GRAND HAVEN, MI – Grand Haven voters are being asked this November to pass a new millage proposal that would fund a major renovation to the city’s public safety building.
The proposal asks for a 2.0 mills tax levy for 10 years, 2026 through 2035. If approved, the city is expected to take in $1,588,799 in tax revenue the first year, according to city records.
The new millage will be on the Nov. 4 election ballot. The next public information session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24 in the Mackinaw Ballroom at Central Park Place, 421 Columbus Avenue.
Grand Haven homeowners could pay on average between $250 up to $1,000 more per year, depending on the home’s taxable value. Homeowners with a taxable value of $125,000 (which would be a home value of $250,000) would pay $250 more per year, according to city records.
Homes with a taxable value of $250,000 (home value of $500,000) would pay $500 more per year in taxes.
Homes with a taxable value of $375,000 (home value of $750,000) would pay $750 more per year in taxes.
Homes with a taxable value of $500,000 (home value of $1,000,000) would pay $1,000 more per year in taxes.
Of the tax revenue that’s collected, 65% would go towards facility upgrades.
The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety building is located at 525 Washington Avenue next to city hall. It was first built in 1975 with federal funds as a community bomb shelter, with separate spaces for police and fire services.
Now, employee safety concerns about firefighter fumes and air quality issues, on top of a crumbling building, are causing city leaders to make a decision.
The first priority in future building upgrades would be a decontamination area, where firefighters can properly clean their gear and shower after being exposed to fumes while battling a fire.
The department has an employee who is battling a “work-related firefighting form of cancer,” said Nichole Hudson, director of the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety.
“So, it is our goal moving forward that we never have a second or a third,” Hudson said. “One is not acceptable.
“Firefighting is a very dangerous job that brings a lot of risks, not only on scene, but even after scene … No one’s immune to potentially getting cancer from this career. It’s just a little bit higher here, due to our lack of decontamination and some of the systems that we have in place.”
The department is hosting tours where the public can get a behind the scenes look at the fraying parts of the building.
Another public information session is scheduled for Oct. 23 and guided tours are available on several dates in September and October.
Repairs are needed on the front of the building, where emergency vehicles exit the garage, where pieces of the building are crumbling and fall to the ground.
The building’s age also shows in its small doorways old floor tiles that are coming apart in some places and that still contain asbestos from the original construction.
“You can actually hear tiles cracking and chipping,” Hudson said. “That continues to fill the air with asbestos and mold.”
In the past years, staff have volunteered time to replace floors and paint in certain areas, and some spots are covered by rugs.
“A lot of the stuff that you’ll see that looks nicer, we tried to cover with paint because the police and fire service is a very proud profession,” Hudson said. “We want people to be excited about coming here and coming to work.”
The rest of the funds from the millage would be separated into equipment upgrades (25%) and the department’s budget (10%), alleviating the department’s dependency on the city’s general fund.
The department would replace old or outdated firefighting gear and purchase a new fire engine.
The ability to purchase more gear so that each officer has a second set would decrease the chances of officers being further exposed to firefighting fumes.
As officials have spoken to residents over the last couple months, the main questions and concerns come around the cost to taxpayers.
“We’re not asking for this millage in perpetuity,” said Grand Haven City Manager Ashley Latsch. “It’s a 10-year levy to get us to the total collection amount. That’ll allow us to address the health and safety concerns for the department. We don’t feel it’s excessive or extravagant, and there is a term and timeframe to that millage to accomplish what we need to accomplish to protect our staff.”
There are 27 full-time first responders on staff – most trained for both police and fire services. The department is budgeted for 33 full time, so they are short-staffed by six officers.
The millage funding would not pay for any new employees, but Hudson said making the workplace better would help in recruiting and retaining those employees.