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CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Clinton Township Board of Trustees approved amendments to the township budget at its Jan. 26 meeting, paving the way for a new playground feature and police overtime.
The first amendment to the budget saw $3,000 being added to support the purchase of a sway bench for the Clinton Township Inclusive Playground, located between the Robert J. Cannon Civic Center and the Main Library of the Clinton-Macomb Public Library system, on Romeo Plank.
“The Clinton Township Kiwanis Club has generously pledged $3,000 toward this project in honor of Mary Rode, acknowledging her significant contributions to our community … The proposed bench will be installed by the Department of Public Works and will be accompanied by a commemorative plaque dedicated to Mary Rhode, mounted on the perimeter fence of the Inclusive Playground,” Township Clerk Kim Meltzer said.
The total cost of the bench came out to just over $2,980.
The second amendment to the township budget saw $175,000 allocated to accommodate Clinton Township Police Department overtime pay. The department is operating eight officers short of its minimal staffing level due to departures and a lack of qualified applicants. The amendment raises the department’s overtime budget from $800,000 to $975,000.
The department also expects some reimbursement for officer overtime from sources outside of the township budget.
“We’re projecting $105,000 in reimbursement from traffic grants, football games (and) special events,” Clinton Township Police Chief Preston Susalla said. “To date, $83,503 has been reimbursed.”
The department has also undergone personnel reduction outside of the retirements and resignations that make up the officer shortage. These reductions have seen the department’s projected salary payouts for this fiscal year reduce to $9.9 million compared to the budgeted $10.3 million. Susalla told the board the department recently hired three officers from police academies — the department’s primary source for finding candidates — and is currently sponsoring one police academy cadet and performing a background investigation on another.
“Currently, we’re not seeing the lateral moves from other police departments that we have in the past, so we’re ramping up our efforts to hire fresh out of the academy,” Susalla said.
Kratom adoption
Trustees approved the second reading and adoption of an ordinance to raise the minimum age to buy kratom in the township to 21 years old. The ordinance requires retailers selling kratom to post signage stating they do not sell to people younger than 21, that the ordinance is enforced by the Clinton Township Police Department and that violations are a $500 civil infraction per offense.
The ordinance is modeled after state House Bill 4969 that is making its way through the Michigan Legislature, which would impose similar restrictions at the state level.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.
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