GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – In the spring of 2024, the Gladstone City Commission approved a special assessment under Michigan Public Act 33 (P.A. 33), which allows small municipalities to collect millages for police and fire protections. Last week, the Commission renewed the special assessment for another year, maintaining the existing rate of 4.5 mills.
“P.A. 33 wasn’t something that was just decided on overnight,” Gladstone Public Safety Director Ronald Robinson told WZMQ 19. “We established a committee and talked about it for a long time. If we looked at doing a millage of 4.5 mills and had the voters vote on it, that’s long-term. P.A. 33 was a solution to get us over that hill and be projected to not be long-term, but to back that off slowly.”
According to Robinson, increased costs and aging equipment created a need for more funds.
“A lot of it’s on the fire side—turnout gear purchase, the SCBA bottles,” he said. “Also, on the police side, you’re looking at patrol cars, our tasers, body cams.”
The biggest expense the department faces is a new fire truck.
“Our oldest fire truck that we have is a 1996,” Robinson explained. “That, by industry standards, is recommended to be replaced around 25 – 30 years.”
In the time that the special assessment has been in place, Robinson says it has been a great help to the department.
“We were able to replace a roof on our building, which was leaking in three different places,” he said. “We have the newest TASER 10s. We were able to upgrade our body cams. The most significant thing, I think, here is that we were able to put a school resource officer in our schools. “
The rest of the funds are being set aside for those major upcoming expenses.
“You need to replace your turnout gear for the firefighters every ten years, so we’re looking at making those purchases again in ’28 and ’29, staggering it out so it’s not just one big lump sum,” Robinson said. “The firetruck, we’re projected out to replace that in 2030 – 2031.”
Public Act 33 has been a point of contention among community members. In the fall of 2024, voters eliminated the City’s power to levy special assessments at the polls. However, City officials have maintained that the vote did not impact the Public Safety special assessment, as it is permitted under that public act.
Citizen Mike O’Connor, who ran for a City Commission seat last fall, submitted an inquiry into the issue to the Michigan State Police. He tells WZMQ 19 that it has since been forwarded to the Attorney General. WZMQ 19 reached out to the Attorney General’s Office, but representatives could not provide any information at the time of our request.
Despite the debate, Robinison extends his gratitude to the property owners who have been paying the special assessment millage.
“Nobody wants to pay more, but I’m very thankful for the citizens of Gladstone and their support of the department,” he said. “It is very beneficial and allows us to provide professional police and fire services to the City of Gladstone.”
The special assessment will continue to be evaluated each year.
