Boyne City City Commission
There will be three new members of the Boyne City City Commission following the results of Tuesday’s election.
Bridget Foltz, Rebecca L. Houser and Jennifer Beano Hampton were elected to the commission, according to unofficial results. Foltz finished with the most votes at 766 followed by Houser and Beano Hampton.
Current Mayor Tim Nemecek finished fourth, less than 50 votes behind Beano Hampton. Brian Kennedy placed last. Nemecek’s term will end this year. Current Mayor Pro-Tem George Lasater and commissioner Marty Moody elected not to run for reelection.
The Boyne City City Commission is made up of five elected officials: mayor, mayor pro-tem and three commissioners. The other two city commissioners, Bob Farrell and Sandy Pritchard, have two years remaining on their terms.
The election comes at a pivotal time for Boyne City, as the commission is currently in the process of interviewing for a new city manager.
East Jordan Fire Millage and school proposals pass
East Jordan voters passed both a renewal for fire equipment for the city’s fire department and one to renew the 18 mill operating millage for East Jordan Public Schools through 2034.
The fire millage passed 269-88. It was a 1.4357 mill levy that will provide funding for the purchase and maintenance of fire equipment for the next four years. It is expected to raise nearly $109,000 in its first year.
Michigan requires school districts to levy 18 mills on non-homestead property to receive a full per-pupil state funding allowance. The East Jordan Public Schools millage was the first of two millage renewals on the ballot, passing by a margin of 254-97.
Primary residences, defined as a home where voters live full time and that has the principal residence exemption, are not taxed by either of the proposals.
“I am so grateful to have the support of this community,” said East Jordan Superintendent Enos Bacon III in a text. “East Jordan has a strong history of school initiatives, and we are very grateful for that support.”
The second proposal for East Jordan schools also passed, in a 223-130 vote. That proposal essentially acts as a safeguard. If the operating millage is reduced under the 18 mills level by the Headlee Amendment, the district can levy up to two additional mills to bring the operating millage up to 18 mills. This ensures that the district receives the full amount of per-pupil foundation allowance provided by the State of Michigan, as the state assumes the district is levying 18 mills of operating millage when it allocates state funding for students.
The Headlee Amendment caps total state spending each year so that it can’t grow faster than the personal income of Michigan residents. This means the state can’t increase spending faster than taxpayers’ overall ability to pay. School districts must get voter approval before creating new taxes or increasing existing ones.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: November election: Charlevoix County election results
Reporting by By M. Alan Scott / The Petoskey News-Review
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