News file photo Rogers City Area Schools Superintendent Nick Hein

ROGERS CITY — Voters in the Rogers City Area Schools school district voted in favor of two millage renewal proposals on Tuesday, one for the district’s operating millage, and one for a sinking fund, according to unofficial results from the Presque Isle County Clerk’s office on Wednesday.

Voters failed to pass the Career and Technical Education millage proposal from the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District (COPESD).

OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL

The operating renewal tax easily passed in a lop-sided vote of 807 in favor and 293 opposed.

The operating millage will be renewed for a period of six years, 2027 to 2032, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2027 is approximately $2,413,670.

The millage will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law. The current operating millage will expire with the 2026 tax levy.

A rate of 18 mills equates to about $900 on a property with a taxable value of $50,000.

Rogers City Area Schools Superintendent Nick Hein thanked the teachers, bus drivers, lunch attendants, and all staff members for making the district something that the community wants to support.

“People think highly of the people that work here, in terms of the community,” Hein said.

SINKING FUND RENEWAL

The sinking fund proposal passed in a vote of 662 for the proposal to 432 votes against it.

The sinking fund proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy a building and site sinking fund millage. The millage will allow the board of education authorization to increase a tax levy in an amount not to exceed 1.162 mills. That rate would cost the owner of a home with a taxable value of $50,000 about $58 a year for a period of 8 years, 2029 to 2036, inclusive.

The estimate of the revenue the school district will collect from the millage and levied in 2029 is approximately $425,097. The sinking fund is designated for building, construction, and maintenance purposes.

Hein said that with the passage of the sinking fund, the district will continue repair projects, including roof repairs on the high school.

Hein said he is extremely grateful to the community and that the district will continue moving forward and making good outcomes for students.

COPESD CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MILLAGE

The COPESD CTE millage proposal failed in a vote of 6,045 to 7,206 across Cheboygan, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties.

Had the measure passed, 100% of the revenue generated by the one mill levy for the next six years would have supported the expansion and enhancement of vocational education programs in schools throughout the region, according to an informational web page about the millage.

“Based on unofficial results, the career and technical education millage on the ballot for COPESD appears to have fallen short of the majority approval needed to pass,” COP ESD Superintendent Jamie Huber said in a press release. “As a result, the proposed levy will not be enacted to fund vocational programs in our local schools.”

“While we are disappointed that the CTE millage did not pass, we are grateful for the meaningful conversations and engagement throughout this process,” Huber said in the press release. “The time invested by COPESD residents who took the initiative to learn more about career and technical education, who reached out with thoughtful questions, and who provided valuable feedback is truly appreciated. Thank you to everyone who gave this important issue their thoughtful consideration.”