COOPERATION, COLLABORATION, AND CONSOLIDATION PLAN

VILLAGE OF NASHVILLE

Previous efforts for Cooperation, Collaboration, and Consolidation

Castleton – Maple Grove – Nashville Fire Department

On March 3, 1970 Castleton Township, Maple Grove Township, and the Village of Nashville signed an agreement to share equally the operation expense of the CMGN Fire Department. Equipment and property is owned, maintained and insured by the two townships as follows: 2/3 – Castleton Township and 1/3 – Maple Grove Township. This agreement is still in place as of the writing of this document (8-19-11). Each entity pays an equal share (1/3) of the expected operation budget on a quarterly basis. The exact dollars saved by this venture are unknown but paying only 1/3 of the cost for the fire service is a cost savings of many hundreds of thousands of dollars for each entity over the years of service to date. Without this collaboration between the three entities a separate fire department located in and paid for individually by each entity would not have been possible.

Castleton – Maple Grove – Nashville Ambulance Department
(currently called Castleton-Maple Grove-Nashville Area EMS)

On November 7, 1979 Castleton Township, Maple Grove Township, and the Village of Nashville signed an agreement to share equally the operation expense of the CMGN Ambulance Department. Equipment and property is owned, maintained and insured by the two townships as follows: 2/3 – Castleton Township and 1/3 Maple Grove Township. This agreement is still in place as of the writing of this document (8-19-11). There has been a change in the source of funding since the agreement – The CMGN EMS operation budget is now funded by a property tax millage that is taxed on all property in the Castleton and Maple Grove Townships (which include the Village of Nashville). But each entity still is required to meet any additional operational needs if the millage does not meet the needs of the ambulance department. Any additional funding would be shared by the three entities – each paying 1/3 of the additional cost if and when needed. The exact dollars saved by this venture are unknown but paying only 1/3 of the cost for the ambulance service is a cost savings of many hundreds of thousands of dollars for each entity over the years of service to date. Without this collaboration between the three entities a separate ambulance department located in and paid for individually by each entity would not have been possible.

Castleton – Maple Grove – Nashville Transfer Recycle Station

On November 24, 1980 Castleton Township, Maple Grove Township, and the Village of Nashville signed an agreement to share equally the operation expenses, not covered by the fees charged, of the CMGN Transfer Recycle Station. This agreement is still in place as of the writing of this document (8-19-11). Each entity pays an equal share (1/3) of the expected operation budget not covered by the fees charged for use of the site on a quarterly basis. The land is owned and insured by the Village of Nashville and any construction needs at the site are shared 2/3 by Castleton Township and 1/3 by Maple Grove Township. The exact dollars saved by this venture are unknown but paying only 1/3 of the costs for the transfer recycle service is a cost savings of many thousands of dollars for each entity over the years of service to date. Without this collaboration between the three entities a separate transfer recycle service located in and paid for individually by each entity would not have been possible.

State of Michigan – M66 State Trunkline Maintenance Contract

For over 20 years, the Village of Nashville and the State of Michigan have had a contract to share maintenance of the M66 Trunkline (Main Street) that runs through the village limits. The village does – street cleaning, snow plowing, street pavement marking (parking spots etc.) and the state reimburses the village for time, supplies, and equipment used in full for all non-winter maintenance. Only half of winter maintenance is covered by the state and the village pays the other half. The exact dollars saved by this contract are unknown. All of the money saved would be the states savings as the village can do the work for much less cost than the state can and when needed not only when state employees are available. The village did not save any money with this contract, in fact it cost the village an estimated $2,500 per year for the half it pays for winter maintenance, but the village gained the ability to clean, paint, and plow Main Street when needed and not wait for the state to get to it.

Sewer Pond Rental Agreement

For over 20 years the Village of Nashville has leased out the land around the sewer ponds to a local farmer to grow crops on the property. The village revenue is $675 per year. The 5 year agreement has been renew several time but the total revenue is unknown as we do not have records of all the years of the agreement. But over the last 10 years the village has brought in $6,750 for land that otherwise would have stood empty and useless.

Maple Syrup Association agreement to use Sugar Shack in Putnam Park

For many, many years the Village of Nashville has had an agreement with the Maple Syrup Association to allow the association to use the Sugar Shack located on Village property (in Putnam Park) to cook the sap gathered from the Nashville area. The village insures the property and does all needed maintenance on the outside of the building but the Association does the maintenance on the interior of the building along with maintenance and repairs of their equipment housed inside. The village does not receive rent for this agreement but the Association donates any profits it gets to Nashville area charities. (Christmas Basket program and Star gift program are just two that have received money from the Association over the years)

Nashville Police Department

In 2010, the Nashville Police Department presented a proposal to Castleton Township for 24/7 police patrol coverage in the township. This proposal was not accepted by the township. The township deemed it not within their budget constraints to accept the proposal. If it had been accepted the savings for the Village would have been about $28,000 and the village would have also gained 24/7 police coverage. The proposal added 1 full time officer and 2 part time officers to cover additional hours not currently covered by the village and expanded coverage to include any calls within Castleton Township but outside the village limits.

Nashville Zoning Ordinance vs County Zoning Ordinance (County take over Village Zoning proposal)

In 2009-2010 the village looked into and approached Barry County on taking over the Villages zoning control. After many discussions, the village opted to rewrite their own zoning ordinance and keep the control in the village. Giving control over to the county would have saved the village about $20,000 annually over the coming years plus the cost of the new zoning ordinance of an est. $20,000. But due to residents negative opinion of the change to the county the council decided that the dollars saved were not enough to warrant losing local control of the zoning.

Proposed efforts for Cooperation, Collaboration, and Consolidation

Nashville Police Department

At some time in the near future at an as yet unknown date when the township feels it is in better financial shape, the Nashville Police Department will again present a proposal to Castleton Township for 24/7 police patrol coverage in the township. The savings for the Village and cost to Castleton Township are estimated at about $28,000 at current pay rates (2011) and the village will also gain 24/7 police coverage. The proposal adds 1 full time officer and 2 part time officers to cover additional hours not currently covered by the village and expanded coverage to include any calls within Castleton Township but outside the village limits.