Finances set tone at board of trustees meeting

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — The books for the coming year were set and approved at the June 10 Macomb Township Board of Trustees meeting. 

Set to come into effect on July 1, the township’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget was approved following several days of open public hearings, as well as several opportunities for stakeholders and residents to speak at the meeting itself. The budget was approved unanimously with no comment from attendees.

Highlights of the budget include a projected $3.9 million general fund shortfall based on $25.6 million in revenues and $29.6 million in expenditures, with around $4 million designated as appropriated surplus. The fire operations and parks and recreation funds also run at deficits of around $793,300 and $1.7 million, respectively. 

Taxation levels were also approved at the meeting, with both the year’s millage rates and water rates approved unanimously. Millage rates for the coming year are 0.6132 mils for general operations, 1.9 mils for fire operations, 1.45 mils for police operations and 0.7349 for the parks and recreation millage. The fire and police millage rates have remained even from 2025, while the general operations and parks rates have marginally decreased.

The water rates for 2026 are $21.50 for the water service charge, $5.24 per 748-gallon unit for the water commodity, $21.95 for the sewer service charge and $4.83 per unit for the sewer commodity. Water rates follow the projections set by Utility Financial Solutions in 2025 and compensate for increases from the water provider, the Great Lakes Water Authority. Department of Public Works Director Kevin Johnson said the rate increases cover capital improvements to the township water system along with its operation costs.

The full budget can be found in the meeting packet, which can be accessed under the clerk’s page of the township’s website at macombtwpmi.portal.civicclerk.com.

“There’s an extensive amount of input that goes into the (budget) process that goes back months,” Macomb Township Treasurer Leon Drolett said. “Our CFO, Stacy Smith, work(s) with every department head to put a budget together for their department … meetings with the three full-time elected officials and then lengthy public hearings and meetings that exceed four hours for each meeting for a couple of days, where we go over each of those budgets. There’s an awful lot of time and energy put into the budget tonight, and the fact that we were able to approve tax rates with no increases and we’re approving a budget with substantial increases in road funding (and) benefits and amenities for the community, I think, reflects well on everybody in that process … Our goal is always to provide the best value to residents, keep the costs as absolutely low as possible (and) provide great value. I think this budget does reflect that.”

 

Full-time fire hires
Funding was included in the new budget for six full-time firefighters, and half of those were approved to start at the June 10 meeting. 

Trustees approved the hiring of Christian Popp, Justin Edwards and Anthony Heppler as the Macomb Township Fire Department’s latest full-time firefighters. Popp and Heppler were already part-time with the department, while Edwards is new to the department. 

 

Priority in default
Following delays in providing consent for Priority Waste’s change of control request, the board voted unanimously to send the Clinton Township-based trash hauler a notice of default. This is the second time in as many years that Macomb Township has exercised this aspect of its contract with Priority and comes in light of trash pickup issues in and beyond the township.

However, things are different this time around. Gone at Priority is ex-CEO and Founder Todd Stamper, and in is Aaron Johnson, “a fourth-generation waste industry operator with over two decades of leadership experience in the waste management industry” according to Priority’s website. The township’s full-time elected officials were able to meet with Johnson ahead of the meeting, and they came out of the meeting positive that promises of improvements to equipment and service would be fulfilled.

“(Johnson) came showing proof of resolution,” Macomb Township Clerk Kristi Pozzi said. “He didn’t show up like the previous CEO with just excuses and promises. He had proof of resolution and progress in just two-and-a-half short weeks.”

While Pozzi and other elected officials were positive about Johnson’s ability to right the ship, the board decided to send the notice of default anyway in order to, in the words of township attorney Tim Tomlinson, “hold their feet to the fire.”

Under the notice, Priority Waste has a 30-day period to improve. A hearing for Priority Waste representatives will be scheduled for some time in the next month. 

 

Greenway feasibility study
Trustees also approved a feasibility study, with engineering firm OHM Advisors assigned to conduct it for $29,000. The study aims to see how several township properties along the North Branch Clinton River between 23 Mile and 24 Mile roads can be connected without a significant number of river crossings. 

A grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is covering $25,000 of the study’s expenses.

Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.