COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A consensus of the Branch County Board of Commissioners agreed during Thursday’s work session that a new 911 center and Circuit Court Probation should not be included as part of a millage request for a county public safety complex. But commissioners agreed to move forward on the proposal for a new county jail that would have a maximum of 240 beds.
The recommendations on the 911 Center, a new jail and Circuit Court Probation were made recently by a citizens group.
Commission Chair Ted Gordon did not think a new 911 center was feasible. Commissioner Leonard Kolcz said 911 needs to stay in their current building next to the Branch County Memorial Airport partly because the Federal Aviation Administration can use the airport as a staging area in case of a national disaster.
As for Circuit Court probation, Commissioner Terri Norris had a problem with asking county taxpayers to pay for a state facility.
Norris and other Commissioners seemed to agree they need to focus on a new jail and see how much it would potentially cost.
The citizens committee public safety complex recommendation called for a maximum levy of one-and-a-half mills for a term of 20 years, which would have raised between $34 million and $38 million. But there was talk among commissioners Thursday that a cheaper proposal could be presented to voters either in August or November. They instructed County Administrator Bud Norman to gather more financial information and report back to them during their April 18 work session.
