Roscommon County Emergency Management is asking voters to approve a $177,000 millage to fund the department.
Vanessa Varner, director of Roscommon Emergency Management, says that she is effectively a department of one.
Varner helps the county plan for emergency situations and respond effectively when they do happen.
Those scenarios include fires, natural disasters, terror attacks, infrastructure failure and the coordination of responders in those situations.
Outside of emergencies, Varner says she works on proactive response plans and ensures the county is ready unexpected circumstances.
“On blue sky days we’re responsible for the community or the county’s emergency operations plan, hazard mitigation plan, building relationships with first responders and community organizations to make sure that when a response has to happen — that we have the best response possible,” she said.
If passed, the millage would separate the department’s operations from the county general fund, providing a stable funding mechanism through 2027.
Varner says the funding would also allow her to bolster the county’s disaster mitigation measures, including upgrades to the mass notification system, siren maintenance and first responder recruitment efforts.
The proposal would levy .1 mill for four years, or $10 annually for every $100,000 of a home’s taxable value.
Voters will have through Election Day on Nov. 5 to weigh in on the proposal. Absentee voting has already begun, while in-person early voting will begin by Oct. 26. More information on voting can be found with the Michigan Secretary of State.
For more on Northern Michigan funding proposals, check out our November election guide here.