Marine City decides to keep police dept.

Marine City is keeping its police department.

Members of the City Commission on Thursday unanimously agreed to cease talks with the St. Clair County Sheriff Department about contracting for law enforcement services.

The city re-entered discussion with the county amid budget concerns and after former Police Chief Don Tillery resigned last fall.

City Manager Elaine Leven told commissioners she didn’t think it was the right time to move forward with the sheriff department.

“The cost savings were not very impressive,” she said. “At most, I think it was around 10 percent on average.”

Most commissioners agreed Thursday for similar reasons.

The sheriff department had more than once been asked to make a proposal to the city. Sheriff Tim Donnellon declined because there was still a working police chief.

However, when the city re-approached the county, Donnellon sent them preliminary prices for both 24 and 30 hours of daily patrol coverage.

Marine City has continued to face financial concerns, slashing thousands from its budget at the end of 2015.

The city’s police department saw a budget reduction from roughly $825,000 to more than $540,000.

For 24 hours of daily patrols, seven days a week, the proposed contract pricing would start at $593,816 a year. The second option, for 30 hours of scheduled patrols each day, would start at $689,983 for 2016.

Both options would have had increased costs in their second and third years.

Commissioner Lisa Hendrick objected to the time it took for commissioners to receive the pricing information from the county.

She said that making the information available sooner would’ve helped commissioners and residents.

“I fully support keeping what we have and not going to the sheriff because it doesn’t pan out,” Hendrick said. “The only problem I have with this is that a comprehensive report was not put together.”

Now that it’s keeping its police department, Marine City Police Lt. Jim Heaslip, who has been acting chief since Tillery left last year, said it his understanding that the city's plan would be to begin searching for a new chief. He said he's worked out potential budgets for both a full-time or a part-time chief.

Marine City residents spoke during public comment about police services — some for, some against going with the sheriff department.

Resident Janet DeMist said she thought the city had been splitting hairs for too long about the police department.

She said some funds used for public safety services could be better used elsewhere, citing streets and other infrastructure in dire need of replacement and not just repair.

“We should welcome and incorporate the sheriff’s department,” DeMist said. “And yes, it is all about the money.”

Resident Joe Moran said  he was an advocate for the 3.045 mill special assessment public safety tax that petitioners demanded a referendum on.

Moran said proposed yearly cost increases under the sheriff concerned him. He said, “And we will have no control over that increase. If we keep that police department in house, we maintain control.”

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.

AT A GLANCE

2016

Marine City Police Dept.: $723,975

St. Clair County Sheriff Dept.: $593,816

2017

Marine City Police Dept.: $723,975

St. Clair County Sheriff Dept.: $554,187

2018

Marine City Police Dept.: $723,975

St. Clair County Sheriff Dept.: $573,678

Budget totals are including the purchase of two patrol vehicles in the first year of the contract and not including the public safety tax increase.

Source: St. Clair County Sheriff Department