Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Voters in Putnam Township are deciding a road millage for the first time ever. Clerk Valerie Niemiec this week said it was due to a funding shift from Livingston County, which she called a good thing, since each township's needs are different.

"The county has identified $3 million in road projects that we have to do over the next five years. One mill gets us that money," she told a forum audience in Hamburg Township. "In other jurisdictions, they are assessed between one mill and four mills. We are only asking for one mill and that gets the job done in Putnam Township."

If approved, the proposal will generate roughly $475,000 each of the next six years.

Niemiec says the township's total budget is just $1.2 million dollars, with only $94,000 in discretionary funds, typically for senior and youth programs, along with the LETS bus.

"If anyone thinks that we can pay for roads out of our current budget, they are wrong. Unless they want to defund the seniors, youth and LETS bus," she said.

"I know that's a really strong statement, but I do want to impress upon you that we do not have the money in any other place."