noted the deadline as Aug. 11).
The council also discussed the voter message. Witherspoon emphasized that the city cannot use public funds to advocate for or against a ballot question and that information provided on the city web page would be factual: "At that point, at the point it is on the ballot, the city will not be able to advocate for or against it." He and the chiefs said the public should clearly see what services each millage level would produce, noting a potential 5–10% reduction in homeowners insurance in some cases tied to improved ISO ratings when fire protection improves.
Next steps: staff will return Aug. 10 with one recommended millage figure and supplemental material showing what 2.5, 3.5 and 4 mills would enable; council expects to decide in time to meet the county filing deadline.
