School, City Candidates Announced for May 6 Election
By Karen Gould

The May 6 election will see candidates for several school boards, the Mackinac Island city council, millage requests in St. Ignace Township and schools at Cedarville, DeTour, and Pickford, and a transfer-of-authority proposal for Mackinac Straits Hospital. One mill assesses $1 for every $1,000 of a property's taxable value. A home with a taxable value of $50,000, for example, would be assessed $50 for each mill levied.

St. Ignace

Two candidates are running for one school board seat at St. Ignace Area Schools, Sue St. Onge and incumbent Mike Grogan.

St. Ignace Township St. Ignace Township residents will consider two millages, a 2.0 mill renewal for roads and a 0.5 mill renewal for recreation. The road millage is a five-year renewal expected to generate $54,000 annually.

Renewal of the four-year recreational millage would generate $13,000 to support and develop recreation for the township.

Mackinac Island

Four candidates are seeking two school board seats, Kelly Bean, Jennifer Daniels, Katrina Platzke, and incumbent Larry Rickley. Trustee Trish Martin is not seeking reelection.

Three candidates are vying for two three-year city council seats, Anneke Myers and incumbents Jason St. Onge and Armin Porter.

All other city posts are for one year and the incumbents are all running unopposed. They are Mayor Margaret Doud, Clerk Karen Lennard, Treasurer Richard Linn, Assessor Robert Benser, and Supervisor Ron Dufina.

Les Cheneaux

At Les Cheneaux Community Schools, two candidates seek two seats, Marcia Perkins and incumbent Kathy Ter Haar. Dave Sudol is not seeking reelection.

The district is asking voters to two renew 18 mills for operation, assessed against non-homestead property. The revenue can be used for salaries, transportation, books, utilities, and other operations.

A second proposal is for 0.5 mill for five years that would raise $470,000 the first year. The money would be used for facilities and technology, including computer purchases.

Engadine

Three candidates are seeking two seats on the school board, Nora Edgar and incumbents Tracy Germain and Kevin Dennis.

Jim Ramelis, who was appointed to fill the vacated seat of Lester Livermore until the election, is running unopposed to complete the term that expires June 30, 2009.

Pickford

Two seats on the board at Pickford Public Schools will go uncontested as incumbents Stanley Kennedy and Jenalee Gough seek reelection.

Voters in the school district will be asked to consider an operating millage renewal of 18 mills levied against non-homestead property.

DeTour

Four candidates are seeking two seats on the DeTour Area Schools board. Candidates are Jeannette Brussow, Rachel Wine, and incumbents Milton Adams and James Bailey.

The district is also asking that voters renew 18 mills for operation, to be levied against nonhomestead property.

Mackinac Straits Hospital

Authority Transfer

Voters in the City of St. Ignace, St. Ignace Township, Brevort Township, and Moran Township will be asked to transfer of ownership of assets from the Mackinac Straits Hospital Authority to a new entity set up to govern the new proposed hospital, called Mackinac Straits Health Systems, Inc. Assets that would be transferred to the new nonprofit corporation include the hospital, longterm care, Mackinac Island Medical Center, Naubinway Family Health Clinic, Bois Blanc Island Clinic, and interests in the Moses Dialysis Unit.

Making the change would not affect property taxes and will allow the new corporation to receive federal funding for construction of the new hospital.

The county-wide 1.2 mills already levied for the hospital will continue until 2009, when it can be put on the ballot for renewal.