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MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Along with passing the budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees voted on millage and water rates for the coming year at its June 11 meeting.
Trustees voted 6-1 to increase the water and sewer usage rates by around 5%. When the rates go into effect on July 1, the water service quarterly service charge will be $19.95 (currently $19), the water commodity rate per 748-gallon unit will be $4.87 (currently $4.49), the sewer quarterly service charge will be $19.75 (currently $17.75) and the sewer commodity unit rate will be $4.66 (currently $4.49). By July 1, 2026, the rates are expected to rise to $21.50, $5.24, $21.95 and $4.83, respectively.
The rate increases are in anticipation of rate increases by the Great Lakes Water Authority, which projected planned water rate increases of 7.5% between fiscal years 2026-29 and then 6% until fiscal year 2034. Annual sewer rate increases of 5.5% and 4% are projected during the same periods. The board also plans to go for a $20 million bond in 2026 to help cover improvements to the township’s water and sewer infrastructure, with consultants Utility Financial Solutions, LLC expecting losses to the water and sewer budget if no increases were made over the next five fiscal years.
“It is not an enviable task to have to set those water rates, but it’s something that is an absolute necessity in order to maintain our water system,” Macomb Township Supervisor Frank Viviano said.
Trustee Frank Cusumano was the lone vote against the increases.
FY 2025-26 budget and millage rates
On June 11, trustees passed the township’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The budget, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2026, expects the general fund to close out the budget cycle at $31.9 million after $22.7 million in revenues and $25.3 million in expenditures — a shortfall of $2.6 million. As a result, the fund balance shows a decrease of $2.6 million from the projected fiscal year 2024-25 fund balance of $34.5.
Millages for the fiscal year were set by the trustees with the general operating millage set at 0.6189 mils, the fire operating millage at 1.9000 mils, the police protection millage at 1.4500 mils and the parks and recreation millage at 0.7417 mils.
Macomb County Sheriff’s Office changes
Trustees also authorized the hiring of two additional Macomb County Sheriff’s Office deputies for the township substation.
Set to cost the township around $410,000 beginning Oct. 1, 2025, through 2027, the deputies will be tasked with patrolling the day and afternoon shifts. An additional vehicle is being added along with the deputies.
Though unrelated to the additional deputies and vehicle, Treasurer Leon Drolet asked Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Jason Abro if plans for a K-9 unit to join the substation were still in place. Abro said the request was still being looked at and spoke to the funding and timeline such an addition would require.
“We periodically get grants, or we get volunteers contacting us about adding dogs,” Abro said. “We are currently looking at adding at least one or two to our current allocation of our K-9s, so hopefully we’ll be able to get the township one. Can’t make any promises yet, but we are definitely exploring and looking into it.”
Abro estimated that a police K-9 costs around $15,000 for initial purchase and training, not including training deputies to handle the dog.
