Voters to decide county, local ballot measures Tuesday

When Gogebic County voters head to the polls Tuesday, they will not only be casting their ballots for state and local primary races, they will also be decided a number of area ballot proposals.

A total of six proposals will be on area ballots, although the total number of proposals an individual voter will cast a vote on varies depending on where the voter lives.

The ballot features a total of three county-wide measures, one millage renewal for Bessemer Township residents, a millage renewal for voters in the Ironwood Area School District and a city of Ironwood measure regarding funding the civic center.

In an attempt to inform voters regarding the ballot measures, the Daily Globe is publishing a short explanation regarding each measure.

Gogebic County Transit

Gogebic County Transit is asking for a four-year renewal of its one-third mill to be used for operating funds.

GCT Administrator Jim Mildren said the county has had a transit system since 1981. “We’re in our 35th year providing public transportation”

GTC’s total annual budget is $560,000. The federal government funds 18 percent and the state gives 37 percent, leaving GTC to fund 45 percent.

GTC provides 32,000 or more rides a year. It services the entire county with service to Marenisco and Watersmeet on Thursday and Friday; and Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield 12 hours a day, Monday through Friday.

The average price is $1.50 a ride.

GTC also gains revenue by being a ticketing agent for Greyhound-Indian Trails bus lines.

Mildren said the millage will provide a much needed $130,000. “Without the millage money we would cease operations.

Mildren said GCT provides an important service to the county. “Traditionally, 70 percent are seniors and people with disabilities. We have kept thousands of people in their homes longer than they could have stayed there without the public transportation service that we provide. We take people to their doctors appointments and shopping. We pick them up at their doorsteps and bring them home.”

Mildren said they also provide transportation to many people to and from their jobs across the region.

GOCAA Senior Citizen Program

This proposal calls for a 4-year renewal of the millage funding the Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency’s Senior Citizens Program. According to the ballot language, the proposal would renew the millage at a rate of 0.6 mill — 60 cents for every $1,000 of state taxable value — through 2019. This levy first went into effect at this rate in 2000, according to the ballot language, and would raise an estimated $307,049 in its first year.

The millage currently funds a variety of GOCAA programs for seniors, including congregate and home-delivered meals; Helmi’s Helpers housecleaning services; homemaker and personal care; snow shoveling, grass cutting and assistance with small repairs; as well as medical escort services.

Alexandria Jacobson, the GOCAA’s HR Bookkeeper, said there was a potential these programs would either have to be drastically cut or eliminated entirely if the millage renewal didn’t pass.

Gogebic Medical Care Facility

Voters across Gogebic County are being asked to renew a .4 mills for building and site improvements at the Gogebic Medical Care Facility.

The renewal is for five years and the measure is expected to raise $204,000 annually.

GMCR Administrator Georgia Weber said funds from the millage in the past have been used for elevator replacements, electrical updates, generator replacement, boiler replacement, dining area update and fire suppression sprinkler installation.

The new generator was put into quick use with the recent storm and power outage across Wakefield, said Weber.

Looking to the future, Weber said they have an old building that is well maintained, but the continued millage will pay to improve the climate control system. A new centralized heating system will make the residents more comfortable, Weber said.

Some of the other things we have is replacing our sewer piping. “Throughout the facility we have some challenges with that,” she said.

Officials also hope to purchase a van to help transport residents to medical appointments.

The facility’s annual budget is $10 million, including what Medicare and Medicaid pays for the residents’ care.

“This is above and beyond that,” said Weber. “We really appreciate the support the individuals in the county have given us in the past and we would look forward to and will appreciate their support in the future.”

Pat O’Donnell Civic Center

Voters in Ironwood are being asked to renew 1 mill for four years for the continued operation, support and maintenance of the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center.

Civic Center Manager Brian Roehm said the millage will allow the facility to remain open, expecting the millage to raise $86,000 of the facility’s $200,000 annual budget.

While there have been improvements, the electric bill still runs between $45,000 and $50,000 a year, said Roehm.

He said that while they gain revenue from the Polar Bear Hockey Club, Ice Crystals Figure Skating Club and open skating, it’s not all about ice. “Ice is our bread and butter, but we try to do some other things, too,” he said.

He said the city has been supportive in recent years, helping with the $425,000 new floor and ice making project. “It was a huge step as far as the city supporting that and saying, of course we want the place to be around another 50 years.”

He said the addition of a well is saving $6,000 a year, and an LED lighting project last year is saving between $2,500 and $3,000.

“With no heat coming off the bulbs in the rink area, the compressors don’t have to work as much, either,” he said.

Roehm would like to see new new boards and glass. “There’s a wish list.”

Roehm said the facility is well used.

“We have thousands of people come through. It’s not just kids. We get families from out of town that come skating when the ski conditions are not good.

“We’re putting the money back into the facility. We’re making improvements.”

Bessemer Township

Bessemer Township voters are also asked to cast their votes for a millage renewal used to fund the township’s operating expenses.

If approved, the millage will run from 2018 through 2021 and be for 8 mills, or $8 per $1,000 of taxable value. The millage is expected to generate an estimated $287,750 in its first year.

As it’s a renewal, township Supervisor Jeff Randall said the renewal wouldn’t mean an increase in the amount of taxes residents pay.

Randall said the money is used for a variety of purposes in the township.

“(It funds) things like the fire department, road maintenance, the parks, all those kinds of things,” Randall said. “If this doesn’t pass, that means the opposite — those things don’t happen in the township. We would have to cut way back on fire department expenses, we would have to cut way back on road repairs, we’d have to cut back on park improvements and maintenance. All those things would have to start dropping off.”

Ironwood Area Schools

Voters within the boundaries of the Ironwood Area School District will see a millage renewal that district representatives say is crucial to ensure the district continues to have the necessary funds to operate.

The millage, 18 mills for a period of four years, wouldn’t apply to primary residences in the district.

If the millage passes, approximately 17.82 percent of the millage would be a renewal of the existing millage, while the remaining .18 would bring the millage rate up to the level it was five years ago. The five-year reduction was acquired by the state of Michigan Constitution of 1963, according to the district.

“The state of Michigan is assuming that every school district will approve the 18 mills and yearly takes those funds right off the top of our state aid revenue payments, whether the millage is approved or not,” Superintendent Tim Kolesar said in a mailer sent out by the district.

According to information provided by the district, it would lose approximately $1,581,216 — approximately 21.7 percent of its operating budget — if the millage fails.

This would severally impact the district’s ability to continue to operate, district officials told the Daily Globe.

“We lose a significant amount of funding (if the measure fails) ... we’d be in a tough spot educationally,” K-12 Principal Denise Woodward said. “It would reduce our funding significantly and it would be hard to continue all programming at its current status.”