On Tuesday Atlas Township and Goodrich voters approved by a 5-to-1 margin 1 mill for a period of five years to contract police services with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department. The renewed millage cost an owner of a home worth $200,000 about $100 per year. The deputies also patrol Goodrich which contributes 30 percent of the costs. The substation costs residents about $340,000 to operated of which $246,416 will be collected by the millage, with the remainder from the general fund.
About 12 percent of 5,122 registered voters cast ballots in the election.
‘I’m delighted with the results of the election,? said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. ‘The heart of the matter is 85 percent of the people support the deputies stationed in Atlas Township.
We’re very proud of the deputies at the station, their success comes from putting the right people at the station and holding them accountable.?
Genesee County Sheriff’s Department also operates substations in Vienna Township with seven deputies, and Fenton Township, which supports five, said Pickell.
Atlas and Goodrich voters along with Flushing Township voters were the first in Genesee County to use the new M100 Optical Scan Election System. The new machine, which used paper ballots and required voters to blacken circles before scanning the ballot, uploaded the voting results to the Genesee County Clerks office for tabulation.
‘We are very pleased with the results of the new voting machine,? said Michael J. Carr, Genesee County Clerk.
‘A few minutes after the polls closed, the can generate the results.?
‘In the future the precincts will upload the results, the best part of the system is that paper ballots are there for a backup.?