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County, CRTC reach 1 year contract extension

ALPENA — The Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center and Alpena County have reached a one-year contract extension agreement which will keep security detail responsibilities in the hands with the sheriff’s office.

The county and base were working toward a five-year contract, but State of Michigan wasn’t able to lock down the details for it before the current deal expires later this month. Sheriff Steve Kieliszewski said the state works as a pass-though for the federal funding and contracts the security job out to Alpena. Although a longer deal wasn’t signed, Kieliszewski said he is confident a longer deal will be agreed upon next year.

“The state is still working on the details of the five-year deal and I’m confident we will be able to get that,” he said.

Kieliszewski said the county has worked security at the base for more than a decade and there are many benefits from the contract. He said besides providing good jobs and benefits for 25 employees, it helps to pay for needed equipment and vehicles for the county.

“It provides added funding we use for patrol vehicles, maintenance and other tools we may need, such as dive equipment for the dive team,” Kieliszewski said. “It has also helps to pay for equipment for other county departments, so the entire community benefits greatly from it.”

Like many other entities in Alpena, the county has a strong relationship with the administrators and employees at the base. Kieliszewski said that relationship is good not only for the base, county and sheriff’s office, but the community as a whole.

“The base and everyone at it has been fantastic and we get along. We also work great together,” he said. “This is really a deal that not only benefits us, but also them as well.”

Commissioner Cam Habermehl agrees with Kieliszewski and added the contract also pays for the bailiffs to provide security in the courts. He said most of the purchases from the proceeds to the contract were for things the county would struggle to afford, or of they were purchased, it would have a significant impact on the general fund.

“These things didn’t have to be paid for by general fund or with money from the taxpayers,” Habermehl said. “This contract has been a win-win for both sides and helped us to buy and do things we likely wouldn’t have been able to without it.”

Because it was only an extension of the current contract, Habermehl said it was handled internally at the sheriff’s office. He said if there is a new contract, then it will have to go through attorney review and get approval from the county’s finance committee and full board of commissioners.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews.

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