News

Trustees vote for millage renewal to be placed on May 6 ballot

The MCCC Board of Trustees voted to put the millage proposal on the ballot again in May after discussion.

They voted on this at the Jan. 27 meeting, with nays from trustees Mary Kay Thayer and Kristy Svatek-Whitson. The vote passed 5-2. All trustees were in attendance.

Chair Aaron Mason introduced the topic. He said they could either put it on the ballot for the upcoming May election, or wait until either August or November.

President Kojo Quartey said even though the election was a loss, it won in certain areas. This included the city of Monroe, parts of Frenchtown, parts of Bedford, and the city of Milan.

Josh Myers, executive director of The Foundation, said the millage proposal lost by 2.65%.

Myers said if they chose to go with August, they would be losing a chance to get the millage proposal passed.

“You can’t win an election you’re not in,” Myers said.

Thayer, who wanted to wait until August, said there needed to be bandaids put on the community before the board tried to put the millage on the ballot again.

“It hasn’t been that long since our last election,” Thayer said. “We still have a lot of bandaids to put on in the community, and I don’t think from — this is almost February — to this being onto May, I think we’re pushing our luck.”

Thayer said the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act has done a lot in the community and she would prefer waiting until August or November. She said she wished they had more time to get a truce.

Myers said the college is looking at $1 million in technology capital improvements over the next two years that have to happen, and if they can pass the millage, they’ll get that million back in their general funds.

Trustee Julie Edwards said she didn’t want to miss the chance to get it approved in May.

“I just would hate to give up an opportunity, and if we were successful in a May election, we can focus all of that energy from an August and November election to other things that require our attention,” Edwards said.