St. Clair County residents took to the polls Tuesday to vote on two bond proposals as well as for Columbus Township Treasurer.
Kimberly Hetzel loses recall election for Columbus Township Treasurer
Republican Kimberly Hetzel lost her recall election bid in a race against non-affiliated candidate Valerie Kesler with 173 votes to Kesler’s 662, according to unofficial results.
The results come after an effort by Columbus Township Supervisor Brad Smith to recall Hetzel after he alleged Hetzel had been derelict in her duties, an accusation Hetzel denied. Hetzel has been the township treasurer since she was elected to the office in 2024.
Kesler worked as deputy treasurer until March 2026 when she said she was fired after putting her name on the ballot.
Voters reject $32 million bond proposal for Yale Public Schools
Voters denied a bond proposal for Yale Public Schools to pay for building and site improvements up to $32 million.
The bond received only 825 votes in its favor with 1,572 against it, according to unofficial results.
The bond would have lasted for 17 years and covered improvements to school playgrounds, traffic flow improvements at Avoca Elementary School and Farrell-Emmett Elementary School, heating and ventilation upgrades to Yale High School, and the construction of a new performance and athletic building.
The new bond would have had an estimated 1.4 mills to start in 2026, though Superintendent Kurt Sutton said it would effectively be 0.9 mills compared to 2025. The school district previously said that if the bond failed it would have to revisit and reprioritize several projects.
Croswell-Lexington Community Schools’ $37.1 million bond proposal passes
Croswell-Lexington Community Schools also voted on a bond proposal for $37.1 million to fund school repairs.
The bond passed in a vote of 1,304 to 1132. The bond will cover the cost to replace lockers, windows and furniture and repair or rebuild school heat and ventilation as well as worn down entrances and other infrastructure the school district has said is increasingly difficult to maintain.
The millage for the bond will start at 1.20 mills and average about 1.99 mills through its lifetime, up to 26 years.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: St. Clair County election results for May 5, 2026
Reporting by Johnathan Hogan, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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