Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ontonagon — County voters rejected an Ontonagon Area School request for a renewal of the district’s sinking fund, voting 367 to 323 against the proposal on Tuesday’s ballot.
The measure — which only 46.8 percent of voters supported in the polls — would have provided funds to update original equipment and fixtures as needed in the 50 year old building.
The district had requested 1.9 mills; a decrease from the 2.15 mills that is dropping off the tax rolls this month, according to Superintendent Jim Bobula. That 1.9 mills includes the bus bond voters approved in November and the request for the sinking fund millage. Carp Lake’s previous millage, approved prior to the school’s closure, remains on the township’s rolls until May 2018.
Prior to the election, Bobula noted that the importance of a sinking fund means the revenues would have been generated annually from a tax and didn’t include the district taking on additional debt or interest expense. This millage could have only be used for building and site renovations, improvements and major repairs school security improvements, technology acquisitions or upgrades.
Bobula cited an example of the upgrades needed; including bathroom facilities that are of 1967 vintage and wearing out. They do not include the water saving facilities now being installed in other areas. The result is more water usage and resulting higher costs.
The sinking fund allows school districts to use general funds for the true intent, to educate the students who reside in the community instead of using that money for repairs and upgrades.
Voters in Rockland Township also had millages for roads and the township activity center on the ballot — both of which were overwhelmingly approved.
The road millage renewal called for .5 mills for the next four years and was approved 33 to 5, or 86.8 percent to 13.2 percent. The activity center millage renewal was also for .5 mills for the next four years and was approved 29 to 9, or 76.3 percent to 23.7 percent.
Editor’s Note: Daily Globe reporter Jan Tucker contributed to this story.