Voters Turn Down Special Education Millage Request
Results Mixed for Other Proposals May 8
By Paul Gingras and Karen Gould

A proposal to collect 0.75 mills for three years for special education programs was defeated in a school election Tuesday, May 8. The Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (EUPISD) currently levies 0.77 mill and hoped to add to the special education revenue it collects from residents of all of its 13 school districts.

The election revealed mixed results for school and township millage proposals throughout Mackinac County. Residents in nine school districts in The St. Ignace News coverage area voted for school board members, and on Mackinac Island, residents voted for city offices, as well.

The special education millage was defeated, 3,309 to 2,924, according to figures released by the Chippewa County clerk's office Monday, May 14.

Among counties, Mackinac voters were in favor of the ISD millage, voting 820 to 815 for the proposition, with 17.2% of the county's 9,471 registered voters casting ballots.

Chippewa County voters voted against the millage, 1,652 to 2,010, with 12.3 percent of the county's 29,857 registered voters participating.

In Luce County, 443 voted in favor of the millage, 478 against it, and part of Seney Township in Schoolcraft County, who are in the Tahquamenon Area Schools district, voted for the millage, nine to six.

Had the millage passed, the EUPISD would have collected $1,398,919 the first year, to be disbursed to school districts based on the needs of their special education programs.

Superintendent Pete Everson said the ISD is considering putting the matter to a vote again.

This election revealed to him that the public understands there is a need for more special education revenue, he said, and he did not notice any campaigns against the millage. Media coverage, he said, was not slanted in favor of or against the proposal.

Since the revenue would have been distributed according to the needs of individual school districts, and those needs vary, residents of some municipalities would have paid more in taxes than they would have received for their local schools. This would have been the case in the Mackinac Island Public School district, where the proposition was defeated, Mr. Everson noted. Taxpayers in Moran Township would have generated more tax money than they would have received for Gros Cap School, but the proposal passed in that area.

Mr. Everson suggested that another vote, with additional effort by school districts to promote the millage, may succeed. The decision to put the proposal to a second vote will by made by the EUP School Boards Association at a meeting Wednesday, May 23.

Voters in the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District recently passed a 1.3152 millage for special education, Mr. Everson said, which will be added to the 3.4 mills the district already levies. In other areas, similar proposals have failed. One proposed by the Copper Country ISD failed last November, and another proposed by the Muskegon County ISD failed last February.

The EUPISD millage did not appear to generate increased voter turnout in communities where other issues were not on the ballot, Mr. Everson said.

Engadine Consolidated Schools

Voters in the Engadine Consolidated Schools district cast 267 votes in favor of its newest school board member, Robyn Albrecht, who ran uncontested.

Residents voted 185-180 against a proposal to provide one new mill for two years to create a fund for building maintenance and construction, which would have purchased new windows and repaired ceilings and exterior brick work at the school.

Hendricks Township

A 2.5-mill proposal to provide a used fire truck and updated rescue equipment in Hendricks Township was narrowly defeated, with 23 votes against and 22 votes in favor.

Les Cheneaux Community

Schools

In the Les Cheneaux Community Schools district, voters approved an 18-mill renewal for school operating expenses, to be levied against properties such as businesses, hunting camps, and second homes; 312 residents voted to renew the millage, while 94 voted against it. The millage provides 62 percent of the district's $3.5 million operational revenue.

Four candidates ran for two open school board seats in Les Cheneaux. Incumbent David Murray retained his seat, receiving 520 votes. Ronda McGreevy is a new addition to the board, receiving 413 votes. John Causley, who was on the board for eight years, lost his seat, receiving 373 votes. Melinda Chisholm did not attain a seat, receiving 209 votes.

Moran Township School District

In Moran Township, residents voted 154-43 to renew Gros Cap school's 16.8734 operating millage for the next three years. The millage will be levied against non-homestead properties. It is expected to produce $914,000 in the first year.

Township residents voted to retain two school board members, Nancy Dandona, who received 155 votes, and Mike Cope, who received 154 votes. The candidates ran unopposed.

St. Ignace Area Schools

St. Ignace Area Schools has two new school board members, Sean Arthur, who received 364 votes, and Kathy Campbell, who received 446 votes. The candidates ran unopposed.

DeTour Area Schools

A request to renew DeTour Area Schools' 18-mill levy against nonhomestead properties was approved, 456 to 146. The levy will raise $1,681,285 for school operations, or 63 percent of the district's total operating budget.

Three candidates ran for two open seats on the district's board of education. Incumbent Lynn Cloudman VanAlstine retained a seat, with 405 votes. Karen Aldridge won a seat, with 346 votes. Ron Papin did not attain a seat, having received 319 votes.

Rudyard Area Schools

Aproposal for an 18-mill renewal for school operations was defeated at Rudyard Area Schools, with 187 in favor and 310 voting against it.

Two candidates ran uncontested for seats on the board of education. Laurie Jarvie received 379 votes. Carlos Molina received 296 votes.

Pickford Public Schools

In the Pickford Public Schools district, voters passed an 18-mill renewal to fund school operations, with 195 voting for the proposal, and 40 voting against it.

The millage will generate $465,514 for the district's general fund, paying roughly 13 percent of the district's general operating expenses.

Three candidates ran for two seats on Pickford's school board. Incumbent Dennis Skinner retained his seat, with 161 votes. Incumbent Steven Rose retained his seat also, with 155 votes. Ronald Hill did not attain a seat, with 123 votes.

Mackinaw City Public Schools

Two incumbent candidates ran unopposed for seats on the Mackinaw City Public Schools Board of Education. Marilyn McFarland retained her seat with 39 votes, and Valerie Dullack retained her seat with 30 votes.

Mackinac Island

Incumbents were the preferred choice on Mackinac Island, with Aldermen Armand "Smi" Horn (167 votes) and Dan Wightman (238 votes) retaining their City Council seats. School board president Ben Mosley (195 votes) was elected to another term on the board. He will be joined by newcomer Terry Andress (168 votes). The council and school board seats are three-year terms.

City Council challenger Sam Barnwell (131 votes) lost the race, as did school board contender Marsha Kleber (154 votes).

The contested races brought out 47% of the voters, said Mackinac Island City Clerk Karen Lennard. By the time the polls closed at 8 p.m., 305 votes were cast, including 97 absentee ballots.

Mackinac Island has 646 registered voters.

Also running unopposed and winning reelection for a one-year term were Mayor Margaret Doud (235 votes), Clerk Karen Lennard (250 votes), Treasurer Rick Linn (260 votes), Assessor Robert Benser (215 votes), and Supervisor Ron Dufina (176 votes).

Island residents voted 133-104 against the EUPISD special education proposal. If it had passed, Island taxpayers would have contributed an estimated $130,697 in 2008, but the Island school would receive only $28,000 from the special education disbursement.