The Numbers Behind the Gap

*Village of Schoolcraft* residents face a new financial reality after two neighboring townships withdrew from their shared fire authority, leaving the remaining four communities to cover the bill.

The projected annual cost for Schoolcraft's share of the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority (SKCFA) would rise to $85,666. That is $17,533.24 more than the current cost of $68,132.76, according to a financial report from Maner Costerisan, a Grand Rapids-based public accounting and consulting firm.

Two Townships Out, Four Left to Pay

Brady Township and Wakeshma Township departed the SKCFA. The four remaining members are the Village of Schoolcraft, Schoolcraft Township, Village of Vicksburg, and Prairie Ronde Township.

The SKCFA has kept monetary contributions at current levels for now. That gives the remaining entities time to decide how to fund the authority going forward, according to South County News.

Millage or Special Assessment?

The Maner Costerisan report presented two funding options to the Schoolcraft Village Council:

  • A millage tax, based on property tax and requiring voter approval
  • A special assessment, a fixed cost per property determined by the Council without a public vote

During the April 20 council meeting, Trustee Kathy Mastenbrook raised a key question about the millage route.

"If you do a millage and it's not approved, then what do you do to still have a fire service?"

Mastenbrook noted that Prairie Ronde Township has used a special assessment for several years.

"That's what worked best for them," she said. "We could use their expertise in determining a special assessment."

No Historical Data, No Quick Fix

Complicating the decision is a lack of historical data from the four remaining SKCFA members, Mastenbrook said.

"These estimates will have to be adjusted over the next three to five years as we gather data," she said. "We have to find something that can work for five years."

The Maner Costerisan report estimated that implementing either a millage or special assessment would take 15 to 18 months.

In the interim, the increased costs must come from the Village's general fund.

"We're not going to have the extra resources the first year," Mastenbrook said.

Trustee Todd Carlin said the Council wants residents to understand the process.

"We want residents to know that we've checked all the boxes about what's best for them," he said. "We need someone to give us the information to help us decide."

Other Council Priorities

The Council also discussed two other goals at the April 20 meeting:

  • Finding a new water well site, with Trustee Joe Beck suggesting the Village "look outside the box at any and all possibilities"
  • Expanding community activities, though Council President Mike Rochholz lamented a shortage of volunteers

"I can list all the families who used to do the things that nobody wants to step up to do today," Rochholz said. "I wish people had more commitment."

Investment Returns

In other business, Clerk/Treasurer Theresa O'Leary reported that the Village's MiClass investment account earned $78,831.87 in interest between April 2025 and March 2026.

The Council agreed it needs more information before moving forward on the fire authority funding decision. Mastenbrook suggested holding a joint meeting with the other three SKCFA entities and sharing the cost of having Maner Costerisan present its findings directly.