Officials applaud renewal of police and fire millage

WARREN — On Nov. 4, Warren residents overwhelmingly voted to renew a millage to continue to support police and fire services in the city.

Voters approved the city’s police and fire millage with 12,809 votes, by a margin 65.66%. The renewal will continue to fund public safety services over the next five years without raising taxes.

The renewal will continue at the existing rate of 4.6176 mils. The levy supports staffing, equipment, training and emergency response for Warren’s police, fire and medical services.

Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams said the passage of the millage, to him, represents stability, among other things.

“The millage represents stability in that we know that we aren’t facing drastic changes that I need to look at where we can make cuts,” he said. “So assuming, as much as we can assume, that the economy remains stable nationally and statewide, that we’re looking at stable funding for both police and fire.”

McAdams said he prepares his budget in December, so he’s already in the planning stages for the next fiscal year. Having the millage passed helps give him an idea of what he needs to request, he said.

Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins said the renewal of the millage will allow the department to continue to invest in four things: the training of police officers, technologies to help the department leverage additional efficiencies, professional development of command officers, and programming such as Operation Cycle Break, an initiative started by the department to combat domestic violence.

“This continued investment will allow us to continue to invest in all those areas that we identified as priorities that will make us even more efficient, make us more effective and will allow us to provide even a higher level of service to this community,” Hawkins said.

Warren Mayor Lori Stone said the passage of the millage represents the importance of public safety.

“We continue to invest in facilities, vehicles and equipment, training, personnel, and we are so glad that the community recognizes the importance of investment and that they’re coming to the table, and they’ve chosen to continue dedicated funding for police and fire,” Stone said.

All three officials agreed the city’s emergency response departments help draw more residents and businesses to the city.

“I think the residents appreciate the level of service they get from the city, and I think that’s one of the actual draws to the city, our reputation as a safe city, as a city that if you dial 911, you get a response from police and fire,” McAdams said. “That’s a draw for a business looking to relocate to Warren, and a business looking to stay in Warren, let alone the residents that know if they call, we come now, not in 20 minutes, not in an hour, not in three hours, we’re coming in minutes.”

McAdams and Hawkins agreed that the city’s quality of response comes down to the people who serve.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to the men and women in the ranks. They do the real work of providing those services to the residents,” McAdams said. “We as administrators are tasked with leading, guiding and directing, but it’s really the men and women of the department that make the difference in the community. Without them, our job would be far, far more difficult.”

In a text message, Joe Schehr, president of the Warren Professional Firefighters Local 1383, said they were grateful for the support of the residents.

“We’re honored to be entrusted with protecting the lives and property of the residents of Warren, and we remain committed to providing excellence in emergency response, compassion in care and pride in public service,” he said.

Warren City Council Secretary Mindy Moore, who has been a staunch supporter of the city’s emergency services, said she was happy to see the millage pass.

“We are so very happy that the majority of the Warren residents support our first responders, and we’ll be able to keep that funding in place to continue offering the excellent service we do,” Moore said.

Councilman Jonathan Lafferty said the passage of the millage — especially given what he said was an influence from outside forces trying to create opposition to the millage — shows how important public safety is to the residents.

“If you really break it down, there is nothing more important than public safety for a city, for a business to invest, for potential residents to choose to settle down in our city,” Lafferty said. “The economics all the way around tie in to a safe and clean city to live in, and the people that recognize the importance of that showed up to vote and invested in not only the safety and security of the city, but the future of the city.”