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ALPENA -- Voters in Alcona County voted to approve a pair of millage requests during Tuesday's primary election. The tax funds will be used to fund the Alcona County Library and law enforcement.
ALCONA COUNTY LIBRARY OPERATING MILLAGE
The Alcona County Library operating millage passed in a vote of 2147 to 1412.
The millage is a 10-year renewal. The previous operating millage expired on Dec. 31, Denise Bearre, Alcona County Library director, said. It was an eight year millage set at .5 mills. The renewed millage increased by .25 mills.
A millage of .75 mills would mean that a house with a taxable value of $50,000 would owe $37.50 in taxes annually.
Bearre told The News in July that a renewal of the operating millage would be used to update aging HVAC systems of the three buildings that the library owns. The library has five branches total in Harrisville, Caledonia, Curtis Township, Lincoln, and Mikado.
She also said that the renewal would be used to continue paying staff.
Bearre said she was excited that the millage passed in Tuesday's election.
"I'm excited and happy," she said.
She said she is glad to be planning for the future of the library instead of planning to close down or do another election.
"We can plan for a bright future and now we get to plan our budget for next year, not fun stuff but necessary stuff," Bearre said.
She said the library will get to go on with their programming and fixing building maintenance issues and not have to worry.
"Now we've got 10 years," she said. "I'd also like to thank the yes committee and all their hard work and time."
Bearre invited the community to a celebratory ice cream social from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the gazebo.
ALCONA COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT MILLAGE
The Alcona County law enforcement operating millage passed in a vote of 2102 to 1455.
The millage is a new 1.5-mill, six-year tax levy to fund law enforcement operations.
A 1.5-mill levy means that the owners of property with a taxable value of $50,000 will see their property tax bill climb by about $75 annually. The levy is expected to bring in a revenue of approximately $1.5 million per year. It will be a new tax levy for Alcona County residents and not a renewal.
Alcona County Sheriff Scott Stephenson said that the millage will primarily be used to bring the sheriff’s office to full staff. He said he has been operating with a staff of 10 to 11 deputies the past few years. Ideally, he would like to have 14 deputies.
The News left a message with Stephenson for comment on the results of the millage.
Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@thealpenanews.com.