NEW MIAMI, Ohio — A resolution to keep the Village of New Miami's police department funded as is was adopted by council members Thursday night.
Council members voted to either keep the current police department, bring in a Butler County sheriff's deputy or have no policing at all.
This comes as the council was deciding possible solutions for budget issues.
A current tax levy in New Miami helps provide a small amount of the police department's funding, but the police chief says with rising costs, that levy doesn't provide enough funding to operate the department.
Council members had to decide if dipping into the general fund to cover the roughly $57,000 shortfall was worth it for the village.
Mayor Jewel Hensley said if they don't clean up the community, funding will continue to be an issue in the future.
"We want our streets repaired, we want our allies repaired, we want the businesses cleaned up to where it doesn't look like you've moved into a junkyard when you come down 127," Hensley said.
The decision by the council means the three part-time officers who work alongside Chief Dan Bower will continue to get paid.
"They dedicate a lot to the village and they do it for a reduced amount of pay as it is, so it's good to see council recognize their value and what they bring to the village," Bower said.
Hensley said the officers sacrifice a lot to protect village residents.
“They are putting their lives on the line for 12-bucks an hour, and they are staring guns in the face, crazy people flipping out on drugs, domestic issues," Hensley said. "They are risking their lives for 12 bucks an hour, and then to want to take that away from them? To me, that was just insane.”
Hensley and Bower said it'll take time to make improvements and they ask for patience from residents.
"We live in this village, so the things that we're doing for this village, it's not trying to hurt any of them, it's trying to make it better as one," said Hensley. "Because, whatever decision we make, we have to live with, too."
