A proposed budget that will allow a lower millage rate for fire and emergency services will be reviewed for a final time by the Glen Arbor Township Board next week.

Board members will hold a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the public safety building to finalize the 2007 spending plan and establish the annual millage levies for operations, capital expenditures and debt retirement on the public service building.

The meeting comes 13 days after the Township Board held a public hearing on the spending plan, attended primarily by fire and rescue personnel and members of the township’s Emergency Services Advisory Commission.

The proposed budget was mentioned briefly at the monthly Township Board meeting Tuesday night.

Township property owners paid a total of 3.28 mills to support the fire department this year, which included 2.21 for operations and .78 devoted to capital expenditures. If adopted next week, the millage required to meet the budget would drop to 3.04 mills, down 7.8 percent.

Proposed expenditures of $1,225,095 are anticipated for 2008, unchanged from this year. Other sources of funding include a contract with Empire Township for emergency medical services which will increase from $195,000 to $230,000. Ambulance fees are again expected to generate $40,000. However, interest income is expected to jump from $6,000 in 2007 to $28,000 next year.

A 1.99-mill levy is identified for operating expenses, which will generate $677,095. Another .74 mills, earmarked for capital expenses, will bring $250,000 into the township’s coffers. Capital appropriations total $927,095 for 2008.

While the millage to support operations will drop, the levy for debt service on the public safety building will increase .014 mills to .304. The levy is expected to generate $103,388 in 2008, up from $92,560 this year.

The taxable value of property in the township increased by about $20 million in the past year from $319,173 to $339,785,145.

Fire Chief John Dodson was at Tuesday’s monthly meeting and reported that call volume in August was high, with many rescue responses to Overlook 9 and 10 (on Pierce Stocking Drive) and the Dune Climb.

Crews responded to 58 medical calls and had 10 fire responses last month. The medical responses required 194 staff hours brought the year-to-date total in this category to 197, Dodson said.

The chief also reported that the township is scheduled to receive an animal rescue oxygen mask this week, donated by Invisible Fence of Northern Michigan. A demonstration with the specially-designed mask will be performed at 2 p.m. today at the public safety building.