3/19/13 - The contract between the sheriffâs department and the townships of Hartland and Tyrone is about to expire, and the county hopes to organize one more meeting before that deadline to try and renew the deal. More than 30 years ago the two townships began contracting with the county to keep a dedicated road patrol in their borders to respond to emergency calls. Several years ago the counties began subsidizing about 38% of the contract to help the townships through difficult financial times. This year the county asked the townships to increase their contribution to the deal, but was refused. The county then agreed to the same rates as in previous years as the townships requested, but the township boards rejected this deal as well. They say that a cost-benefit analysis of the contract has shown that it is not worth the expense, even with the large subsidy. They also say Hartland and Tyrone have inferior response times compared to other townships, and that their payments subsidize improved police service in municipalities that pay nothing. Sheriff Bob Bezotte told the County Board at its meeting last night that he would organize a meeting with leaders from the townships to try and reach an agreement before the current deal expires on March 31st. He tells WHMI that he does not believe the townships are concerned about price so much as service, and he intends to present statistics that support the value of the arrangement and quality of the service. He says comparing average response times between the townships and surrounding communities is misleading since every call gets a personal response in Hartland and Tyrone. Minor issues in other municipalities would be handled over the phone, which is recorded as a response time of only a few seconds. Bezotte hopes that by listening to the concerns of the townships and providing answers to their questions, a new deal can be reached. He has warned that allowing the arrangement to come to an end would significantly increase Hartland and Tyrone response times. (TD)
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