“We want to be aboveboard and upfront.”Įssentially, the townships want to mull it over with their residents for a year by having the exploratory committee research pros and cons and hold public meetings. “We want a lot of public input,” Bradfield said. It wouldn’t happen quickly, though, and might not happen at all. Talk about sharing services like police and assessing led to talk about a merger. He spoke with Bradfield about a deal to share in the cost and increase the hours of a part-time deputy already working in Howard Township. That’s significant for Milton, which has only about 3,800 residents - compared with about 6,700 residents in Howard - and couldn’t afford more services without tax increases, he said.īenjamin said Milton was exploring expanding the hours of a deputy who patrols just one day each week.

Milton, with about 1,650 parcels, and Howard, with about 3,400, would both be affected by the new guidelines, but they could combine services to keep assessing at the township level, Benjamin said.īoth he and Howard Township Supervisor Craig Bradfield think it’s important to keep property assessment in local hands.īut the merger idea is about more than assessing.Ī merger could save an estimated $300,000 per year, mostly in personnel and board costs, which could be put toward improved fire, police and ambulance services across both areas without requiring a millage increase, Benjamin said. The state is recommending that townships with fewer than 5,000 parcels and less than $12 million in property tax revenue per year start to combine assessing services or turn assessment over to the county, Benjamin said. “It is definitely different and outside the box,” Benjamin said of a potential merger, “but in this day and age you’re looking for solutions.” The boards of Howard Township, which is just east of Niles, in Cass County, and Milton Township, just south of Howard, recently voted to form an exploratory committee to delve into questions of a possible merger.Ī merger could bring cost savings to improve emergency services for both townships and also would help to keep property tax assessment and assessment appeals local, township supervisors said. Milton Township Supervisor Robert Benjamin has seen the jokes on Facebook, but so far not much other reaction to a serious idea by the townships to explore the idea of a merger, which could potentially land the issue on ballots for township voters in 2020. If Howard Township and Milton Township in Cass County merged, what might the new entity be called? Howton? Milward?

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