Partly Cloudy / 37° FBoard rejects township police proposal
By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star
For the second straight year, a proposal by Niles Township Supervisor Jim Kidwell to reintroduce a township police department was shot down.
The proposal, aimed to cut costs, was defeated 5-2 at a budget meeting Wednesday, just as it was last year. Kidwell and Michael Bailey were the only two to vote for the measure.
Kidwell said by switching from coverage from the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department to township police protection in 2011 would save about $150,000.
Sheriff Paul Bailey’s budget came in at $847,981, while Kidwell estimated bringing in a township police department would cost $724,517.
With the board’s decision, the sheriff’s department will continue to provide township coverage next year.
Trustee Dick Noble, who for years was the chairman of the old Niles Township Police Department, said he and the other trustees were concerned Kidwell’s proposed township police budget wasn’t accurate.
“I had studied Jim’s proposal and had the feeling it was underestimated,” he said. “I was thinking about the cost involved with installing equipment in new squad cars, and I didn’t see any item addressing that fact. There was nothing in there mentioning the cost of health care insurance being raised.”
Noble also was concerned about the quality of service from a new police department.
“I have doubts about the services we would receive for underpaid officers which we would start with,” he said.
Kidwell wasn’t shocked the motion was defeated but was surprised the trustees didn’t take a closer look at his proposed township police budget.
“I was surprised the trustees didn’t take the time to see that my numbers were factual,” he said. “They never really did any checking to see the numbers were there. That’s the job of the trustees.”
There was also disagreement on where township residents stand on the issue.
Noble said he has heard nothing but positive response for the Berrien County Police Department.
“I talk to a lot of people, and I have not had one person have a problem,” he said. “People I don’t even know will tell me they are thrilled with the services they’re getting.”
Kidwell, meanwhile, argued residents would not notice a difference in quality of service between a new township department and the county department.
“My main concern was that we could save money and still have the same protection,” he said.
By not saving the estimated $150,000 savings from Kidwell’s proposal, he said cuts will have to be made to balance the budget.
“It’s still up in the air,” Kidwell said, regarding where the cuts will be made. “But gradually we’ll have to cut things.”
Those decisions will be made at future budget meetings, the next to be held Wednesday, Oct. 6 at Niles Township Hall. The budget needs to be approved by the end of October.
