Candidates face challenges; funding issues to be decided in Lenawee Co.

8/3/2014

ADRIAN — Lenawee County voters will be asked to renew a senior citizen millage to fund senior centers and provide meals and services when they head to the polls for Tuesday’s primary election.

The proposal requests renewal of 0.482 mills from 2014 through 2020, raising about $1.5 million in its first year. If approved, it would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $24 a year.

The money would be used to help run seven senior centers in communities throughout the county and offer services to residents age 60 and older.

“If it is not approved then there will be changes and the board will have to take a hard look at how those changes occur,” said Cari Rebottaro, director of the Lenawee Department on Aging.

A number of other township, school, and library funding requests as well as renewals also will be decided during the primary election. Some candidates also face challenges.

Britton Deerfield Schools will return to voters after its request for a five-year, 1-mill sinking fund tax levy was rejected in May by 15 votes, said Superintendent Charles Pelham. The same proposal will appear on the August ballot. It would generate about $164,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $50 a year.

The money would be used for maintenance and repair needs such as fixing parking lots, damaged roofs, and upgrading security measures.

“We would not ask for it if there wasn’t a need,” Mr. Pelham said.

Voters within the Hudson Carnegie District Library system will be asked to approve a new 10-year, 0.75-mill tax to raise about $105,000 in its first year. The library is transitioning to a district system supported by its own millage instead of receiving direct funding from the city of Hudson.

“We are not an essential service, and so we would be first in the budget to go. And the city didn’t want to see us go, so they support us in this effort,” library director Joann Crater said. “We are just looking for more stable funding.”

Funds would pay for library operations, programs, and new books.

In Clinton Township, voters will decide a road millage request for up to 1 mill for eight years to maintain Clinton Township and Village of Clinton roads.

A four-year, 1-mill proposal to pay for additional police personnel and equipment is requested in the Charter Township of Madison.

In Palmyra Township, voters will consider a renewal of a 1-mill fire department millage for 2014 through 2017 as well as a 0.2-mill increase for 2014 and 2015 to pay for cemetery operations and improvements.

Lenawee County voters in District 2, which includes Cambridge, Rome, and Woodstock townships, will choose from two Republicans in the county commissioner primary.

Incumbent H. Edwin Branch faces John D. Lapham. Democrat Paul Delezenne is unopposed.

Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.