Commissioners review HUNT millage request information

A millage proposal for the November ballot to provide a more stable source of funding for the Huron Undercover Narcotics Team is being considered by members of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners. A letter of support was before commissioners at their June 9 meeting.

HUNT would like to have voters approve a levy of one-third mill for a four-year period to maintain the service of the drug interdiction unit, as well as fund the school resource officers in the Rogers City and Onaway schools. ?I think at this time, that this is the only feasible means of procuring adequate funding so that the team can go about and do its job,? said Det. Lt. Rick Schultz, team commander. The millage request had yet to be presented to Alcona, Alpena, and Montmorency counties. Schultz said he did not anticipate any problems getting the request on the November 2 ballot. It?s too late to get the issue before voters for the August primary, PI County clerk Sue Rhode said.

COMMISSIONERS GARY Wozniak and Allan Bruder voiced their support for the proposal. ?To me it?s like insurance,? Wozniak said. ?Fifteen dollars a year, possibly, could keep criminals from invading your home to steal property to sell for drugs, is a very cheap policy. I don?t think you can buy anything for $15 today.? Wozniak said if it is approved, then HUNT wouldn?t have to worry about where funding would be coming from every year, or if the organization can afford the salaries of four or five officers. ?I think we should at least try,? said Wozniak. ?We need to support you, I know that,? said Bruder. Bruder expressed concern about what would happen if the voters were to turn the proposal down. ?Then where does that put us? That?s what scares me,? said Bruder. ?Then, do we support you at all?? Bruder said the county was put into a situation a few years ago, where the taxpayers were asked to fund law enforcement, but was not supported by the electorate at the polls. ?Then what do you do?? Bruder asked. ?Not put the law enforcement back on? That scares me a little bit.?

SCHELL SAID the county asked for letters of support from the cities and the schools to help fund the millage and ?we?ve gotten it.? Both the Rogers City and Onaway school district, as well as the city of Rogers City, have sent letters supporting placing the issue on the ballot, Schell said. The city approved its letter of support at a meeting June 7. ?We see a need and a necessity to have an active representation of law enforcement for your county,? said Schultz.

The HUNT commander believes education ha

s to be an important part of the process in getting the request approved. ?For the longest time, teams like mine have always operated covertly and sometimes you have to do that,? said Schultz. ?I do agree that you have to inform the public of the types of problems that you run across and begin to develop a partnership. I think it?s my duty to inform the people of what they are getting and what they are paying for.? The entire millage amount may not be needed if grant funding is available and the financial outlook improves, but if the measure is approved, HUNT could still be self-sufficient with the aid of taxpayers.

?EVEN IF the state pulled out,? said Schultz, ?and they took every man, every resource available, and the federal grant…(if) they took everything, you still would be able to run an effective narcotics team.? There could be further discussion on the request at the June 25 meeting of the commissioners. There was no action taken at the meeting, as the board has to review ballot language and financial information. ?Let?s review that and have it for the next meeting, and we?ll get the right wording on that,? said Bruder.