Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Calumet Village Manager Caleb Katz recently spoke with the Daily Mining Gazette regarding amendments made to the FY 2022 Final Budget.

CALUMET — Amidst talk in the village that the council removed police funding from the FY 2022 budget after the Feb. 25 Public Budget Hearing, there seems to be some confusion about how the trustees are still leaving residents to pay that portion of the millage. While changes were, in fact, made to the budget after the Feb. 25 budget hearing, they were made during a Village Council Special Meeting on the budget, which occurred at 7:30 p.m., following the hearing.

The minutes of that meeting, posted on the Calumet village website, state that during the period of Petitions from the Public, members of the public spoke and expressed the questions, concerns and thoughts regarding the proposed FY 2022 budget.

During the meeting, Village Manager Caleb Katz reviewed the budget and went “fund by fund” for the council and the public, and explained the figures that were found in the budget. Discussions were had on expenses and revenues, and the council asked questions.

The meeting minutes state that the line item for “Police” was changed to “Community Safety” and the proposed budget for line-item Community Safety was lowered to $18,500.00 from $65,000.00. The Fire Department line item was increased to $48,000.00 from $25,000.00. Surface Maintenance in Major Streets was changed to move $4,000.00 to Sanitation for storm drains, the total changed from $22,000.00 to $18,000.00.

In a Friday telephone interview, Katz explained the council’s decisions in making the amendments to the budget.

“Essentially, it got changed,” he said. “Trustees (Lori) Weir, (Andrew) Ranville, (Rob) Tarvis, (Roxanne) King and (Brian) Abramson were on board with changing it to “Community Safety,” or something of that nature, because then we could use (the revenue) whether it’s a community watch or installing cameras and that type of stuff, to allow us to start some more re-investment in the community.”

The motion was passed 5-0. In fact, of the eight proposed changes to the budget draft, five were adopted by unanimous vote.

It is within legal right of the Village Council to amend the budget, said Katz.

“Just because it’s in the budget doesn’t mean it can’t be amended or changed later on down the road if the council decides to go a different route. If the council decides it’s something that they want,” Katz said, “they can go after it and make that change. If not, that’s also fine, too.”

A five-year Street and Police Departments millage renewal expires this year, which includes revenue from the millage to be used for (but not limited to) the purchase and maintenance of snow removal equipment and police equipment, as well for police services.

Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Kelly said that the renewal request will appear on the August 2021 ballot.

Katz said it is the council’s decision to change the language from police services to community safety, but he has heard nothing from the trustees on the matter.

Kelly said the Village Council has until May 11 to make any changes to the renewal’s wording.