Waterford Township officials are making another push to pass police and fire millage renewals after both measures failed in August, bringing their case directly to residents at a Wednesday night town hall.

Dozens of residents attended the meeting, where police and fire chiefs outlined what the millages fund - and what could happen if voters reject them again in November.

See the full story in the video below

Waterford Township hosts town hall to rally support for police, fire millage renewal votes

 Our ask is simply to renew this millage at the same cost. No new tax, no increase,  Waterford Township Police Chief Scott Underwood said.

Both millages were first passed in 1986 and have been renewed every 10 years since. The 1.3352 mills for the police department generates more than $4.5 million in annual funding, while the .8822 mills for the fire department brings in nearly $3 million in annual revenue. The estimated combined yearly cost for the average homeowner is roughly $210.

 This proposed millage renewal is not just a police and public safety issue, it's a community issue that could affect every department of local government and the services they provide,  Underwood said.

Waterford Regional Fire Chief Matthew Nye warned that losing the recurring revenue would force changes to the level of service the department provides.

 You just can't lose that recurring revenue without a change in your level of service. And like I said, I'm not saying that to scare anybody, but that's the reality,  Nye said.

Many residents who attended the town hall said the cost is worth it.

 That is a piece of mind,  resident Terry Ball said.  You go to bed at night knowing if you have a problem, the police department's there and the fire department is always there. 

Ball said he supported both millages when they appeared on the August ballot, but they failed to get a majority of the vote.

Resident Max Thompson pointed to tax fatigue as a potential reason for the August failure, noting voters faced multiple proposals at once.

 It was a tsunami,  Thompson said of the August ballot.  You had the Oaklan

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