Issue would go on the ballot in Feb. 2024
By Barb Pert Templeton
Calls for medical services have increased 118 percent in the City of Algonac over the last dozen years and the one full-time employee of the fire department and the paid on-call staffers are struggling to keep up with the demand.
This is a fact recently relayed to members of the city council via City Manager Denice Gerstenberg in a memo about the need for a Special Assessment District for funding and supporting the city’s fire department.
After some discussion, members of council approved Resolution 2023-15 directing the administration to come up with ballot language for establishing a Special Assessment District for the support of fire department services. The issue would likely go on the ballot in Feb. 2024.
In a letter to the council explaining the plan, City Manager Denice Gerstenberg noted that a special assessment is not a tax, it’s a charge levied within a specific area. A millage is a tax.
Public Act 33 of 1951 permits the city to establish a Special Assessment District within its municipal boundaries.
Calls for medical services in Algonac have increased by 118 percent over the last decade.
In this case, the proposed 1 mill assessment would cost the average residential home with a taxable value of $62,000, $62 a year, or $5.16 per month of .17 cents a day. The estimated amount that would be collected based on those figures is $130,000 annually.
The overall millage rate for Algonac would still remain the lowest in all of St. Clair County.
In fact, three of the eight cities and 18 of the 23 townships in the county have similar mechanisms in place for funding police and fire services, Gerstenberg said.
She further stated that since the city doesn’t have funding for a full-time fire department and/or or full-time staffing, some communities are choosing to respond only if the ambulance service can’t get to the scene in eight minutes. When a heart-attack occurs, within just nine-minutes severe brain damage is likely and by 10 minutes the chances for survival are low.
Algonac Council would be asking for the special assessment in order to keep the three-to-five-minute response times residents are used to getting. The better the response time the less damage to personal property and a better chance of survival, Gerstenberg wrote.
Council shares thoughts on issue
Councilwoman Dawn Davey made the motion for the resolution and it was seconded by Councilwoman Cathy Harris.
Davey then stated that it’s important for the residents to understand the reason for the assessment and she’s glad it’s going to be put on a ballot. She then asked Gerstenberg what the funding is allowed to be utilized for by the fire department, in addition to equipment and maintenance.
“It can be used for all of those things including personnel,” Gerstenberg said.
Davey also wanted to remind residents that when things are currently purchased for the fire department much of that funding comes from the city’s general fund and there are lots of draws on that account.
“Anything that we can do to find other ways to support our fire department and still keep our general fund in tact for the things we need to have, seriously needs to be considered,” Davey said. “It’s important to pay attention to our fire department and do what they need.”
Councilman Michael Bembas agreed with Davey’s assessment of the situation and also pointed out that things have changed over the years in the city.
“Our population is a lot older in Algonac, we are no longer a community of young kids we are a community of senior citizens like me; so, there are more runs and it take higher trained personnel also to do the job,” Bembas said. “And this proposal still keeps our taxes low.”
“I concur; if it saves one life it’s worth it,” Councilman Corey Blair said.
Harris also agreed and stated that the fire department is very important and officials need to stay on top of it to get them what they need.
Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Martin said he thinks the assessment would help the department to keep a 24-hour coverage which is important.
Gerstenberg said currently there’s only one full-time employee, another is to be hired soon and should the assessment pass, a third full-time employee could be funded and at that point the department coverage would be 24-hour.
