GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Gladstone City Commission has approved a special assessment to fund Public Safety needs on Monday.
On Monday, the Commission held the last in a series of public hearings on a proposed special assessment, per Public Act 33 of 1951, which allows municipalities to put millages in place for police and fire protection. The millage rate will be reevaluated each year, starting at 4.5 mills.
According to Public Safety Director Ron Robinson, major Public Safety needs include updated equipment and gear, a school resource officer, and savings for a new fire truck. He says departments are advised to replace trucks after 30 years. The current fire truck will reach 30 years in 2026.
To go on record in formal protest of the special assessment, city residents were required to approach the Commission during the public comment portion of the hearing, which lasted nearly an hour. Many said they would rather see a millage proposal on the next ballot.
“If we asked for 4.5 mills for a decade, would you vote ‘yes’?” Commissioner Brad Mantela asked the public. “This might not even be a decade; this might be five years, four years… If we passed 4.5 mills for ten years, that would come in no matter what. If we get a nice grant for a firetruck or something or [Hannahville] 2% money, we can adjust this down.”
The Commissioners in attendance unanimously approved the special assessment. While the money will go into the General Fund—an aspect of the proposal that many residents expressed concerns about—commissioners say it will be exclusively used for Public Safety costs.
Click here for more background information on the special assessment and details on what Director Robinson says the Public Safety Department needs.
