Week in Review: Chesterfield Police Tax Fails, Fire Millages Pass, Candidates Chosen

New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch recaps the news from last week.

Chesterfield Township Voters Reject Police Tax, Pass Fire Millages

Supervisor Michael Lovelock and Treasurer Linda Hartman were re-elected while newcomer Cindy Berry won bid for clerk.

Chesterfield Fire, Police Push Proposals at Precincts

Residents will decide Tuesday whether to approve additional funding for police and fire in Chesterfield Township.

With one last push for tax proposals, Chesterfield Township fire and police representatives camped out Tuesday at community precincts. Clutching signs stating "Support Your Firefighters Vote Yes! Fire Department Millage," firefighters flocked to about 90 percent of the polling places in the community. "Our goal here is to pass the millage," Firefighter Rick Gadd said. "We have firefighters at different sites in the township." Voters showed their support with thumbs-up and words of encouragement, Gadd said. Follow us on Facebook Fire Capt. Doug Calvert, a 26-year department veteran, joined Gadd outside the fire station on 23 Mile Road near Baker. "I believe the township deserves a full-time fire department with the growth it's experienced…

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Should Chesterfield Police, Fire Millages Pass?

Chesterfield Township residents will decide the fate of the police and fire departments' funding Tuesday.

Chesterfield Township voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve increased funding for police and fire departments. Their Nov. 6 general election vote will follow months of anticipation in the community regarding the ballot proposals. Last January, Fire Chief Doug Charbonneau told Patch declining property values resulting in smaller collections on the existing taxes means the department needs more money. A requested tax increase comes at the same time of the existing millage renewal. A committee—comprising Trustees Brian (Scott) DeMuynck, Michele Ficht and Gerald Alexie, Charbonneau, Union President and firefighter Gordon Tuzinsky and Union Vice President Fire Lt. Brian Hubbert—formed in spring to review the department's financial needs…

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Chesterfield Police to Hold Meeting About Millage

The township Police Department will discuss the tax proposal Wednesday night.

Chesterfield Township police will host an informative meeting Wednesday about the tax proposal on the November ballot. The public is welcome at 7 p.m. at Anchor Bay Middle School South in Chesterfield Township. During that time, department officials will talk about the proposed millage going before voters during the general election. The police department currently collects 5 mills that do not require renewal. Residents will be asked to approve another 2.5 mills that would be collected annually in perpetuity. Also, on the ballot is a tax renewal and increase proposal for fire. The fire department will ask voters to renew the existing mills, along with a .75 mill increase. The additional .75 mills will be added to the previously collected 2…

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POLL: Are You in Favor of Chesterfield Police, Fire Tax Increases?

Voters will be asked in November to cast their ballots for police and fire services.

Chesterfield Township voters will decide in November whether to approve tax increases for police and fire services. The Board of Trustees decided Wednesday to place a millage increase for police as well as a millage renewal and increase for fire on the general election ballot. The trustees unanimously agreed that the higher taxes are needed to keep the departments afloat in light of decreased revenue from property taxes. Sign up for the Patch daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook. "It's now in the voters' hands," Supervisor Michael Lovelock said after the board agreed to place the issues on the ballot. That means residents who own a house with a market value of $150,000 would pay a total of $243.75 extra annually if the police and …

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Chesterfield Township Officials Want Major Pay Hikes Despite Other Cutbacks

The salary request comes on the heels of employee wage freezes in the township and other steps to save money in the community.

Chesterfield Township's three full-time elected officials are seeking major pay raises in the 2012 proposed budget, despite an expected general fund deficit. If approved at the 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1 budget hearing in the Municipal Offices, Supervisor Michael Lovelock will see an annual salary increase from $60,460 to $90,000 while Clerk Jan Uglis and Treasurer Linda Hartman will each go from making $57,820 a year to $68,500. "This is something that has never been brought up in 10 years," Lovelock, representing himself, Uglis and Hartman, told Patch Monday. "There's no good time to bring this up." They will discuss the matter before the board at the budget hearing, he said during a conference call with the other two, full-time officials present…

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Aug. 30: Good Morning Chesterfield, New Baltimore

Find out the news around town today.

Need a morning fix with your cup of joe? Get your news in a nutshell with Patch.

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In Brief: Chesterfield Apartment Fire Does Not Appear Criminal

Township police said Thursday the fire at Georgetown Apartments does not appear to be criminal. A fund-raiser for the tenants left homeless is in the works.

The Georgetown Apartments fire that left dozens of Chesterfield Township residents homeless does not appear to be criminal, township police said Thursday. Firefighters returned to the burnt building Wednesday to investigate a specific cause. No one was available to comment Thursday on whether the cause has been determined at this time. Immediately after the fire on Tuesday, some tenants said they suspected a seemingly faulty air conditioning unit was to blame. The air conditioning unit was in the window of the top corner apartment where the fire apparently originated. There were no injuries reported in the fire. Meanwhile, a fund-raiser to help the roughly 50 to 70 people displaced from the Tuesday evening blaze is in the works. Check back…

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Mobile Home Fire Under Arson Investigation

Police and firefighters are suspicious of a Chesterfield Twp. mobile home blaze.

Chesterfield Township police said Wednesday they are investigating a vacant mobile home fire that took place early Saturday morning as a possible arson case. The blaze at 2:44 a.m. was at the 29400 block of Georgetown in the Carriage Way Mobile Home subdivision near 24 Mile, township Fire Capt. Richard Schroeder said. When firefighters from Chesterfield, Harrison and Lenox townships arrived, the home was "fully involved." Fire officials left the scene at approximately 6:30 a.m. The estimated amount of damage is $35,000 and the home has been deemed a total loss, Schroeder said. On Wednesday, township police Detective Sgt. Deron Myers said police are looking into the fire as a possible case of arson. There were no suspects at that time. …

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