Cheryl Farquhar, a former Livonia resident, offered an emotional plea to the Livonia City Council Monday to place the 1.7-mill public safety proposal on the ballot.

Farquhar, sister of slain Livonia Police Officer Larry Nehasil, described how the news spread of her brother's death the night of Jan. 17, as she learned from a niece who called, screaming, “Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Larry is dead.” Nehasil worked that evening in the police department's surveillance unit, investigating two suspects in a string of home invasions.

“Our brother, Officer Larry Nehasil, was killed by a criminal while serving our community; protecting us, our children and our grandchildren; doing the job he loved,” Farquhar said.

“My 83-year-old mother-in-law, a Livonia resident, has repeatedly said, ‘I feel safer knowing Larry and his fellow officers are watching out for me.'

“If Larry were not in the place he was that night, a criminal stealing from a home to feed his drug habit could have taken the loaded gun he stole and killed a child walking home from his friend's house for dinner or could have hopped the fence and took a family hostage as he ran from police.”

Farquhar then discussed the possible impact of a budget shortfall on the Livonia Police Department without the millage.

“The potential loss of up to 30 officers would devastate the police department,” Farquhar said. “The undercover unit that my brother served in would be disbanded.

“We need these people to protect us from the crime that is increasing.”

MILLAGE WOULD RESTORE SERVICES

Police Chief Robert Stevenson had earlier told the council that his department had to cut the special operations unit in which Nehasil worked but would restore it if the millage passed.

Stevenson told the council it was difficult to pinpoint the number of officers impacted by the shortfall. Stevenson later said the city hadn't assigned a specific percentage, but if the police department had to bear 50 percent of the budget shortfall, that would be equivalent to about 30 officers.

The department would continue to try to eliminate administrative duties through attrition. Stevenson said the department has cut three lieutenants, nine or 10 sergeants and recently a captain over the past 10 years.

The millage would return the department to 2010 levels, Stevenson said, bringing the special operations unit back to help in investigations of larcenies from auto, home invasions and stolen vehicles. The millage would add positions in the investigative unit and officers in the uniform division, Stevenson said.

MAINTAINING A FULL SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Fire Chief Shadd Whitehead said the millage would continue to maintain levels of services. In 1978, when the last millage to fund public safety was passed, the department had 103 positions; today that number is 76. The number of rescue runs has increased 200-fold since then, Whitehead said.

The charter requires that the city maintains 0.8 firefighter for every 1,000 residents. The city's revised population at nearly 97,000 with the last Census puts that number at 78 firefighters so the department is planning to add two more firefighters.

The millage would keep the department a “full-service agency,” Whitehead said.

“When you call, we show up every single time,” Whitehead said.

The millage would add another inspector to assist with inspections and help with fire prevention, Whitehead said. It also will allow the department to keep equipment running at the fire stations.

“When equipment shuts down, it lengthens our response time to that part of the city,” Whitehead said.

Three union presidents of the Livonia Police Officers Association, Livonia Lieutenants and Sergeants Association, and the Livonia Professional Firefighters. Local 1164 reiterated their support for placing the millage before voters.

MANY SUPPORT MILLAGE

Resident Roger Matthews told the council that he supported the millage, pointing out that the cost of it was equivalent to about $9 or $10 a month for the average homeowner, offset by the reduction of $164 annually in property taxes for 2011. He likened the amount to what he paid for a cell phone or cable television per month.

“I am more than willing to make that sacrifice,” Matthews said.

Bruce Tenniswood supported the millage. He said his home was built by his grandfather 70 years ago. He bought it 18 years ago.

“We bought it because Livonia is a great place to live,” Tenniswood said. Tenniswood said he wanted the emergency services to continue and was willing to pay for them.

Sue Barna said the budget information was “very sobering. Don't deny the citizens their democratic right to decide on this millage,” Barna said.

Donna Nehasil, sister-in-law of Larry Nehasil, said if the council waited until November to conduct the vote, they would be “reactive.”

Nehasil said she could not “speak enough” about the community's support since her brother-in-law's death. She told the council she and other Livonia residents deserved the right to vote.

Craig Nehasil, Larry Nehasil's brother and Livonia resident, told the council that dissolving the special operations unit would be “very tragic.” He told the council to let residents vote on the millage.

Bob Sakuta, owner and president of Delta Gear and a Livonia resident, said the millage will impact him as a business owner even with tax breaks he received from the city as a business owner.

Sakuta does not want to see public safety cuts to the police and fire departments. “If we don't have a safe community, I will leave this community,” Sakuta said. “I think you as a council need to bring this to the community for a vote.”

One man who identified himself as a resident of Livonia for 66 years said he supported the millage. He wants to see the departments funded at their current levels and money spent on technology, but would rather see a millage for five years than 10.

“I think it would be easier to support five years because 10 years may be too much for those who have problems now,” he said.

At least one resident wanted more cuts in the budget. One resident suggested the city take another look at employee perks and benefits, including city cars.

Dianne Marietti asked how much the millage generates, and was told by Finance Director Mike Slater $7 million to take care of the $6.2 million shortfall. She wondered whether the police department's polygraph officer generated any income for the city. She was told no but that other communities are charged for the service.

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