Barry County voters are reminded to vote in the Tuesday, Nov. 7 election, one week from today.

One county-wide issue is on the ballot; a proposal for a new Barry County Commission on Aging facility.

The COA request is for millage to raise $5,450,000 to pay for demolishing the present building, constructing a new, 22,500 square foot building on the same site, site work, commercial kitchen equipment and other improvements. The millage would be for 20 years; 0.0593 mills for the first year and then 0.1669 mills a year until the bonds are paid.

 

It is estimated that a property in Barry County with a taxable value of $50,000 would pay $2.97 the first year and $8.35 a year thereafter.

 

Voters in the Hastings Area School System District will decide two millage requests:

Bond Proposal 1 seeks approval of a 15-year bond, extending the current millage by four years to produce $10.5 million to improve school buildings, for technology instruction and to develop and improve the middle school site for 0.85 mills the first year, which is no increase over the prior year’s levy.

The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding is 15 years. The estimated annual millage required to retire the bond debt is 1.53 mills, ($1.53 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).

 

Bond Proposal 11 requests approval of a 25-year bond issue that will produce $19.5 million. The levy in 2018 would be 1.35 mills, or a 0.5 mill increase over the prior year’s levy.

The estimated simple average annual millage of 1.87 mills would be levied in the remaining years until the bonds are paid and is being offset by a loan from the State School Bond Qualification and Loan Program to help pay the bonds and lessen the impact on taxpayers.

 

The funding would be for technology, a new transportation office building, stadium concession building and press box, buses, upgrading athletic facilities and improving school buildings.

 

Orangeville Township voters in the Martin School District are asked to approve renewal of 18.6524 mills for two years for school operations. The millage is levied against all property, except a principal residence and other exempted property, and is expected to raise approximately $560,645 in 2018.