By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
news4garrod@gmail.com
LAWTON – At the Jan. 28, Lawton Village Council meeting, council members continued discussion on whether to pursue a special police millage or police special assessment.
Lawton Village Council President Josh Appleby brought up discussion about a special police millage or police special assessment. He said that as a village in the past year, it has become something that is needed to keep police on staff. Appleby said the village’s police department is one of the lowest paid police departments in Van Buren County, and the county is one of the lowest in the state.
President Appleby said it is difficult for communities to maintain police officers due to the current environment. Appleby stated the village is very fortunate to have a few officers who have lived and worked in Lawton long-term, as well as a “great police chief” (Greg Cordes) who resides in the area. Appleby explained the Headlee Act and how it impacts the village, saying that this year alone, inflation is having a major effect on the village. According to Appleby, the village has less money today than it did years ago.
President Appleby said village residents provide $490,000 to the general fund, while state revenue sharing brings in approximately $353,000 per year. According to Appleby, Welch’s does not pay personal property taxes. The state now reimburses the village for that. However, he did not know how long that would continue as the state does not always support small communities very well.
President Appleby said the police department costs $545,000 per year for three full time officers, two part time officers, the school crossing guards, which the village is required by law to finance, and a police chief. “That leaves us $327,000 per year for everything else within the village,” said Appleby. The village is currently running a skeleton crew, according to Appleby, having already eliminated two Department of Public Works (DPW) and two full time police officer positions in the past few years. Appleby said Village Manager Todd Hackenberg is currently doing both his job, as well as the Department of Public Works superintendent position. “So, we really can’t cut anywhere else,” said Appleby.
According to Appleby, village-owned buildings and parking lots are deteriorating, and lack financial support for upkeep. He also said village equipment is aging out, and the cost of a new leaf vacuum is $400,000. Appleby said Kids Dream is also in need of upkeep. Appleby noted the village is having trouble retaining businesses in the community because of a lack of people in the village to support them.” Appleby said the village does not have the correct equipment to pump storm sewers.
Appleby said he has fielded questions from individuals asking about spending on village roads and Reid’s Corner. He said the reality is the village saved for the streetscape project for over 15 years, and the remainder for both projects were made possible in majority by grant dollars sought out by the village.
“Unfunded state mandates have come down on our community for updating, which we do not have the budget for,” said Appleby. He said the village spent $70,000 “doing not a great job for the leaves, and they spent hours and hours working weekends and overtime to try to keep up on this, but without the correct staffing and equipment, this is an uphill battle.”
The village takes in $275,000 to work on roads, which does not go far, since mile of pavement costs approximately $1 million. The village is $38,900 into our reserve for the fiscal year, assuming nothing bad happens for the remainder of the year,” said Appleby. Sewer and water are enterprise funds, which means the funds that come in for this can only go to sewer and water, they cannot go to fund the deficit areas in the general fund, according to Appleby.
President Appleby said the police department is fully funded by taxpayers who live within the village proper through the general fund, and no one else, though both the Lawton Community Schools and people outside the village receive services. Appleby said that if the village does not fund the police department, “we will not have police with all the staffing shortages everywhere.
The village is currently looking at about three mills, which would raise about $130,000 per year, for the police department, according to Appleby. “But it doesn’t even get us where we need to be with the department, it will get us where we are plus maybe a little bit,” said Appleby.
President Appleby said the needed police department funding also ties into the ballfield calculation. “It isn’t that we don’t want baseball. The village owns one piece of buildable property, and it is 27 acres on the ball fields. The village needs housing and more people living here to help with the tax base desperately, as it is currently not sustainable.”
President Appleby said as a council, they do not want to get rid of baseball, stating the council would be happy if something could be found for them, however, they must do what they can to keep the village afloat. Appleby said for the police funding, there are two routes the village can go. “The village can pass a special assessment which doesn’t require a vote or place it on the ballot and allow people to vote on it. Appleby stated the reason the council is looking at a special assessment is it may be a lot faster. The council is attempting to be transparent and communicate what is going on.”
Appleby then opened the floor for discussion. Village Manager Hackenberg said he would recommend doing a special assessment, as it would guarantee the village would receive the funds needed, and sooner.
Trustee Nicole Smith said it depends on when it goes on the ballot. “If people are uninformed then only the people who know about it go and vote on it if the village goes the route of a special election, which could be problematic,” said Smith. Village Manager Hackenberg said that the village is at its maximum levy for mills on general fund so it cannot just add mills without a special mill or special assessment. Hackenberg said the village could do a special assessment until the 2026 vote. Trustee Smith asked what a proposed timeframe could be to enact this. “We really need to have a powerful presence of messaging this without a vote,” said Smith. Village President Appleby said if the police department does not receive the funding, reductions would have to be made forward, without going into a deficit. Appleby said the village has looked at contracting several different ways, and having its own police department “is the ideal situation.”
During Citizen Comments, Dessirae Sweet, president of Lawton Youth Softball and Baseball League, told the village council she wanted to represent the board to go over the council’s comments from the Dec. 10, 2024, meeting. Sweet said that she would like to advocate for the fields and the young athletes.
Sweet said the board would like to make sure there are still safe and productive activities for the town’s youth. According to Sweet, there are approximately 200 youth enrolled this year in the program.
She said the board has priced out the cost to relocate the field and are currently finding that it would cost $750,000 to $1.5 million. Sweet asked the village council if all decisions to sell the property or take over the property would be discussed with the board. She also requested a 12-month notice prior to the Lawton Village Council selling the field. Sweet told the village council that at its next meeting, Feb. 11, several youth softball and baseball individuals would like to address the village council about the Little League fields.
Sweet also extended an invitation to the village council to attend the opening day ceremony on April 26.
Lawton Village Council President Appleby said there would be time at the Feb. 11 village council meeting to bring the issue up for further discussion. President Appleby said the village council has investigated alternatives as well as other opportunities for the Lawton Youth Baseball and Softball Program and are more than happy to help investigate options and grants.
President Appleby assured Sweet that no decisions have been made will impact the 2025 season.
Joe Magers, owner of Longship Brewing Company, Lawton, told the council that the fields are sustained by the community, and he believes that the fields are crucial to Lawton’s Identity. Magers said people who come to the games, support the town’s businesses, and the businesses in turn support the program.
In another area, President Appleby brought a village rental inspection ordinance to the floor for discussion. Village Manager Todd Hackenberg introduced Scott Beltz, of Medallion Management Company. The company does property management throughout the state. Beltz provides professional insight into rental inspection ordinances without bias as he has no properties located within the village limits.
Village President Appleby said the village council is looking into this to protect renters as well as landlords from issues. Appleby also said that Lawton is one of the only communities in the area that does not have an ordinance like this in place already. Appleby also said that the village council was hoping not to create additional hoops for someone who was previously inspected if they are up to speed.
