NORTHPORT -- Students at Northport Public School will be able to continue their education in the small Leelanau County town thanks to voter support of an operating millage renewal.
Leelanau Township residents on Tuesday voted 516 to 132 in favor of a five-year, non-homestead operating millage renewal for 15.6583 mills. Only 13.388 mills will be collected.
"What it allows us to do is go forward and know that we have a very supportive community and we have solid funding for our school for the next five years," said Superintendent Jeff Tropf. "It allows us to go forward in a pretty difficult time, speaking of economics."
The school has 146 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It does not receive state education tax dollars, meaning the school could have been at risk of closing had the millage failed.
"It was just basically a grassroots movement to shore up support for our school," Tropf said. "This community has spoken volumes that it wants a school."
In Benzie County, voter support of a jail millage spared officials from closing a 20-bed wing and laying off some corrections officers.
Residents voted 1,482 to 1,244 in favor of a six-year, 0.9-mill levy for county jail operations.
"It's just reassuring that we're on the right track and we're going to continue doing the right things here," Benzie Sheriff Rory Heckman said. "It's a positive thing for Benzie County that we're not going backwards here as far as county services are concerned."
The millage covers about two-thirds of the $1.5 million budget for the 47-bed jail.
Voters narrowly approved a $530,000 bond proposal for Benzie County's Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools. An $850,000 bond proposal failed by 33 votes last November.
The lower bond proposal passed 541 votes to 525 this time around, with voters in Crystal Lake Township against the bond.
The bond will be repaid at an average 0.21-mill rate over the life of the seven-year bond. Taxpayers will pay 0.06 mills the first year.
Voters in Antrim County supported a one-year renewal of an 18-mill non-homestead operating millage for Mancelona Public Schools.
It passed 218 to 61, said Superintendent Jeff DiRosa.
"We're appreciative of the voters understanding how important it is," DiRosa said. "It's 35 percent of our yearly operating budget."
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