Recall election, millage questions on ballot

Patti Brandt Burgess, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·5 min read

May 3—SUTTONS BAY — A recall election in Leelanau County's District 3 will have a lot of people anxious for results, which are expected to be in at the same time they always are after the May 3 election.

Clerk Michelle Crocker said unlike many other counties, nothing has changed in how results are received. Other counties, including Grand Traverse County, have turned off cellular modems in voting machines formerly used to transfer unofficial results from the voting precincts to the county clerk. Results will now be physically brought to the GTC government center.

Crocker said the Dominion machines used in Leelanau County never had modems. The county uses a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that is not connected to a computer to receive results.

VPN results are compared to paper printouts of results from each voting machine, Crocker said.

"Everything we do I believe to be very secure," Crocker said. "We want to make sure the electorate have confidence in what we're giving them."

There will still be those people who claim the results are not correct, she said.

"We want to be sensitive to it, but not distracted by it," Crocker said. "No one wants to make a mistake."

The cellular modems that sent results to counties and have been turned off were on a closed system and not connected to internet servers. The changes by the Michigan Elections Bureau are being done as part of a statewide effort to restore confidence in elections, though there was never any evidence that the machines were tampered with or hacked.

Will Bunek, who has held his Leelanau County Commission seat for 14 years, is being recalled after he attempted to zero out the Early Childhood Services millage passed by voters in 2019. Bunek defended his actions by saying that when voters make a wrong decision it is the county board's job to correct it.

Bunek faces Dem. Lois Bahle, who has run against him in the last two elections.

District 3 is made up of parts of Bingham and Suttons Bay townships.

Also in Leelanau, voters in the Leland Public School district are being asked to approve a 5-year, .5-mill sinking fund tax to be used for remodeling and repairs of school buildings, security and technology improvements and other purposes authorized by law. If approved, the tax will bring in $337,637 in its first year.

Also on the ballot is a renewal of a non-homestead property tax that brings in about $4.32 million for operations. The tax is renewed every year.

Here's a round-up of proposals from the Record-Eagle coverage area excluding Benzie County, which has none:

Grand Traverse County

* Kingsley Area Schools — a 4-year renewal of the non-homestead tax that will bring in $1,177,851.

* In Whitewater Township there are two openings for board trustees.

Antrim County

In Antrim County there are eight property tax proposals, several of which are renewals or restorations of funding lost as a

* result of the Headlee Rollback, which requires municipalities to reduce its millage rate to hold growth in property taxes at the rate of inflation.

* Ellsworth Community School operating millage — A 3-year, 1-mill renewal and restoration that will bring in about $14,000 in its first year.

* Central Lake Public School Sinking fund proposal — Renewal and restoration of a 4-year, 0.5 mill-sinking fund millage that will bring in $147,922 for construction or repairs of school building and other uses authorized by law.

* Central Lake Public Schools operating millage — A 10-year renewal of a 17.4874-mill tax on non-homestead properties. The tax will bring in about $2.782 million. Another Central Lake 10-year proposal restores a non-homestead tax that will bring in $82,054.

* Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District — One of two proposals on the ballot is a renewal and restoration of a 4-year, 0.75-mill tax that will bring in about $4.6 million for educational programs. The ISD is also asking for a 4-year 0.25-mill increase that will bring in another $1.54 million for programming

* Mancelona Public School — A 4-year renewal of a .3944-mill sinking fund tax that will bring in $153,715 to be used for construction or repair of school buildings and more. Another proposal renews a non-homestead tax that will bring in $3,830,000 for operations.

* Kalkaska County voters in the Mancelona district will also see the operating millage request on their ballots.

* Bellaire Public School millage — A six-year renewal and increase of the non-homestead tax for operations. The tax will bring in about $4.164 million in its first year.

Kalkaska County

* The Crawford AuSable School District is asking voters for $21,275,000 to build an addition to Grayling Middle School; remodeling and re-equipping school buildings; improving school technology, security and outdoor playgrounds; and purchasing new buses. Bonds will be sold and paid back over 20 years, with property owners paying .70 mills in 2022.

* Kalkaska Public Schools operating millage — A 9-year renewal and restoration of the district's non-homestead tax.

* In Clearwater Township two proposals include one to increase a road millage from 1 mill to 2 mills for 2023, the final year of the current millage. The tax will bring in $280,000. Another establishes a 4-year, .5-mill township constable tax for a township law enforcement officer. The tax will bring in about $70,000 in its first year.

* Excelsior Township (Crawford School) operating millage — a four-year renewal and restoration of the non-homestead tax that brings in $139,391.

Check your sample ballot at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/PublicBallot/Index.