UNDATED (WHTC-AM/FM, May 2, 2023) – It’s the first Election Day of 2023 along the Lakeshore and across the state on Tuesday, with a number of municipalities and school districts are using this balloting window to put proposals before voters.
The most notable issue may be in Holland, where Tulip City electors will be asked to allow the City Council and the Holland BPW to sell public land totaling 19.5 acres at the DeYoung Power Plant site (64 Pine Ave.) and at 255 Kollen Park Drive. This is part of the Waterfront Holland development proposal in which GDK would purchase those plots in exchange for selling to the city the current Verplank Dock site off of West 8th Street. The measure must pass by at least 60 percent of the vote in order for the city to go forward with this proposed transaction.
Voters who live within the boundaries of Holland Public Schools will be asked to approve a five-year, one-mill operational levy request for the Holland Aquatic Center. This is separate from the $26.3 million bond proposal for renovations and expansion at the West 24th Street facility that voters approved four years ago.
Other municipal questions before voters include: In Grand Haven Township, a $12.36 million bond proposal for a new fire/rescue facility, costing property owners .9 mills over 20 years; in Allegan Township, a one mill, four year levy renewal for roads, and a .25 mill, four-year levy renewal for fire equipment; in the city of Otsego, a repeal of the current two mill dedicated public safety levy, replacing it with a four mill, 10 year levy; and in Otsego Township, a two mill, six-year increase of a fire operations levy.
Four local school districts are seeking bond proposal approvals for renovations and expansions: Grand Haven Area – $155.7 million, costing 1.98 mills over 21 years; Hamilton Community – $41.2 million, costing 2.6 mills over 30 years; Spring Lake – $49.8 million, costing .99 mills over 25 years; and Wayland Union – $49.7 million, with no tax increase over 25 years. Two others are looking for sinking fund levy renewals: Zeeland at .98 mills over 10 years, and Hudsonville at 1 mill over five years. Looking for renewals of the 18-mill non-homestead assessments are Grand Haven Area, Hudsonville, West Ottawa and Zeeland.
While many voters have already cast ballots via the absentee route, others who wish to make their wishes known in person can head to the polls from 7 AM to 8 PM. Links to the ballot proposal wording are here for Ottawa County and here for Allegan County.
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