Dexter Township voters passed a pair of 3-year public safety millages Tuesday night, one for police protection and the other for fire protection — both by more than a 70 percent margin.

The police millage was approved by a 73.1 percent margin, while the fire millage was approved by a 70.6 percent margin, said Township Supervisor Pat Kelly.

“I know how hard it is for people right now,” Kelly said. “I so appreciate people coming out and supporting these millages.”

Voters approved the fire millage 812 votes to 338 votes, while the police millage was approved 846 votes to 312 votes, according to official results.

With a turnout of more than 26 percent, it was the highest voter turnout for a May election in many years.

Voters gave the nod to a 1.4856 mil levy for round-the-clock, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office police services. The funding will be used for contracting for police services; hiring police officers and related staff; purchase and/or lease of police vehicles and equipment; construction, purchase and/or lease of facilities for police operations; contracting for dispatch services; and any and all other services related to police activities within Dexter Township.

The millage will raise an estimated $438,298 in the first year, and for a $100,000 house, homeowners will pay $148.56 for police services for the next three years.

The second millage was for a 1.7 mill fire levy that’s an increase of 0.2144 mills from what residents are currently paying. Residents will now pay about $1.70 per $1,000 of taxable value, and the millage will raise an estimated $501,553 the first year the millage it is levied. For a homeowner with a $100,000 home, it will cost about $170 per year.

Combined, township residents will now pay about $318 per year for public safety for a $100,000 home.

Since the last millage vote in 2006, during which residents approved a 5-year, 1.5 mil fire millage, the township’s fire protection response time has improved greatly with the opening of the new Dexter Township substation on North Territorial Road, which opened in December.

Lisa Allmendinger is a reporter with AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.