PETROVICH

GWINN — The Gwinn Area Community Schools Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved the language of a sinking fund ballot proposal that would be put before voters on May 7.

The proposal requests a levy not to exceed 1.75 mills, which is $1.75 on each $1,000 of taxable property value, for 10 years — 2019 to 2028, inclusive — to create a sinking fund for the construction or repair of school buildings, for school security improvements, for the acquisition or upgrades of technology for the purchase of real estate for sites, and other purposes authorized by law.

If the millage is approved and levied this year, it’s estimated the school district would receive a revenue of nearly $510,000.

GACS Superintendent Sandy Petrovich said the ballot language, already approved by an attorney, has to be sent to Marquette County elections officials by Feb. 12 to be included on the ballot.

Marquette County Clerk Linda Talsma, the elections coordinator, is in charge of included the proposal on the ballot.

Petrovich told The Mining Journal in December that the school district faced a deficit of $406,000 at the end of fiscal year 2017, and by the end of June, had pared that down to a deficit of $238,000. To help further reduce the deficit, she noted if a sinking fund millage were passed, this money would come out of that fund instead of the general fund, she said.

Petrovich said on Monday that limitations are placed on school districts when it comes to promoting such millages.

“Basically, districts are allowed to stick to the facts,” Petrovich said. “I can’t tell people to vote yes. I can’t spend district money on getting people to vote yes, but I can spend district money on getting people fact sheets, information.”

She said a millage calculator will be put on the GACS website at gwinn.k12.mi.us so people can determine, based on the value of their homes, what impact the sinking fund vote would have on them.

Monday’s meeting also included a reorganization of the board. Officers are: Ashley Jenema, president; Dawn Andrews, vice president; Avis Meyers-Ketola, secretary; and John Waldo, treasurer.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.