DOLLAR BAY - Osceola Township Supervisor Steve Karpiak said the township will likely try again in November to pass a millage for the township's roads and sidewalks.
A 3-mill increase for roads, sidewalks and drainage failed in Tuesday's primary election by a vote of 139 to 115.
"We'll have to look at the timeline for filing and then go from there," Karpiak said upon hearing the results Tuesday night.
The proposal asked voters for an increase of up to 3 mills for 2009 through 2014 for road and sidewalk improvements. The township already receives one mill for those needs, but that expires next year. Rather than spend the money for a separate election in 2009, Karpiak said, the township put it on Tuesday's ballot to decrease election expenses.
"We really didn't want to go for a separate election that we would have to pay for," he said.
Karpiak said a millage strategy would be discussed at the Board of Trustees' next meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14.
"The board will have to decide whether to go again for the three mills or just ask for the one-mill renewal," he said.
Karpiak wouldn't speculate on the meaning behind the close vote.
"I don't know if it was because people really wrestled with this, or if they didn't think it was a good idea at this time," he said.
If approved, the 3-mill proposal would have raised $73,365 in 2009 towards a new drainage system for the township. Engineers have identified eight sites as priority for repair due to poor drainage of stamp sand from spring run-off. The money cannot be used for any other project, Karpiak said, just roads, drainage and sidewalks.
"These are not good economic times, but the reality of the situation is that we have no other money for this," Karpiak said. "The people need to decide whether they want to complain about the roads or fund new ones."
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com