Dorr Township vote
rs Aug. 2 will decide the fates of two very important millage requests, a half mill for purchase of fire department equipment and three mills for improving and paving local roads.
Both proposals have been rejected in the past, but township officials insist they are too important to just let them die.
In wrote an editorial about the fire millage two months ago and it will be reprinted further down in this piece. So in case you missed it, you get another chance to consider my blatent attempts to sway your opinions. But first, the roads:
There are three huge reasons for supporting the three mills for Dorr Township roads.
One is that neither the county nor the state will pay for any improvements of roads within these boundaries except 142nd Avenue, 18th Street and 146th Avenue. Townships residents are on the hook, by rule, for the condition of their own roads otherwise.
The second is that Dorr Township roads have been regarded by people in the know as unacceptable, or even worse, unsafe.
The third is the annual necessary evil known as dust control — sorely sought by residents on dusty gravel roads, but opposed by farmers with vehicles subject to rust caused by the dust control solution applied.
So if it is true Dorr Township roads can only be paid for by local residents and if it’s true too many are unacceptable or unsafe and if the annual unpleasantness over dust control continues, then the only solution to the problems is to do what neighboring Salem Township has done — pass an annual long-range millage for paving.
The volunteer citizens’ committee has put a lot of work into this project and members already have come up with a proactive proposal first to pave the detour route around the county’s widening of 18th Street.
The fire equipment millage will be for a half mill for five years with a four-year renewal.
Dorr Township Fire Chief Gary Fordham has explained that the local fire department periodically must replace its equipment when it wears out or when vehicles are no longer usable. After the most recent millage request failed, equipment needs have been paid for as a result by dipping into the general fund. The special millage request is earmarked specifically to fire equipment.
The millage, if approved, would cover the years 2016 through 2020, and revenue from the first year has been estimated at $115,500.
In my four years since starting this on-line community news service, this may be the most perplexing and difficult to understand development I’ve covered. It could be the best example of “cutting off your nose to spite your face.” It makes absolutely no sense to me to dry up funding for a department dedicated to saving life and limb.
As individuals, we cannot afford to hire a firefighter to protect our houses. So we must pool our money together through taxes to pay for fire protection, as well as police protection. Taxes often are the costs of having a civilized society and the process by which we can receive services we can’t afford on our own.
The people of Dorr Township, during those awful and tumultuous days in 2012, twice rejected a millage renewal for fire equipment replacement. They did it again since, rejecting a half mill that would be spent for nothing other than fire equipment. Its defeat only means the department has to ask the Township Board to dip into the fund balance to make up the difference.
Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul. Or cutting off your nose to spite your face.
I urge the citizens of Dorr Township to come to their senses and support the half-mill request by the fire department and the three-mill request for roads on Aug. 2.
The problem with Dorr millage is not the need, it’s the trusting of the ones we put into office to use the money wisely. So many times in the past they use the money for things they think is important and not for what the people was expecting it to go for. They have to earn our trust to get our money.
Please don’t be a bitter Bernie Shoemaker follower and learn the truth first hand before making uneducated statements. Dorr township already had millages for both roads and fire – the “RENEWAL” of these millages failed – I believe because of so many lies that trustees John Tuinstra and Patty Senneker are spreading to township residents. If these millages don’t pass our homeowners insurance will go up a lot more than what we would pay for the millages because of our ISO rating. And eventually the paved roads will be turned back to gravel and then everyone will realize how bad the people that live on gravel roads have it. The money from a millage can ONLY go towards what it is intended to – the board members can’t put it towards ANYTHING else. Come to a township meeting with an open mind and see for yourself what is true instead of believing lies that are being told.
The “Renewal” road millage didn’t fail because of lack of support. The current board didn’t realize it needed to be put on the ballot and let it expire. However the supervisor would rather blame the voter for a new millage failure than own or partially own the mistake they had made. Why in the world would the board not offer two proposals #1 Try to ask for the same renewal money we used to have and #2 ask for the 3-mils they are currently asking for? Anyone willing to bet if the two initiatives fail (road and fire) we see the board put these back on the November ballot and not listen to their constituents?
Misplaced trust can certainly be an issue but your argument would be better served by citing examples of when and who spent mileage funds for purposes other than intended. I would hope that you do that otherwise your words just mimic too many others that claim all elected officials are liars and not worthy of trust. At this level of governance, I would disagree with that claim.
Thanks for your comment Jim.
The Road and fire millage are “fenced” the dollars cannot be used for anything but roads and fire if the Township violates that it is breaking the law and someone is going to jail.
The Citizens Road Committee will monitor every cent of the road millage and will not stand for one red cent being illegally/stupidly spent. The Township has stated publically they will follow the recommendations of the Road Committee. The process of developing a priority list of road repairs is open and transparent. Everyone is invited to provide impute to the process it has been and always will be an open fair process based on safety and need.
The Road Committee, an unpaid volunteer group, has spent two years studying the roads in Dorr and presented a clear understandable report. Once again safety and need are the driving principals of the studies.