EDWARDSBURG — Officials at Wednesday night’s police board meeting discussed the pros and cons of seeking another mill Nov. 6 or waiting until 2013, since passage of the renewal that lost in May buys the department some breathing room.

Voters handed the Ontwa Township-Edwardsburg Police Department a split decision in the Aug. 7 primary.

The police renewal passed, 613 yes to 466 no. It is two mills for four years and worth $447,114.

But an additional police mill for four years that would have generated $223,557 lost, 446 yes to 618 no.

Ontwa’s fire and ambulance renewal of two mills for four years was also successful, winning by 766 yes to 312 no.

To suggestions the department be disbanded in favor of contracted services through the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Ontwa Township Supervisor John Brielmaier said, “You know what $100,000 gets you? One officer, five days a week, eight hours a day. That’s it.”

Chief Kenneth Wray said officers volunteered to “go neighborhood to neighborhood, door to door” to carefully explain to constituents law enforcement needs if the decision is made to try again at the general election.

The police board approved spending up to $4,540 to equip the new squad car with radar and video.

 

Choked officer returns to work

Wray publicly thanked ambulance attendants for coming to the aid of attacked officer Kevin English.

An Edwardsburg man, Matthew Brown, 24, who allegedly strangled and threatened to kill English at Brown’s residence on Redfield Road July 31 after knocking him off a porch and into some bushes has been bound over for trial in Cass County Circuit Court.

English felt faint and almost lost consciousness before the emergency crew came to his rescue.

Brown was charged by Prosecutor Victor Fitz with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and resisting and obstructing a police officer.

English has returned to work Wednesday, Wray said.