Council agrees to pull OMNI team rep back to city police force

By DEB WUETHRICH

Tecumseh City Council members voted Monday night to notify the Tecumseh Police Chief and OMNI that the current Tecumseh Police Department officer on the team would be removed from OMNI effective July 1, 2010, or in the event of a retirement from the police department.

The move has been discussed over the past several meetings as city officials studied early retirement incentive options and its connection to the OMNI position relative to saving some dollars in the city’s strapped budget.

The OMNI position costs the city approximately $100,000 per year, less any grants or forfeiture funds that may be received. This year the city had to pay approximately $75,000; however, grants and forfeiture funds are never guaranteed. Both Tecumseh and the city of Adrian bear most of the cost of providing officers to the team.

Tecumseh City Manager Kevin Welch, as well as Adrian city officials, had asked that surrounding jurisdictions share the costs of these officers since the whole county benefits. Welch said they had asked for $1 per capita of their populations. Welch said that some were concerned they were not given enough time to respond, while others could not make a commitment at this time.

“This is one of those items I don’t like having to make a recommendation on,” said Welch in stating that he believed it is necessary to be able to return the OMNI officer to the Tecumseh Police Department should a vacancy come up due to a retirement, which he believes could take place within the next couple of months. “Unfortunately we are in a situation where we have budget constraints and it’s necessary for us to make this recommendation, knowing that this is an extremely important program in the county, one that the city has supported for a very long time.

Council member Laurence Van Alstine, who helped form the OMNI team and has served as its chairperson, said that he believed the county would “feel the pain” of the action.
“I am reluctantly going to vote for this motion, however I do want to emphasize the pain with the cuts we’re receiving at the state level and the lowering of property tax receipts,” Van Alstine said. “We have talked about cutting out the ‘fat’ in our budget — well, this is muscle and bone. It’s going to affect the level of law enforcement not only in the City of Tecumseh, but throughout the county as well. We will feel that pain.”

At an earlier meeting, Van Alstine released a statement outlining how OMNI is involved in narcotics cases that can be very complicated to investigate and that investigative management requires a high level of specialized knowledge and experience. He said he agreed that non-participating units of government should contribute fiscally to the effort, and pointed out that the efforts on the team were beneficial to the entire community in terms of law enforcement.

“I don’t want to give up on our participation in OMNI,” said Welch. “To that effort the city would work over the next year or so to convince others in the county to come up with a way that’s fair to everybody.”

The council members also moved forward with a recommendation to approve an early retirement plan that could involve up to five city employees, including the police department staff members. The Tecumseh Police Chief and Deputy Chief are among those eligible. City workers were offered an opportunity to file letters of intent recently in order to determine who might be eligible for early retirement plans. Welch said they only work as a savings plan when the position is not filled, at least until the pension system is paid back. Welch said estimated savings for the first year could be up to $110,000 and $279,000 per year thereafter, depending on which of the five city employees ultimately took advantage of the plan.

“By approving this, it doesn’t mean they have to retire, but they have the option to retire,” Welch said.

In other business, the city council members:
• Accepted a contract from Associated Engineering and Surveyers for $13,400 for Russell Road design and construction engineering, the work of which will be done through a grant.
• Accepted a bid from Synagro from Baltimore to remove biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant.
• Approved the formation of an expenditure line in the city’s budget to disburse $6,000 in funds donated for the purpose of holding fireworks in the city on June 26, with Colonial Fireworks of Clayton being awarded the contract.
• Approved a change order with Stante Excavation in an amount not to exceed $28,000 for LED street lighting upgrades for the Tecumseh Business and Technology Campus.
• Approved a moratorium on the issuance of any and all permits, licenses and zoning approvals for the sale or dispensation of medical marijuana for six months or until an amendment of the Zoning Ordinance and other applicable codes can be adopted. The vote was 5-1 with council member Jack Baker voting no, and council member Pat Housekeeper absent.
• Approved a first reading for the rezoning of 810 Adrian Street, the former Wolf’s Appliances, from Single Family Residential (RA-2) to Local Business (B-1). The property is the potential site of a used bookstore.
• Adopted a resolution recognizing Pam and Dick Niedermier as 2010 Musgrove Evans recipients.
• Recognized the Lenawee Community Foundation as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of holding licensed gaming events such as raffles.
• Reappointed Derral Prater, Tim Gentner and Nancy Smith to the Planning Commission for three year terms.
• Accepted a resignation from Judith Kisela from the Downtown Development Authority.

Tecumseh Herald

 

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