By TRACI L. WEISENBACH
For The Advertiser
SEBEWAING — The Village of Unionville is in need of local police coverage, and members of the village council have reached out to the Village of Sebewaing for some assistance, at least temporarily.
The Village of Sebewaing’s Police Committee, Sebewaing Police Chief Bill Owens and the Village of Unionville’s Police Committee met recently to discuss a plan in which Sebewaing would share some of its part-time police staff. In addition, Owens would handle the administration duties, figuring out the schedule for police coverage.
Sebewaing’s Police Committee voted 3 to 1 to share part-time officers with Unionville as needed. Jim Gunsell cast the “no” vote, while Sami Khoury, Larry Heider and Alex Khoury voted yes.
In May, Unionville’s police chief and officer resigned from their posts. The two had worked a total of 24 hours a week. Since the resignations, the Tuscola County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police Post in Caro have made officers available when needed.
Upon invitation, Owens attended a Unionville village council meeting in June to discuss some police coverage options. He said some of Sebewaing’s part-time officers could work in Unionville, and the rate Unionville would pay would be $15 an hour. As for the amount Unionville would pay for administrative duties handled by Owens, that has yet to be determined, Owens said. During the recent Police Committee meeting in Sebewaing, he said it would take him about two to four hours a month to complete those duties.
“We want to get them back on their feet,” Owens said of Unionville’s police department. “We need to work together, help each other out. It’s a benefit to both of us.”
Owens said Sebewaing’s full time officers wouldn’t be used in the sharing of staff, unless those officers want to put in some extra time beyond their hours in Sebewaing. That’s up to them if they wish to do so, he noted.
Tom Young and Jeff Salcon, of the Village of Unionville Police Committee, said they feel comfortable working with Sebewaing to share police officers. The Unionville council had received a proposal from Akron, but Young and Salcon said there were some concerns about that proposal because it involved Akron taking over Unionville’s police department.
Young and Salcon also said it would be difficult for Unionville to hire its own officer because it would be difficult to find someone who wanted to work only 24 hours a week. That’s why they’re hoping to work with a neighboring community.
They said Unionville did a survey asking residents about police coverage in the village. While responses varied, the overall consensus was that residents wanted full-time police coverage. However, Unionville is not in a position to be able to afford full-time coverage, they said.
Salcon and Young said the village may place a millage proposal on a future ballot that would provide funding for the police department, upon voter approval.
Some members of the Sebewaing Village Council aren’t sure that sharing police staff is a good move for the village. Vicky Kindler, during the Police Committee meeting, shared her concerns about how much it would cost the village, such as any pension costs. Owens said he had talked to the village’s retirement benefits provider and received verbal confirmation that sharing police staff with Unionville would not have a negative effect on pension costs for the village. Kindler said she would like written confirmation.
Don Beers said historically, the village hasn’t entered into agreements like this one with communities outside the county line. He was concerned about the village moving in that direction.
“Times are changing,” Alex Khoury said. “We need to help (Unionville) out. We already share a school.”
Kindler and Beers also said they feel the rest of the village council hasn’t been kept up to date on the discussions with Unionville. They said the information has been kept within the Police Committee. Heider said that is not the case.
Heider also noted sharing resources could open up grant opportunities for Sebewaing.
Sami Khoury said some written information regarding the sharing of police staff would be provided for the rest of the village council for its July 21 regular meeting, including a list of what Owens is going to do and is not going to do in handling the administrative tasks.
Owens said what is being discussed now is only for a temporary basis. The future of sharing police staff is unknown at this point. He said it may evolve into something more, but it’s too early to make that determination.