Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By LARRY HOLCOMBE
Bessemer — Voters in the Bessemer School District will face a busy ballot on Tuesday as part of a larger general election ballot full of federal, state and local candidates and issues.
There are six candidates running for five seats on the Bessemer School Board in what is two separate races, as well as a district-wide question about renewing a millage limited to 18 mills levied on non-homesteads for another 10 years to provide funds for operating purposes — a move generally known as a Headlee amendment override.
Bessemer Schools Superintendent Dave Weinburner called the measure a “non-homestead renewal,” adding, “The important thing for people to know is that it’s not on the primary residences. It’s a renewal on things like businesses, hunting camps and other property; not their home.”
According to ballot language, approval is “required for the school district to receive its full revenue per pupil foundation allowance,” from the state.
The ballot asks for the renewal of the current 17.9694 mills ($17.9694 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for 10 years, as well as an additional .5 mill for the same 10 years. Weinburner said the additional .5 mill is there in case the 18 mills is rolled back to as far as 17.5, in order to make up the difference.
The 18 mills will raise $533,976 in 2020, the first year of the renewal, according to the ballot.
School board
The first set of four school board candidates are running for three full four-year terms. They are Tara J. Graham, Bill McDonald, Annette Lillie and Beth Steiger.
Another pair of candidates for school board are running to fill two partial (two-year) terms. They are Robert D. Berg and Richard J. Matrella.
While Berg and Matrella are running unopposed for those two seats, the Daily Globe asked the four running for the other three full term seats to respond to a questions to help inform the voters.
The questions asked the candidates to introduce themselves and say why voters should vote for them, and secondly, what are the key issues facing the Bessemer Public Schools?
Here are their responses:
Tara J. Graham
1. I was born and raised in Bessemer. I attended the Bessemer Area Schools from pre-school through the 12th grade. I then went away to college after a year at Gogebic Community College. At Western Michigan University, I earned a Bachelors in Science in nursing. I launched my nursing career at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. After a year there, the U.P. called me back home and I started at Grand View Hospital (now Aspirus Ironwood.) I’ve been employed there for 15 years. I am married to Keith and we have three children, two of whom are students in Bessemer. Next year our youngest will be in kindergarten. I know that I can continue to give back in additional ways and know that I can effect change locally.
My grandmother, Tish Pitrone, taught at Washington Elementary School for more than 40 years as well as my great aunt, Vicki Thors. They had tremendous pride in their work and their city. They always told me that their parents came here from Italy so that their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., could have a quality education. I feel I need to help carry on the lineage of quality education not only for my children but for the children of our district. I look forward to being a positive voice for our community and putting our children’s needs at the forefront of our decisions on the board.
2. Like in Bessemer and in other neighboring school districts, the impact of the prison closing is concerning on the enrollment status and the effect that it will have on revenues. Building issues and infrastructure is an issue such as maintenance of buildings, buses and upgrades. Financially, we will have to plan strategically. Maintaining and expanding curriculum offerings is also a top priority.
Annette Lillie
1. I was born and raised in Bessemer and graduated from A.D. Johnston High School. I’ve had the privilege to serve on the school board for 12 years, with the last six years as vice-president. I’ve served on the personnel and negotiations, finance, and curriculum committees. I have one daughter, Francesca Ferrier, who currently resides in Tranent, Scotland. I am running for re-election because I care about Bessemer, the school district and the education of the children.
2. We can discuss state funding, technology, dropping population, school violence, which are all important, but without good teachers, we have no schools. I feel the teacher shortage will be a key issue for our district in the upcoming years. Only 4 percent of college students are now majoring in education. The shortage is a national concern, but is magnified particularly in the U.P. In Bessemer, there is a large percentage of our staff that is within three to five years of retirement. There are teacher vacancies across the U.P. that have remained opened for two or more years.
We, as a community and school district, must find ways to compete for the 4 percent of education majors. We need to partner with all stakeholders and develop a long-range plan for Bessemer. The district has been afforded the ability to hire and retain great teachers and administrators in the past, but times are going to get challenging. It will take the community and school working together to assure the continued success of our students.
Bill McDonald
1. I have served on the Bessemer School Board and city council. I listen carefully to parents and taxpayers. Many are unhappy with the school board. The large majority of them want a vote on consolidation. If you think our town needs someone to question the current school board and challenge their tired old ways of thinking, I’m your candidate.
2. The July 18 Detroit Free Press reported Gogebic County has the fastest shrinking population in Michigan. The state has grown by 1 percent since 2010, and Gogebic County has fallen more than 6 percent, to about 15,300 people.
With the prison closing, 85 students may be leaving our three schools. Its unfortunate, but families with students are already planning to leave our district after this semester. Under these circumstances, I support consolidation with our neighbors in Ironwood and Wakefield-Marenisco more than ever. We’re cheating on education if we don’t explore consolidation. Every Gogebic Range school has shrinking budgets and declining enrollment. The February 2018 student count has about 785 students in Ironwood, Bessemer with 409 and Wakefield-Marenisco with 286.
The school board needs to face facts and stop rubber stamping the idea we’re doing a great job. We’re not. We’re going broke. We’re understaffed. Student achievement is well below the state average. For the last five years, Bessemer’s school board did nothing to expand classes or work with our neighbors to share academic programs. Just the opposite. They cut classes and staff.
Obsolete buildings like Washington and Sleight don’t matter. More staff, teachers and classes do. Shared programs work. Miners football is a success. If we consolidate, every district gives up something and keeps something. Every district keeps an elementary school.
One option would have Wakefield with pre-K through fourth grade. Bessemer has grades 6-8, and Ironwood with fifth grade and the senior high. Expand curriculum with mandatory shop for all junior high students. We can fix everything from parking problems to staff and class problems by simply working with our neighboring districts.
If elected, I propose we: 1. Reach out to Ironwood and Wakefield-Marenisco’s school boards, 2. Request the free, professional services of the state’s consolidation consultant, 3. Start pairing and sharing classes, and 4. Share a superintendent.
Beth Steiger
1. I have lived in Bessemer for more than 11 years. One of the reasons we settled in this community was because of the excellent reputation of the Bessemer Schools. I am a parent of two students in the district, and I personally want my children and all children to be afforded every opportunity to succeed. Since moving to this area, I have been an instructor in the business division at Gogebic Community College. I earned my bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan with a concentration in accounting. I then went on to earn my Masters of Business Administration in finance and marketing from New York University. I have served on the Bessemer School Board for the past four years.
During this time, I have played an active role in numerous initiatives for the district, including serving on the finance committee for the past four years. My education, as well as my past experience on the board, enable me to analyze financial data and make sound recommendations that look out for our students, our community, and ensure fiscal accountability in efficiently running our school. As a school board member, I strive to enable every student in our district to reach their fullest potential and work to create opportunities for them to succeed.
2. Bessemer, like other neighboring districts, is faced with uncertainty regarding student enrollment. The closing of the Ojibway Correctional Facility impacts numerous families in our district. These families are faced with difficult choices and may be forced to move out of the area. With significant school funding tied to student counts, the loss of these students has the potential to have a significant impact on district funding. The board will need to have fiscal diligence in light of this uncertainty.
Another issue facing the district is the needed improvements to both of its buildings. The elementary and high school buildings are both in need of infrastructure updates. Items such as roofs, lighting fixtures and the heating systems are in need of improvements. Investments will be needed to bring the facilities up to the excellence the district maintains in its academic standards. Furthermore, investments in the infrastructure can help to save the district money in future utility costs.
Lastly, Bessemer needs to continue to review its curriculum to ensure students with all levels of ability and in all areas of interests have adequate course offerings.
