Fennville's public recreation millage passes

Mitchell Boatman, Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

FENNVILLE — A proposal to extend and increase a millage to fund public recreation in the Fennville Public Schools district passed Tuesday night.

In what was a light election night for Ottawa and Allegan counties, the FPS proposal was the lone ballot question in the Holland area.

A proposal to extend and increase a millage to fund public recreation in the Fennville Public Schools district passed Tuesday night.
A proposal to extend and increase a millage to fund public recreation in the Fennville Public Schools district passed Tuesday night.

Fennville voters approved the ask with 53.8 percent support. There were 548 “yes” votes against 470 “no” votes.

Fennville asked voters to renew a previously approved 0.4885-mill public recreation millage, plus an increase of 0.5 mill. In total, the new levy will be a 0.9885-mill tax for a 10-year period, running from 2024-2033.

Funds will go toward maintenance, operations and staffing at the Community Athletic Center, free memberships for community members and other projects.

FPS Board President Toby Hutchins told The Sentinel in July the district hopes to renovate an outdoor tennis and basketball court area to create pickleball, futsal and basketball courts.

The district will also explore refurbishing a T-ball field near the elementary school; expanding summer, adult and senior recreation programs; and providing no-cost memberships to a larger segment of the community.

Two other proposals on the ballot in Allegan County — operating millages for Otsego Public Schools and Lake Michigan College — passed as well.

In Ottawa County, primary elections were held for the mayor of Grand Haven and members of the Coopersville City Council.

Advancing in Grand Haven are Andrea Hendrick and former mayor Bob Monetza. Current mayor Catherine McNally and Benjamin Genser will not advance. Hendrick received 1,012 votes, Monetza received 817, McNally received 642 and Genser received 614.

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Coopersville saw eight candidates file for three city council positions, with the top six vote-getters in Tuesday’s election advancing to November’s vote.

Candidates advancing are Michael Karasinski Jr. (325 votes), incumbent Tim Degeus (323), incumbent Renee Gavin (276), Jason Tuttle (144), Daniel Bowman (139) and Jillian Poelma (100). Jamie Adams and Steve McCarthy received 61 and 38 votes, respectively.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Fennville's public recreation millage passes