There’s a contested city commission race in Boyne City and several education proposals for voters in Charlevoix County to consider in the Nov. 4 election.
Here’s what is on the ballot:
Boyne City City Commission
The ballot shows five people running for three seats on the Boyne City City Commission.
Voters will pick from Bridget Foltz, Jennifer Beano Hampton, Rebecca L. Houser, Brian Kennedy and Tim Nemecek.
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
The City of East Jordan is asking for a 1.4357 mill levy that will provide funding for the purchase and maintenance of fire equipment for a period of four years.
If approved, the millage is expected to raise raise $108,745 in its first year.
The ballot language reads: “This proposal will permit the city to levy up to 1.4357 mills for the purpose of providing funds for the purchase and maintenance of fire equipment in the years 2026-2029, inclusive. Shall the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property within the City of East Jordan, Charlevoix County, Michigan, be increased by up to $1.4357 per thousand dollars ($1,000) (1.4357 mills) of the taxable value on all taxable property within the city for four years, 2026 through 2029 inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for the purchase and maintenance of fire equipment, and shall the East Jordan City Commission be authorized to levy such millage for these purposes? If approved and levied in its entirety, it is estimated that the 1.4357 mills would raise $108,745.85 for the city when first levied in 2026.”
East Jordan Public Schools
East Jordan Public Schools has two items on the ballot.
The first proposal asks voters in the district to renew its 18 mill operating millage for eight years. The state requires school districts to levy 18 mills on non-homestead property to receive a full per-pupil state funding allowance. The millage funds the district’s daily operations.
The ballot language reads: “This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance and renews millage that will expire with the 2026 tax levy. Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 19.3176 mills ($19.3176 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in East Jordan Public Schools, Charlevoix and Antrim counties, Michigan, be renewed for a period of eight years, 2027 to 2034, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2027 is approximately $5,419,479 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2026 tax levy)?”
The district is also asking to increase the operating millage by 2 mills to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963. It would only be levied as needed to restore that reduction.
The ballot language reads: “This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in East Jordan Public Schools, Charlevoix and Antrim counties, Michigan, be increased by 2 mills ($2 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of eight years, 2027 to 2034, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2027 is approximately $0 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?”
Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District CTE Proposal
Voters in Chandler and Hudson townships will be able to help decide a millage proposal for the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District.
If approved, the 6-year, one mill proposal would be collected from 2026-2031. The funding would enable school districts in the COPESD the ability to offer more career and technical education (CTE) courses and allow for students to travel within the ESD for courses at other schools.
Of the 10 school districts supported by the ESD, only four currently offer CTE courses. The COPESD is also just one of 15 educational service districts in the state without a CTE millage in place.
The COPESD serves Cheboygan Area Schools, Gaylord Community Schools, Inland Lakes Schools, Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools, Mackinaw City Public Schools, Onaway Area Community Schools, the Posen Consolidated School District, Rogers City Area Schools, the Vanderbilt Area School District and the Wolverine Community School District.
The ballot language reads: “Shall Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District, State of Michigan, come under sections 681 to 690 of the Revised School Code, as amended, and establish an area career and technical education program, which is designed to encourage the operation of area career and technical education programs, including for vocational training purposes, if the annual property tax levied for this purpose is limited to 1 mill ($1 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of six years, 2026 to 2031, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue that Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $4,824,559 from local property taxes authorized herein?”
Uncontested races
There are uncontested races for both the Charlevoix City Council and the East Jordan City Commission.
In Charlevoix, Aaron Hagen is running in Ward 1, Richard C. Spring is running in Ward 2 and Dennis Halverson is running in Ward 3.
In East Jordan, Scott Gillespie and Mark L. Penzien are running. There are three seats available.
Find out more about upcoming elections at mvic.sos.state.mi.us.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: November election preview: What’s on the ballot in Charlevoix County?
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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