Waterford Township officials are making another push to pass police and fire millage renewals after both measures failed in August, bringing their case directly to residents at a Wednesday night town hall.
Dozens of residents attended the meeting, where police and fire chiefs outlined what the millages fund — and what could happen if voters reject them again in November.
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"Our ask is simply to renew this millage at the same cost. No new tax, no increase," Waterford Township Police Chief Scott Underwood said.
Both millages were first passed in 1986 and have been renewed every 10 years since. The 1.3352 mills for the police department generates more than $4.5 million in annual funding, while the .8822 mills for the fire department brings in nearly $3 million in annual revenue. The estimated combined yearly cost for the average homeowner is roughly $210.
"This proposed millage renewal is not just a police and public safety issue, it's a community issue that could affect every department of local government and the services they provide," Underwood said.
Waterford Regional Fire Chief Matthew Nye warned that losing the recurring revenue would force changes to the level of service the department provides.
"You just can't lose that recurring revenue without a change in your level of service. And like I said, I'm not saying that to scare anybody, but that's the reality," Nye said.
Many residents who attended the town hall said the cost is worth it.
"That is a piece of mind," resident Terry Ball said. "You go to bed at night knowing if you have a problem, the police department's there and the fire department is always there."
Ball said he supported both millages when they appeared on the August ballot, but they failed to get a majority of the vote.
Resident Max Thompson pointed to tax fatigue as a potential reason for the August failure, noting voters faced multiple proposals at once.
"It was a tsunami," Thompson said of the August ballot. "You had the Oakland County schools with a new millage, you had 4 proposals here, it was just an awful lot for people to take in."
Thompson said he remains undecided heading into November.
“I haven't figured that out yet, I'm not sure,” Thompson said of his vote. "I think it's a much better chance of passing, but definitely not a given."
Some residents also raised concerns about whether millage funds would be used to pay for license plate readers. Police Chief Underwood clarified that those devices are funded through drug forfeitures and not taxpayer dollars. That answer was enough to win over resident Barbara Spiece.
"We do support the millage, we're opposed to Flock," Spiece said, noting the well known brand name of the cameras. "I think the police chief did a good job of discussing that and why it's not in any way connected to the millage."
Spiece said with that concern answered, she is voting yes and hopes others follow.
"I think people are really hurting in Waterford, it's a financial issue but we've always supported our police and fire. We're quite proud of them," said Spiece.
Both millage renewals will appear on the ballot for Waterford voters on Nov. 3.
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