Harbor Springs schools approve ballot language for November

HARBOR SPRINGS — The Harbor Springs Public Schools Board of Education approved the language voters will see on the ballot this November asking for millage renewals and increases.

Two requests will be included on the ballot: a renewal request for an operating millage and a millage renewal for the building and site sinking fund.

The board approved the language for another renewal of the operating millage, which allows the district to levy 13.9911 mills from non-homestead properties. The board also approved an ask for an increase, bringing the total to 14.9911 mills to protect the district from a loss in revenue in case of a Headlee rollback.

The request asks the renewal to be approved for 2025 and 2026, which would allow the "school district to levy such part of the increase as necessary to maintain a maximum levy of 13.9911 mills."

During the meeting, Chief Financial Officer Rod Fullerton told the board the increase would be put in place just to protect the district from a rollback. The district would be unable to actually levy more than 13.9911 mills from property owners over the tax period.

The renewal would be for 14.7302 mills, and the increase would be for 0.2609 mills.

The renewal request shouldn't be a surprise to Harbor Springs voters, who see the operating millage on the ballot every two years. The district has kept a standard two-year ask, whereas other districts can opt for renewal requests over longer periods of time.

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Also approved by the school board on Monday was a renewal and increase request for the building and site sinking fund millage.

The renewal would be for four years, 2025-2028. All property owners, including principal residences, would be responsible for paying 0.54 mills if the proposal is approved.

The fund is used to help with construction and repair of school buildings, security upgrades, technology upgrades and the purchase of real estate, for example.

If approved, the renewal would likely bring in around $863,000 for the district in 2025.

The renewal request would include the previously approved 0.5177 mills, and include an additional millage of 0.0233 mills to "restore previously authorized millage lost as a result of the 'Headlee' reduction," according to the request.

The resolutions will be on the ballot Nov. 5, 2024.

— Contact reporter Karly Graham atkgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at@KarlyGrahamJRN.