SAUGATUCK, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – Before next Monday’s decisive vote on whether to sever a 20-year police agreement with neighboring Douglas, the Saugatuck City Council wants to go over its options this afternoon.
Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker and members of his command staff are planning to attend the 4 PM biweekly council workshop, which will be in Saugatuck High’s media center instead of city hall because of an anticipated larger public presence than normal. A special committee earlier this month recommended that the city contract out police services with the sheriff’s department when the deal for a joint force with Douglas expires on June 30th, citing a number of factors that Mayor Ken Trestor says goes beyond just the bottom line. “Essentially, what we’re getting, if we contract out with the Sheriff’s Department, is the same staffing level that we have right now,” Trestor explained. “It’s just that there would be a wider coverage, that there would be backup coming from other officers from the sheriff’s department that would be available in a coordinated way.”
The agreement with Douglas has a March 1 deadline for either side to notify the other that it wants to end the pact. There are no other items listed for discussion on today’s Council workshop agenda.
