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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Two recruits will soon begin training to fill vacancies in the Iron Mountain Police Department, with the city covering their cost to attend Northwestern Michigan College Police Academy in Traverse City.
The city council Monday authorized an estimated cost of nearly $50,000 for the training. The recruits will be expected to remain in the force for four years before they're free of any repayment obligation.
In the past, training costs have been largely covered by the state's Public Safety Academy Assistance grant program. Those funds, however, are exhausted and new applications won't be accepted until at least Oct. 1, according to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
That forced city officials to weigh whether to wait for a later academy -- with expected grant assistance of $20,000 per recruit -- or move to fill the vacancies sooner and save on overtime.
Jeffery Solka, director of police and fire services, estimated extra overtime costs of $34,000 if the city waited for the next available academy that starts Oct. 26 at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor Township. That program would carry a higher cost for housing as well, Solka said.
The idea of sending one recruit to Northwestern and one to Washtenaw was also explored, but the lack of any dorm housing at the latter swayed the decision to have both go to Traverse City.
It was also noted that the department's projected overtime assumed no further setbacks in staffing.
"In addition to the cost of overtime, employee burnout should be considered," City Manager Jordan Stanchina said in a memo to the council.
The cost for the Northwestern program per recruit breaks down as $9,721 for tuition; $3,505 for dorm housing; and $11,368 for wages over the 16 weeks. The program begins Aug. 24, with graduation on Dec. 12 and a potential starting date at IMPD of Dec. 15.
The agreement for recruits requires full repayment of training costs to the city if the officer leaves within one year, 75% reimbursement if the officer leaves within two years, 50% within three years, and 25% within four.
The city has been looking to fill a police vacancy since April and was informed in June that another officer would be moving out of the area and leaving law enforcement. The city budget calls for 13 full-time police employees, plus a clerical position.
In other action, the Iron Mountain council:
-- Authorized a bond ordinance for the city's planned borrowing of $7.63 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The loan will help finance an $18.4 million sewer and water project that started last fall. The water portion is funded by a 40-year Michigan Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan of $10.64 million at 2% interest, plus a $2.666 million grant. The USDA 40-year loan is for the sewer portion with a projected interest rate of roughly 3%. Bacco Construction Co. of Iron Mountain is the contractor for the project mainly on West Hughitt, West A and East C streets.
-- Approved a policy update for grievance procedures, a non-discrimination plan, a reasonable accommodations policy and an equal opportunity agreement as required to qualify for the USDA loan.
-- Agreed to offer a letter of support for a Kwik Trip EV charging project at 1010 N. Stephenson Ave. Kwik Trip has applied for assistance through the state's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
-- Approved a pay request of $23,368 to Coleman Engineering Co. of Iron Mountain for updates to the city's geographic information systems mapping. The payment will be funded through a grant awarded to conduct field verification for water service lines containing lead. MEC Underground Solutions of Fairgrove completed the verifications under a $468,515 contract that came in under budget. Coleman had earlier received $20,291 to start integrating the new information on water lines into the GIS system. This week's final payment for Coleman's field work and GIS data management leaves $608 to be returned to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.