Schools Struggle
School districts outside of Leelanau County had a tough time with voters yesterday.
Voters in Traverse City, Kalkaska, and Elk Rapids rejected bond proposals to repair and renovate school buildings and other facilities. Unofficial results show very narrow margins. In Traverse City the main request to borrow $35 million failed by about one percent of the vote. In Kalkaska, less than 30 votes out of more than 1,000 tipped the difference against the request.
This was Traverse City’s second try in two years. The district had scaled down the projects from the proposal in 2012 and split it into two requests. The request for $12 million to renovate the auditorium at Central High School was rejected by about 58 percent of voters.
Leland and Suttons Bay schools renewed their operating millages and Leland passed a bond proposal by almost a 5 to 1 margin.
Estes reelected mayor, new faces on commission
Traverse City Mayor Mike Estes has been reelected by a wide margin. Voters gave the mayor a third term in office the day after he pleaded guilty in court to driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Estes took about 57 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. The challenger Rick Buckhalter took 37 percent. Write in votes amounted to 5 percent of the total.
Meanwhile, Ross Richardson led a crowded field in the race for the Traverse City Commission. Tim Werner and Gary Howe will also take a seat on the city commission. The one sitting commissioner in the race, Jodi Bergman, finished fifth of the seven.
Road repairs embraced
Voters in Grand Traverse and Benzie counties chose to spend more money on roads and bridges yesterday. The request for more than $4 million over three years in Grand Traverse County passed by less than one percent of the vote.
About 57 percent of Benzie voters agreed to spend about $5 million over as many years on road repairs.
Benzie voters rejected a request from the sheriff for more money. The Benzie County sheriff had said it was needed to have officers on duty in the middle of the night.
