Holly Council Passes Assessment for Police and Fire, Delays Forming Cityhood Committee
(Terry Lakins, July 1, 2026)
Holly, MI – The Village of Holly Council meeting on June 23 lasted for over four hours and left one councilmember storming out, taxpayers on the hook for an assessment extension, and plans for a cityhood committee punted to a future meeting.
The meeting started off light with the announcement of Sgt. Craig Simpson’s retirement from the Holly Police Department after 25 years of service. Simpson was awarded a retirement badge and a custom slide for his service issue weapon by Chief Jerry Nash, who recounted the history of Simpson’s service on the force. The moment was then captured in a photo op with council members and members of the Holly police force, all smiles.
When the next item on the agenda came to tax and budgeting, specifically around the 4 mil fire and police budget special assessment, many residents openly disagreed on extending it. The assessment was originally introduced a year ago in response to a $600,000 budget shortfall. When given the chance to speak, residents did not hold back, pointing to tax increases, lack of transparency, and being in the same place as a year ago despite being told that they would not be.
Also, while the look at the village acquiring cityhood initiative came later during the meeting officially, it was brought up in conjunction with the assessment discussion. Resident Anna Matson cited that their pursuit of cityhood for the village is squeezing residents with more taxes, and that their handling of the budget adds to this burden.
“I’ve listened to all your unproductive meetings last year, only to hear approval of new spending, not less,” Matson said. “Instead, you come demanding, not asking, property owners to cut out of their own household budget while you refuse to cut your own.” Matson also noted that a serious effort should be made to work with the public because the council doesn’t know everything and that everyone is better when working with them.
Township Supervisor George Kullis said the way things are now just business as usual and this isn’t a debate about whether the village needs public safety, but whether council is listening to who they represent.
Resident Ragen Rockwell shared worries that the tax increase is affecting economically struggling families, and her concern that it will drive people out of the community. Rockwell had this to say: “I think about the people on fixed incomes, the people in this community working two jobs to make ends meet, all the working mothers and fathers, even in double parent households. They didn’t ask for this.”
Resident Ellie Devereaux Beuchamp expressed that the council did not bring any alternate solutions for the budget. Beuchamp, whose been Village of Holly resident for over three decades, was very vocal against the pursuit of cityhood. “As a 32-year resident, it’s the same story. We’re a little village of 2.5 square miles with 6,000 residents, plus or minus, and we want to be a big city. Well guess what, we’re not,” Beuchamp said. “Cityhood is a can has been kicked for 30 years. Good luck, it will not happen.”
Beuchamp’s reference to the long-time pursuit of cityhood is something that the village of Holly has attempted for nearly four decades, with a specific official push back in 1988 and 2002.
This most current push has been going on since late 2023. Her reason against it is simply that the village cannot support two bodies of governments because they are a small community. Alternatively, Beuchamp proposed the idea of dissolving the village into the township. She believes that it could solve some problems but also admitted that this could be seen as a controversial decision.
Holly Township Trustee Ryan Matson raised concerns about funds not being allocated to Fire and Police and felt that the administration is not good stewards for the finances. In January of this year, the Michigan Department of Treasury found the Village to be non-compliant in budgeting and documentation, including expenditures exceeding revenues for the previous three years, deficiencies in the audit report, and non compliance with guidance issued by the Dept. of Treasury.
Village Manager Tim Price stated the general fund was separate from special assessment funds, and that they were complying with their stated purpose. Price also said that a lot of essential service costs were going up, and that the budget is tight as it is.
Councilperson Amber Kier said that public safety quotes from Oakland County’s police services were not in the best interest for the Village, and Councilperson Cole said Holly costs were low compared the cost of neighboring communities costs for police and fire.
Councilperson Thomas Ryan, in agreeance with many Holly residents, asked for more public hearings to allow greater transparency on budget concerns. He also called for hearings to happen sooner than April 2027, to allow more time to make better decisions.
Councilperson Daniel Wendell appeared frustrated, saying that more public hearings didn’t happen, one of the four mills should have been dropped, and some cuts should have been made but it didn’t.
The council had some back and forth on the budget, with regards to them having unfinished business with it but not entirely agreeing across the board. After some disagreement, Wendell’s response was curt, “We should dissolve the Village. If we can’t do this right, we should dissolve it.”
From there Councilman Wendell gathered his belongings and announced his resignation. As he was exiting, he said he was not playing games and that he stood beyond the public, which was met with applause. The announcement was not an official resignation however, as it’s required to be in writing. Wendell has since shared on social media that he will remain in the position.
The Special Assessment District tax rate of 4 mills for this year was approved by most councilmembers. Only Ryan and Wendell (as he was leaving) voted no.
As for the agenda item of forming a cityhood committee, Village Manager Tim Price argued that this would be a better future for the residents. The reactions at this point, however, were mixed, with residents opining on parts of the potential plan.
Part of the plan being discussed by officials is the expanding the boundaries to include properties that are now part of the Township, but not part of the Village, further increasing property tax revenues. Becoming a city would remove the Township property tax that residents currently pay. However the City could increase taxes for specific purposes. Becoming a city would also mean a new Charter, giving those in power a unique opportunity to shape the future of Holly’s governance.
In spite of being able to bring in more tax revenue, Holly would also be responsible for new expenses, such as road ownership and maintenance, cost of elections (including staffing, equipment, and storage), cost of assessments, and the task of tax collection. There would also be a cost to continuing to be part of the Holly Township Library. The change itself would also have some expenses, including legal expenses of which no estimate has yet been provided to the council or the public.
Resident Ragen Rockwell felt that main issues here are financial and the pros of cityhood don’t outweigh the cons if the upfront costs are spread to the residents. She also said it wouldn’t be smart to pursue it if the village is already facing a structural deficient and that would likely make those financial issues worse rather than solve them.
Daniel Huffelblower, a Holly Township resident and former Village resident, said he moved out because the taxes were too high, and that those opposing cityhood would feel the same way.
Others in the village have suggested that dissolving the village into Holly Township would be a cost-effective alternative to cityhood which would reduce administrative costs, and eliminate duplicity in services and the need for two governing bodies.
Councilperson Ryan agreed that the committee for cityhood should be postponed until more information could be acquired to get a full scope or the costs, and until the Village budget problems are addressed. Any more use of time and resources, he said, would be jumping the gun.
Most of the council agreed with this, and to deny forming an official cityhood committee, with discussion being to postpone all related issues of cityhood until a full report from Municipal Analytics on all options could be made available. Only council member Winebrenner and Village President April Brandon voted yes to move forward, falling short of the votes needed (for now).
