Salary adjustments for supervisor, clerk, treasurer included
By Bruce Rolfe
The 2024-25 fiscal year budget that was approved by the Climax Township Board at its regular meeting March 12 is slightly less then the about to expire 2023-2024 budget, but is over $522,000 larger then the township budget that was approved just three years ago.
The approved 2024-2025 total income and expenditures is $1,046,024, slightly lower then the 2023-2024 adopted budget that was adopted for $1,122,902.
Some driving factors for the large jump two years ago include American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money the township received that totaled approximately $190,000, oil royalties totaling approximately $5,000 to $6,000 a month the township received from oil companies for drilling rights near the township owned Gilson Cemetery, more tax collection revenue and an increased total of money spent for road improvements.
The approved 2024-2025 budget also includes salary adjustments for the supervisor, clerk and treasurer.
Supervisor Trent Piper’s salary that went from $11,500 to $13,800 effective April 1, 2022, has been adjusted to $16,500 per year in the 2024-2025 budget, with compensation being reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll. The clerk compensation that was adjusted from $15,000 to $21,000 effective April 1, 2022, has been increased to $25,000 per year, with compensation being reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll check. The treasurer compensation that was adjusted from $13,000 to $15,600 effective April 1, 2022, has been increased to $18,000 per year with compensation reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll check.
The increases follows a pattern of voting on an increase every two years to move the township out of a lower tier for paying township officials.
In 2020 all three township officials’ wages were just under the 25th percentile from a Michigan Township Association salary report based on similar townships in Michigan, meaning 75 percent of the townships similar to Climax Township paid their clerk, supervisor and treasurer more. Work load in all three positions has also increased.
Since the 2017-2018 budget was approved, the supervisor’s salary has increased just over 83 percent from $9,000 to the 2024-2025 approved $16,500; the clerk’s salary has increased just over 109 percent from $11,911 to the 2024-2025 approved $25,000; and the treasurer’s salary has increased just over 69 percent from $10,600 to the 2024-2025 approved $18,000.
The 2024-2025 general fund revenue is listed at $611,630 and expenditures are $395,360. Clerk Marcia Lewis said the larger revenue total reflects a large amount of money that has been carried over from the previous budget.
The fire millage fund income is listed at $133,150 and the road millage fund income is listed at $88,790.
Climax Township Treasurer Steve Walman said while the township collected $3.3 million dollars through the summer and winter tax collection, a small portion of that total stays in the township. Walman said the township itself kept $96,000, the Fire Department received $126,000 through the fire millage and the road fund collected $84,000, also through a millage, meaning the three township funds kept approximately $330,000 out of the $3.3 million in tax money collected.
Walman said he doesn’t expect any surprises in the final month of the about to expire budget heading into the new fiscal year budget.
New Fire Truck Estimate Presented
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith presented a quote for a new rescue vehicle. He said the 2024 F-550, 4 door rescue vehicle that would be built with the specs offered by the Climax Township Fire Department, is $150,000. Smith said the local fire department can repurpose the old 1451 truck that is 12 years old into a grass fire fighting rig. It could take 75-90 days to receive the vehicle. Smith said it would take an additional month to transfer and mount equipment on the new rescue unit and approximately one week to convert the old 1451 vehicle to a fire fighting grass rig.
He proposed to use remaining ARPA funding and any money the local fire department has remaining in carry over. Smith proposed the fire department pay the loan back with an annual payment totalling $12,000 a year until the vehicle is paid off. He said once the new engine is paid off, the fire department would double the payment until the rescue vehicle is paid off.
Smith said a $26,000 down payment would hold the unit and the price. The board will continue to review the estimate and will consider calling a special meeting for a decision.
Fire Millage Question on August Ballot, Road Millage Question on November Ballot
The Township Board plans to have a fire millage question on the August, 2024 ballot and a road millage question on the November, 2024 ballot after the township attorney is contacted about ballot language. Both proposals are for 10 years. The Fire Millage was approved in 2014 for 1.5 mills and 1-mill road millage was approved in 2014 by a 416-387 margin. An interesting side note to the road millage, according to the November 7, 2014 Climax Crescent a 1.8453 road millage renewal request in 1994 passed by a 234-149 margin however a second proposal on the 1994 ballot asking voters for an increase of Road Millage by .1547 due to the Headlee Rollback (1995-1999) passed by a 198-173 margin.
Run to Climax Approved; Start Time Changed to 8 a.m.
The Township Board was alerted by Run To Climax organizers the starting time will be moved from 8:30 to 8 a.m. to relieve some congestion for the parade and the Township Board unanimously approved the request.
In other items covered at the regular meeting:
• Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith said his department responded to 20 calls for service in February including 14 medical calls, one structure fire, three motor vehicle accidents, one false alarm and one vehicle fire. The local fire department provided assistance on five mutual aid calls and received mutual aid from other fire departments on four calls.
• The Township approved a 5% franchise fee for 10 years to Charter Communications.
The 2024-25 fiscal year budget that was approved by the Climax Township Board at its regular meeting March 12 is slightly less then the about to expire 2023-2024 budget, but is over $522,000 larger then the township budget that was approved just three years ago.
The approved 2024-2025 total income and expenditures is $1,046,024, slightly lower then the 2023-2024 adopted budget that was adopted for $1,122,902.
Some driving factors for the large jump two years ago include American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money the township received that totaled approximately $190,000, oil royalties totaling approximately $5,000 to $6,000 a month the township received from oil companies for drilling rights near the township owned Gilson Cemetery, more tax collection revenue and an increased total of money spent for road improvements.
The approved 2024-2025 budget also includes salary adjustments for the supervisor, clerk and treasurer.
Supervisor Trent Piper’s salary that went from $11,500 to $13,800 effective April 1, 2022, has been adjusted to $16,500 per year in the 2024-2025 budget, with compensation being reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll. The clerk compensation that was adjusted from $15,000 to $21,000 effective April 1, 2022, has been increased to $25,000 per year, with compensation being reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll check. The treasurer compensation that was adjusted from $13,000 to $15,600 effective April 1, 2022, has been increased to $18,000 per year with compensation reflected on the May 1, 2024 payroll check.
The increases follows a pattern of voting on an increase every two years to move the township out of a lower tier for paying township officials.
In 2020 all three township officials’ wages were just under the 25th percentile from a Michigan Township Association salary report based on similar townships in Michigan, meaning 75 percent of the townships similar to Climax Township paid their clerk, supervisor and treasurer more. Work load in all three positions has also increased.
Since the 2017-2018 budget was approved, the supervisor’s salary has increased just over 83 percent from $9,000 to the 2024-2025 approved $16,500; the clerk’s salary has increased just over 109 percent from $11,911 to the 2024-2025 approved $25,000; and the treasurer’s salary has increased just over 69 percent from $10,600 to the 2024-2025 approved $18,000.
The 2024-2025 general fund revenue is listed at $611,630 and expenditures are $395,360. Clerk Marcia Lewis said the larger revenue total reflects a large amount of money that has been carried over from the previous budget.
The fire millage fund income is listed at $133,150 and the road millage fund income is listed at $88,790.
Climax Township Treasurer Steve Walman said while the township collected $3.3 million dollars through the summer and winter tax collection, a small portion of that total stays in the township. Walman said the township itself kept $96,000, the Fire Department received $126,000 through the fire millage and the road fund collected $84,000, also through a millage, meaning the three township funds kept approximately $330,000 out of the $3.3 million in tax money collected.
Walman said he doesn’t expect any surprises in the final month of the about to expire budget heading into the new fiscal year budget.
New Fire Truck Estimate Presented
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith presented a quote for a new rescue vehicle. He said the 2024 F-550, 4 door rescue vehicle that would be built with the specs offered by the Climax Township Fire Department, is $150,000. Smith said the local fire department can repurpose the old 1451 truck that is 12 years old into a grass fire fighting rig. It could take 75-90 days to receive the vehicle. Smith said it would take an additional month to transfer and mount equipment on the new rescue unit and approximately one week to convert the old 1451 vehicle to a fire fighting grass rig.
He proposed to use remaining ARPA funding and any money the local fire department has remaining in carry over. Smith proposed the fire department pay the loan back with an annual payment totalling $12,000 a year until the vehicle is paid off. He said once the new engine is paid off, the fire department would double the payment until the rescue vehicle is paid off.
Smith said a $26,000 down payment would hold the unit and the price. The board will continue to review the estimate and will consider calling a special meeting for a decision.
Fire Millage Question on August Ballot, Road Millage Question on November Ballot
The Township Board plans to have a fire millage question on the August, 2024 ballot and a road millage question on the November, 2024 ballot after the township attorney is contacted about ballot language. Both proposals are for 10 years. The Fire Millage was approved in 2014 for 1.5 mills and 1-mill road millage was approved in 2014 by a 416-387 margin. An interesting side note to the road millage, according to the November 7, 2014 Climax Crescent a 1.8453 road millage renewal request in 1994 passed by a 234-149 margin however a second proposal on the 1994 ballot asking voters for an increase of Road Millage by .1547 due to the Headlee Rollback (1995-1999) passed by a 198-173 margin.
Run to Climax Approved; Start Time Changed to 8 a.m.
The Township Board was alerted by Run To Climax organizers the starting time will be moved from 8:30 to 8 a.m. to relieve some congestion for the parade and the Township Board unanimously approved the request.
In other items covered at the regular meeting:
• Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith said his department responded to 20 calls for service in February including 14 medical calls, one structure fire, three motor vehicle accidents, one false alarm and one vehicle fire. The local fire department provided assistance on five mutual aid calls and received mutual aid from other fire departments on four calls.
• The Township approved a 5% franchise fee for 10 years to Charter Communications.
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