Trenton city officials and members of the Police and Fire departments are breathing a sigh of relief after voters put their support behind a bond proposal in Tuesday’s primary election.
Voters approved the $43.5 million fire, police and municipal building improvement bond proposal 2,456 (53.61%) votes in favor of passing the 30-year bond, to 2,125 (46.39%) against it.
Mayor Steven Rzeppa is calling it “the most transformative bond proposal in generations.
“It will revamp our fire, police, and municipal buildings,” he said. “This bond proposal will give our employees and residents safe, secure, and modern places to work and do business, enhance the service and emergency response times we are able to provide to our residents, and give the community buildings and spaces that we can all be proud to call our own.”
It has been more than 25 years since the city has requested bond funding for buildings in more than 25 years.
An all-out effort was put forth by the city and police department to get the word out to residents to show just how impactful the bond would be if passed.
Study sessions were held after City Council meetings to offer information and answer questions. Many of those meetings were run by Trenton Police Chief Mike Hawkins.
Also working to get information to residents was City Administrator Dean Creech and Fire Chief Keith Anderson. During the information campaign Creech said they had residents submit questions and he compiled them into the top most frequently asked during a study session.
“By far, the number one question was where would the new fire and police buildings be located?” Creech said.
Plans call for the fire building to be centrally located near the general area of Fort Street and West Road.
The police station has more flexibility and can be located near either with the fire station or independently elsewhere.
“These are absolutely massive capital investments that we absolutely have to make,” Rzeppa said. “We have an almost 100-year-old building and very little is ADA compliant and that is frankly inexcusable.”
According to city officials, about $29 million will go toward the new police and fire station.
About $14 million will be spent on the Westfield Activities building, library, City Hall, Department of Public Works and Kennedy Recreation Center.
Everything from Americans Disabilities Act compliance issues, HVAC, roofs, lighting, plumbing, parking lots, windows, foundation issues and more will be examined.
The mayor said these things are not going to get any cheaper to address and this is the way to address the issues in one fell swoop.
The average home in Trenton will see a little more than a $200 annual increase effective with the summer tax bill of 2025.
According to Creech, the Fire Station 2 will likely be sold for redevelopment and the police station and Fire Station 1 could be sold and or redeveloped.
The city administrator said they also could be demolished and redeveloped. The police station location could also be a potential location for a new facility. Trenton has other vacant buildings and those could be considered for renovations to house police and fire.
The cost for projects of this magnitude has been estimated based on available market estimates.
Land and property acquisition estimates were also based on location needs and size needs for any proposed plot(s) of land.
Other buildings were included in the bond due to decreased revenues since 2008.
Since that time, numerous building improvements and repairs have been delayed or postponed.
Along with showing appreciation to department heads, the mayor showed his appreciation to others for passing the bond.
“Most importantly, we must thank you, the residents, for your support for our vision and belief that a better Trenton is possible,” Rzeppa said. “We have long been a community that supports one another, and the transformations from this bond proposal will last for long after most of us are gone. Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart to all our residents who made this possible. While it will be some years before the fruits of the bond are fully actualized, I am so incredibly proud to be your Mayor and I promise that we will continue making you all proud of the city you choose to call home too.”
Other questions
Proposals to maintain current police and fire operations in Grosse Ile Township both were approved with 64% and 71% support, respectively. A police expansion that would have allowed the hiring of another officer to bring the department’s ranks to 23 was resoundingly rejected in February.
Also on Grosse Ile, a school replacement building and sinking fund proposal garnered 56% approval.
A police millage renewal in Huron Township received 65% support.
In the only Downriver city with an election for office, Lamar Tidwell was the top vote-getter in the race for mayor with 54% of the vote. Also advancing to the November ballot was runner-up Therese Peguese, with 27% of the vote. Marilyn Oliver received the most votes (54%) for treasurer and will face Latisha Fields (26%) in November.
In Brownstown Township, Sherry Berecz received 56% of the vote to claim the Democratic supervisor primary. She will be unopposed in November.
Kelly Tromby prevailed in the Huron Township Republican primary for supervisor and will also not face a challenge in the general election while Bryan Polce was the top GOP vote-getter in a race for a trustee seat and will also not have opposition in November.
A seat on the Brownstown Township Board of Trustees is set to be filled by Democrat Patrick Killian who received 23% of the vote and edged Steven Allen by a mere three votes.
On the Grosse Ile Township Board of Trustees, Margaret Shelton received 21% of the vote and prevailed by 45 votes. She will be unopposed in November for the seat.
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