As the City Commission faces a nearly $500,000 deficit, one of its police officers is one of the highest paid cops in the county
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SCOTTVILLE — The Scottville City Commission is facing the difficult, but inevitable decision of eliminating the city’s police department. The longer it waits, the more debt the city accumulates.
Last fall, Interim City Manager Clarence Goodlein reported to the commission that the city was nearly $500,000 in debt due to various incidences of overspending over the previous few years (see related story here). Goodlein proposed several ways the city could save money, the most notable was to eliminate or re-align police services.
Since fiscal year 2021/2022, the city’s general fund has shown a deficit of $473,379. The city’s fiscal year is July 1 to June 30. In 2021/2022 it outspent revenue by $16,728. That deficit increased to $227,739 and $228,912 in 2022/2023 and $228,912 in 2023/2024.
The city’s annual general fund budget is $1.41 million, generated through 16 tax mills.
Goodlein has been interim city manager since June following the resignation of city manager Jimmy Newkirk. Goodlein has worked in public service for over 45 years, with his resume including service as the city manager of Flushing and public safety director and police chief of Wixom.
Goodlein said the deficit has occurred through several actions including an un-budgeted $368,005 repair of a water main along with un-budgeted repaving of a portion of a city parking lot for $43,000 and the mis-management of a state grant to a local business of $50,000.
“In addition, there was just several incidences of over-spending that have occurred over the past few years,” Goodlein said.
Goodlein proposed several ways the city commission could reduce expenses including cutting his salary and hours worked, leasing the operations of the city’s boat ramp, returning zoning, building code enforcement and rental regulations to internal control, and eliminating or re-aligning police services. He has since also discussed with MCP that he would like to recommend the city commission consider seeking a new law firm for legal services in an effort to save money. Rather than reducing expenses, Goodlein has said the city could consider raising property taxes an additional 10 mills (over 40 percent increase) in order to continue services as they exist now.
City property owners currently pay 16 mills that generate $1.4 million annually for the general fund. By statute, city commission can raise that up to 20 mills. An additional 4 mills would generate $260,250 a year.
Raising property taxes beyond the allowed 20 mills would require a vote of the people and would not even be possible until November of this year, which would be too late, as the city must drastically reduce debt before June 30 without intervention from the state government.
“When you look at the median income of a resident in Scottville, I really don’t think that we want to put that burden on them,” Goodlein said. “We have to consider other options, and that’s cutting expenses.”
For several years, city commissioners have discussed the future of the city’s police department. Options have typically leaned toward contracting services with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.
The advantage of a city police department is that the officers can enforce city ordinances. The sheriff’s office can only enforce county and state laws and the Michigan State Police can only enforce state laws. However, a contract with another agency could allow certain types of municipal-specific enforcement. But, a review of 2024 police activity in the city of Scottville reveals that the Scottville Police Department spends very little time actually enforcing the city’s ordinances.
The operation of a police department has been very expensive for the tax payers of Scottville.
The city’s two-person police department provides 3,920 hours a year, or 44 percent, of the city’s law enforcement services with the remainder, 5,840 hours, 56 percent, covered by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, along with coverage by Michigan State Police as well.
In the current fiscal year, the city’s appropriation for its police department is $230,750 while its expense to Mason County Sheriff’s Office is zero.
Between Jan. 4 to Dec. 4, 2024 the Scottville Police Department responded to 377 calls of service in the city limits. The city currently has contracts with West Shore Community College and Gateway to Success Academy for school resource officer services. SPD responded to six calls of service at WSCC in that time period (it is paid about $20,000 a year and provided a $60,000 vehicle for those six calls) and 10 calls of service to G2S.
Breaking down the 377 calls of service in the city limits, with about 60 calls being either criminal-related or emergencies. Of those 60 calls, about six appear to be possibly violent such as resisting/obstructing police and assault. Information about calls resulting in arrests was not immediately available because Scottville Police Department only sporadically reports its actions to the local media, as opposed to the sheriff’s office and Ludington Police Department which each report almost every weekday.
In that same time period, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to 246 calls of service in the city limits with almost all calls criminal or emergency related. These calls included eight investigations for criminal sexual conduct, two for aggravated/felonious assault, 17 for assault and battery, six for computer/internet harassment, 25 drug-related, two for resisting/obstructing a police officer, four for child sexually abusive material.
Additionally, Michigan State Police patrols the City of Scottville frequently.
The Scottville Police Department consists of two police officers. Previously it had a full time chief along with several part time officers. Currently, Sgt. Katrina Skinner has served as interim chief for the past three years. City officials have stated that she has been offered the non-union chief position but refuses to take it. Additionally, emails obtained by MCP through Michigan Freedom of Information Act have revealed that Skinner has indicated she does not want to be interim chief unless compensated more.
The other full time police officer is Steve Wietrzykowski, who had previously served as captain of Ludington Police Department before his retirement last year. Wietrzkowski began working for Scottville early last year.
In 2023, Skinner was paid $85,292.57, which included $29,574.51 (697 hours) in overtime. At that time, she was the only police officer in the city. Comparatively, that year, Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole was paid $81,698.39, Undersheriff Derrek Wilson was paid $70,278 and Chief Deputy Oscar Davila was paid $68,042.13. A sheriff’s department sergeant in 2023 was paid $28.11 per hour. At 2,080 hours worked, that’s $58,468.80 regular wages plus an estimated 8 percent overtime, according to Sheriff Cole, at $4,677.50 for a total average of $63,146.30. In 2023, the Ludington Police Department chief salary was $78,172 (Chief Chris Jones was hired in March 2023), the captain was paid $77,941.24. One of the department’s sergeants was paid $101,791.76 with a base of $32.91 per hour (additional income came from 235 hours of overtime).
In 2024, Skinner was paid $75,471.92, which included $9,807.44 in overtime while Wietrzykowski was paid $57,649.24, which included $4,988.32 in overtime. Total wages for Scottville Police Department in 2024 were $133,121.16.
Assuming an average of 34 calls per service per month by Scottville’s two police officers, the taxpayers of Scottville pay $3,915 for each call of service.
Further comparing wages, Skinner was the highest paid city employee in 2023 and the second highest paid city employee in 2024. The city manager was paid $70,295.32 in 2023 and $76,930.81 in 2024 (full time city manager Jimmy Newkirk resigned in April 2024 and Goodlein was hired in June). The next closest wage earner in 2024 City Treasurer Kathy Shafer at $66,728.05, which included $2,348.74 in overtime. Clerk Kelse Lester earned $55,122.36.
The city charter and state law require the city employ a treasurer and a clerk. The charter does not require the city operate a police department.
Goodlein said he has been in discussions with Sheriff Cole and Mason County Administrator Fabian Knizacky about the types of police services the county can offer to the city. Cole has said that regardless of a formal agreement or not, the sheriff’s office is obligated to provide police service to the city because it is part of Mason County. Dedicated coverage by the county would require a contract. Even if the county and city do not have a formal agreement, there is a full time deputy in the city limits during every weekday when school is in session as a school resource deputy is assigned to Mason County Central Schools. Cole said that deputy is obligated to respond to emergencies that occur outside of the school campus.
“The school resource officer’s priority is to be at the school,” Cole said. “But, the SROs have responded to emergencies several times this year and will continue to do so. They are typically released from the emergency scene as quickly as possible so they can return to their assigned duties at the schools.”
Currently, the sheriff’s office has a patrol agreement with Pere Marquette Charter Township. The SRO assigned to Ludington Elementary School, located in PM Township, is assigned to patrolling Pere Marquette Township full time during the summer. The county is also expected to formalize a similar agreement with Amber Township. Goodlein said he plans to hold discussions with Amber Township officials about the possibilities of law enforcement partnerships.
Goodlein said he will continue to urge the City Commission to make a final decision about police services, otherwise state intervention is inevitable.
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