By Lisa Carolin
City Council members along with Chelsea Police Chief Ed Toth held a work session prior to the June 17 council meeting to discuss mental health and public safety millage funds.
Chelsea Mayor Melissa Johnson reminded everyone about the Washtenaw County 2017 millage, which began distribution in 2019. and is expected to generate up to $6 million a year for mental health and public safety improvements in Washtenaw County. The City of Chelsea receives $95,000 a year, and Johnson asked City Council members and Toth to come up with ideas how to spend that money in both 2019 and in 2020.
(This information was added to the story after it was published.) The millage provides approximately $6 million annually to both the County’s Community Mental Health Department and to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department (approximately $12 million total). The allocated percentages are included in the following resolution as well as the stated reasons for requesting millage dollars: https://www.washtenaw.org/DocumentCenter/View/370/Community-Mental-Health-and-Public-Safety-Preservation-Millage-Expenditure-Policy-PDF.
Toth said that $12,500-$14,000 is being spent annually for mental health training for officers. He said mental health-related calls take approximately twice as long as other police calls.
The topic of a school resource officer, which would cost $120,000 annually, was discussed as was enforcement. It would be up to the school district to pay 2/3 of the salary and the city to pay 1/3 if a school resource officer option was pursued.
City Manager John Hanifan said the topic is a discussion with the schools, but not before Council Member Jane Pacheco protested the idea saying it would send the wrong message. She prefers restorative justice and peer-to-peer counseling as well as increasing the number of social workers in the school district.
Council member Frank Hammer said he likes the idea of having a school resource officer who could be involved with teachers and students.
“They’re not trying to criminalize anything,” Hammer said. “They’re simply a presence.”
Johnson suggested that having a youth center in Chelsea would have a positive impact on public safety and mental health offering options for youth after school.
Pacheco suggested that as leaders of the community, City Council members could ask community members how they would like to see the funds spent.
During the actual City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved, which includes paying $30,000 to the Chelsea Senior Center, $10,000 to Community Education, $63,000 to WAVE (Washtenaw Area Value Express), and $15,000 to AATA (Ann Arbor Transportation Authority) for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
City Council approved a motion to bid the Flanders Street project, which involves building a storm sewer outlet to alleviate the storm water build up during significant rain events in that area.
City Council adopted a resolution for a special event permit that the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, which is planning a ‘Backyard Beer Garden’ fundraiser on Sept. 21 from 2-10 p.m., can use the Palmer Commons parking lot as well as the Palmer Commons facility area.
Also approved was a resolution that line item budget amendments for fiscal year 2018-2019 be adopted, as well as the approval of a 2-percent wage increases for both part-time city employees and for non-union, salaried employees effective July 1.
A budget transfer to the retirement fund to support post-retirement health insurance cost for eligible city employees and retirees was approved along with the transfer of funds from the Electric Fund to the General fund in the amount of $460,00 or 5 percent of budgeted electric sales.
City Council approved the purchase of a 2019 Hino Packer truck from Interstate Truck Source for $160,000 to be used as a trash truck by the city’s solid waste department, and for the police department approved the purchase of one new L-3 car video system, an upgrade server, and the purchase of three L-3 microphones for a total cost of $6,232.10 as well as the lease purchase of a 2020 Ford police interceptor Utility AWD not to exceed $11,000 per year for three years after an initial $11,000 down payment to order the vehicle.
Derik Bollinger was approved as the officer delegate to the MERS (Municipal Employees’ Retirement System) annual meeting, and Ray Schmidt was approved as the alternate officer delegate.
