Several local school districts, Mid Michigan College and the city of Mount Pleasant have proposals on the Nov. 3 ballot involving school infrastructure, education funding and electric utility lines.
The proposals would fund building improvements, support school and college operations and determine whether Consumers Energy can build and maintain electric lines along West Broadway Avenue.
Mount Pleasant: Consumers Energy easement proposal
Mount Pleasant voters will decide whether to allow Consumers Energy to build and maintain electric lines along West Broadway Avenue, according to the city’s ballot proposal.
The proposal began when the city asked Consumers Energy to move an existing power line for the West Broadway pathway project. The company later proposed a larger project involving both low- and high-voltage lines.
According to the ballot proposal, the easement would allow Consumers Energy to trim or remove trees and other vegetation near the proposed power lines in parts of Nelson Park, Riverside Cemetery and Mill Pond Park. The city said the project could improve electric reliability and provide funding to help offset tree removal and the use of city property.
The City Commission sent the proposal to voters in August. If voters reject it, the city cannot approve the easement, and Consumers Energy could consider other legal options.
Mid Michigan College: Proposal to restore operating millage
Mid Michigan College President Scott Mertes said the college wants to restore its operating millage rate to 1.5 mills, the rate originally approved when the college was established in 1965.
The college currently collects about 1.2079 mills, Mertes said. He said the Headlee Amendment, a state law that can require tax rates to be reduced as property values increase, has reduced the rate over time.
If approved, the proposal would generate about $1.3 million in additional revenue each year, Mertes said. He estimated the cost for the average homeowner in the district would be about $2 per month.
The college plans to use the funding to expand dual enrollment, career and technical education, workforce training and its Workforce, Academic, Vision and Empowerment (WAVE) career-planning program. WAVE helps high school students explore careers through activities such as job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships.
If voters reject the proposal, the college will continue its current programs, but might not be able to expand them as planned.
“We just wouldn’t be able to scale it in a way that we hope to,” Mertes said.
Shepherd: Three-year extension of existing seven-mill rate
Shepherd Public Schools is proposing a three-year extension of its existing seven mills.
This will help pay for projects included in its bond proposal, said Superintendent Carrie Gauthier.
She said the district expects the bond to provide about $14.9 million overall, depending on when the bonds are sold.
One of the main goals of the proposal is to improve classroom conditions, like air quality at the middle and high schools.
Gauthier said classrooms can become hot and uncomfortable when doors and windows cannot be left open for airflow. The heat can also make floors slippery, creating safety concerns for students.
“We’re hoping to create a more enjoyable atmosphere in the classrooms, so students can learn,” Gauthier said.
If voters reject the proposal, the district would need to set aside more money for building projects. Gauthier said Shepherd has about $5 million in fund equity, which would not cover the proposed project.
Chippewa Hills: $29.9 million bond for building improvements
Chippewa Hills School District is proposing a $29.9 million bond to fund building repairs and safety and security improvements without increasing the district’s millage rate, Assistant Superintendent Kyle Talicska said.
The proposed work includes new fire alarm systems, updated classroom locks, secure office entrances and electronic badge access. The district would also plan to replace aging flooring and some windows, improve ventilation in science and career and technical education classrooms, and make parking lot improvements.
“When schools win, communities win,” Talicska said.
If voters reject the bond, the district would still need to address those repairs.
“I think we owe it to the next generation to have buildings that are safe, secure and able to educate our future generations in a quality way,” Talicska said.
The proposal would use a 1.99-mill levy to repay the bonds. Talicska said the repayment period would last for 22 years.
St.Louis: Operating millage restoration sought
The proposal would restore three mills to St. Louis Public Schools’ operating millage, allowing the district to levy up to 18 mills on non-homestead properties, such as businesses and rental properties, through 2032, Superintendent Jennifer McKittrick said.
The district’s operating millage has decreased over time because of the Headlee Amendment.
The money helps pay for classroom instruction, transportation, school safety, technology, student opportunities and daily operations. If voters approve the proposal, the district expects to maintain its current services.
If the proposal fails, administrators would review the school budget and look for ways to avoid cutting student programs, McKittrick said.
“The last thing we would want to do is cut student programming, so we would try to look at other things to minimize impact on students,” McKittrick said.
