Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
WATERSMEET — Voters in Watersmeet Township approved an operating millage renewal on Tuesday.
By a vote of 195 to 46 (81% yes to 19% no), the voters approved a four-year renewal of 3.5 mils.
According to the ballot language, 3.5 mills ($3.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) is to be levied for four years, 2023 through 2026 inclusive, for “general township operating purposes, raising an estimated $703,826 in the first year the millage is levied.”
Watersmeet Township Clerk Julie Mathiesen said last week that if the renewal were to fail, they would have to “sharply curtail some of our services.”
According to the township website, the state allows townships to levy 1.77 mills as part of its winter property tax collection in order to cover operating costs, but townships can levy additional millages if approved by voters. The ballot proposal seeking a renewal of the 3.5 mills has been approved by voters since 2001.
The statement on the website signed by Township Board adds, “You are all aware of how inflation is affecting all our lives and is having a similar effect on the township. The township board has made every effort to keep operating costs down in the past and has not always levied the full millage approved by voters.”
The board members said the 3.5 operating millage will generate about $703,826. Separately, the 1.77 mills allowed by the state will generate about $355,935.
“Combined revenue from both millages is $1,059,761, sufficient to cover operating costs,” according to the township officials’ statement.
Mathiesen signed the online statement, along with Supervisor Mike Rogers, Treasurer Paul Kemppainen, and Trustees Yvonne Clark and Alan Piel.
—Larry Holcombe
