Latest news with #Zeeland
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
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Guide: All the ballot proposals planned for August in Ottawa, Allegan
HOLLAND — Zeeland residents will participate in a primary for councilmembers in August, but several other municipalities in the greater Holland area will have ballot proposals to consider. According to information shared on the Ottawa County and Allegan County elections websites, there will be 10 total proposals in the area for residents to peruse, although two are for school districts predominantly in other counties — operating renewals for Ravenna and Delton Kellogg. Of the eight hyper-local proposals, there will be three townships and two school districts with questions on the ballot, primarily in Allegan County. Voters in the HPS district, which spans portions of Ottawa and Allegan, will see a 30-year, $49.225 million bond on the ballot. If approved, the proposal wouldn't change the district's tax rate, as it results in a '0 mill net increase' over 2025, per the ballot language. HPS would use the funds for remodeling, furnishing and equipping school buildings, acquiring instructional technology and equipment, purchasing school buses, 'erecting school support buildings,' and 'erecting, developing and improving athletic fields and facilities, parking areas and sites.' Earlier this year, HPS conducted a survey to gauge support for a potential bond. Projects in the survey included infrastructure like technology, roofing, paving, HVAC and security; significant 'educational enhancements' at the current Jefferson Elementary to prepare for a transition into Holland Language Academy in 2028; and a new football and multi-use outdoor stadium. Fennville voters will see a 25-year, $22.35 million bond on the ballot after the FPS Board of Education approved language during a meeting April 21. If the plan is approved, the district's millage rate would actually drop by 0.5 mills, so residents would pay a lower tax rate. That's possible because previous debts have been paid off and are set to expire from the district's debt millage. By replacing those with a new bond, the district can fund improvements without increasing the tax rate. Projects in the bond include outdoor learning environments, flexible classroom furniture, upgraded fire alarms and communication systems and boilers throughout the district. Fennville Elementary will see a full HVAC replacement, roof replacement and window improvements. At Fennville Middle, the school will receive ADA-compliant restroom renovations, HVAC upgrades and cafeteria improvements. The high school will see a roof replacement, HVAC improvements, ADA-compliant restroom renovations and classroom enhancements. More: Election Guide: All the candidates, proposals on the ballot so far near Holland Laketown voters will see a pair of related proposals in August. One would decrease a previously approved millage by 0.5 mills, while the other will increase a previously approved millage by 0.5 mills. Laketown voters approved a renewal of a 2-mill tax to fund fire department operations, repair, construction, reconstruction and/or blacktopping of roads and non-motorized paths, and repair and maintenance of drains in 2024. The township also has a separate millage of 1 mill for operating funds, equipment, and apparatus acquisition for the Graafschap Fire Department. The first proposal for Laketown would reduce the millage for roads, paths and drains from 2 mills to 1.5 mills, and remove GFD from the millage altogether. The renewed millage would run 2026-28 and generate an estimated $984,700 in 2026. A second request would increase the GFD millage from 1 mill to 1.5 mills and renew the tax from 2025-29. If approved, the proposal would generate an estimated $937,750 in 2026, according to ballot language. If both proposals are approved, 0.5 mills would essentially shift from the roads, paths and drains millage to the GFD millage, and the fire department would no longer be included in the roads, paths and drains millage. In Lee Township, voters will be asked to renew and restore a millage for road construction, upgrades, maintenance and improvements. The previously approved 2-mill authorized tax has been decreased to 1.9103 mills due to rollbacks under the Headlee Amendment, which occur when growth on existing property values exceeds the rate of inflation. The ballot measure in August will seek to restore the millage to the previous 2 mills and renew it for three years, 2025-27. Support Local News: Receive unlimited digital access to your local news coverage Voters in Manlius Township will have a trio of renewals to vote on in August. All three proposals include a restoration of mills lost to Headlee rollbacks and a renewal for four years. The proposed renewals are 2 mills for road improvements, 1.75 mills for fire protection and 1.5 mills for road resurfacing. — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@ This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Proposals for August include large bonds at HPS, FPS
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election Guide: All the candidates, proposals on the ballot so far near Holland
HOLLAND — It's not yet June, but municipalities are already preparing for the August and November elections, where several seats in Holland and Zeeland will be contested. Several towns in The Sentinel coverage area don't require primaries in August, and so have candidate deadlines in July. Those include Saugatuck, Douglas and Fennville. While Holland and Zeeland require primaries in their city charters, there aren't enough candidates in Holland to need one. A primary election in most cities is necessary if the number of candidates filed for a seat is more than two times the number of available seats — for example, if five candidates filed for two open seats, a primary would be held to narrow the field to four candidates for November. Zeeland, for example, will have a primary for candidates seeking to earn a place on Zeeland City Council. Seven candidates have filed for three open at-large seats on Zeeland City Council, triggering a primary election Aug. 5. The top six vote-getters at that election will move to the general election in November. Among the seven candidates, just one is an incumbent. Current Councilman Jim Broersma did not file for re-election, and Councilman Richard Van Dorp III is running unopposed for the mayor's seat, as Kevin Klynstra isn't seeking re-election. More: Zeeland's Kevin Klynstra leaves behind a 30-year legacy of Zeel Councilman Glenn Kass will seek another term on council. He was first elected in 2007 and has been re-elected three times. There are also six newcomers vying for seats. They include Andrew Bult, Kylee DeBoer, Ericka Humbert, Amy Langeland, Hillery McAlpine and Rebecca Perkins. Langeland and Perkins are currently members of other city boards. Langeland is a member of the Cemetery and Parks Commission, while Perkins serves on the Zeeland Planning Commission. Several seats on Holland City Council will see contested races in November, plus the mayorship, where three-term Mayor Nathan Bocks will face Brian Everitt. The winner will earn a two-year term. Bocks was first elected mayor in 2019 and was re-elected in 2021 and 2023. Everitt is a board member and past president of Holland Community Theatre. In 2023, Everitt announced a write-in run for mayor but never filed as a candidate for the seat, according to election documents. Two additional candidates will face-off for a four-year, at-large seat on Holland City Council, to be elected by all city voters:. They include incumbent Quincy Byrd and challenger Abby Klomparens. Byrd, an engineer and veteran, was appointed to a partial term in 2015 before earning election in 2017 and 2021. Klomparens ran for Michigan's 86th House District in November, losing to Rep. Nancy DeBoer. She is a member of the Holland Human Relations Commission and the daughter of former Holland City Councilmember Wayne Klomparens. The four-year seat representing Holland's Third Ward will also be contested in November, by incumbent Bylinda Sól and challenger Tim Marroquín. Sól was elected to council in 2021. She is a veteran of the Army National Guard. Marroquín is currently the secretary of the Holland Public Schools Board of Education. He previously ran for council in 2017. In Holland's First Ward, Councilman Tim Vreeman will run unopposed, pending write-in candidates, for his second term. Scott Corbin is also running unopposed in the city's Fifth Ward, where he is seeking election for the third time. There are three, two-year terms up for election on Douglas City Council along with three, two-year seats on Saugatuck City Council and three four-year terms on the Fennville City Commission. Those candidates still have more than two months — until July 22 — to file for the November election, Allegan County Elections Coordinator Daron Taylor confirmed to The Sentinel. There will be several local proposals in August. The deadline for submitting language to local clerks is May 13. As of Monday, May 12, there were already five proposals set to appear on the ballot. Three of those are in Allegan County's Manlius Township. Voters will be asked to renew a trio of taxes: 2 mills for road improvements, 1.75 mills for fire protection, and 1.5 mills for road resurfacing. Each of the three proposals would be levied for four years. Holland Public Schools and Fennville Public Schools will both pursue bonds in August, as well. Holland's proposal would generate $49,225,000 while maintaining the district's current tax rate. In Fennville, the proposal would result in a tax rate 0.5 mills lower than the current rate, while still generating $22,350,000. — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@ This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Election Guide: Who's running for Holland, Zeeland councils?
