MARQUETTE — Marquette Township voters will decide whether to continue funding the Peter White Public Library Nov. 6.

In a 5-to-2 vote, the Marquette Township Board at its regular Tuesday meeting approved a resolution and language pertaining to the renewal, which would consist of 1 mill reduced to .9061 mills by the Headlee Amendment for two years to provide library services for residents of Marquette Township.

If approved by the voters, the estimated revenue the township will collect in the first year is approximately $223,296.67, according to the millage proposal.

An approved millage would be levied in December 2018 and 2019, and will provide funding for library services to township residents through December of 2020 under a two-year contract initially approved in 2016.

The contract contains language allowing for automatic renewal unless either the township or library officials give notice to terminate the pact.

If voters do not approve the millage renewal in November, the agreement would automatically terminate, according to the contract.

Township Clerk Randy Ritari told the board he is working on ballot language for two other millage proposals to be put before voters in November, which will likely be presented at the next board meeting.

Ritari was directed by the board to craft language for a six-tenths of a mill fire equipment millage and a four-tenths of a mill to pay for a portion of the township’s supplemental police services through the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office.

In other business, the board unanimously approved a five-year extension right-of-way permit with AT&T under the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunication Rights-of-Way Oversight Act.

Township Manager Randy Girard recommended the board approve the renewal, which governs utility infrastructure in public rights-of-way.

“In essence what it does is the state captures a fee from all of the utility companies for the management and care of the right-of-ways that they fall through,” Girard said. “That money is distributed to the jurisdictions that have responsibility.”

The funds distributed to the township are used to address issues that may arise in rights-of-way containing utility infrastructure, Girard said.

“As a for instance, the power lines and the gas lines that run through the township, if there is any kind of issue with them — whether there are downed trees or a brush fire — we are the responding entity. So those monies come to us,” Girard said. “Those are the funds that we draw on for items such as the brush truck.

“It funded part of the brush truck because that is a piece of equipment that is used to care for and put out fires along the utility right-of-ways. We do get a relatively small amount of money but it does offset some an in some cases all of our costs in caring for the right-of-way activities.”

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.