The Ontonagon Area School District (OASD) held a special Board of Education Meeting last Thursday.

The purpose of the meeting was for the board to agree on the tax rate request. The tax rate request is to set the millage for non-homestead properties, debt retirement millage on all properties, and sinking fund millage.

The request goes to the county board, which needed the specific millage before the school board holds their annual Budget meeting on June 29.

“This is usually done during our budget meeting, but the county needs it so they can do their summer tax bills. (So) we had to do it earlier this year,” said Linda Karttunen, OASD business director.

The board unanimously approved the request of 18 mills for non-homestead properties, 1.20 mills for debt retirement, and 1.30 mills for the Sinking Fund.

Karttunen stated that the 18 mill request for non-homestead and 6 mills on commercial property owners will generate around $1,806,941.00 for the district for the 2020-21 school year. The debt retirement is for the 2009 school and school bus debt. 

“This is the same millage request as in 2019,” said Karttunen.

The millage for White Pine ended last year and is not a part of the tax rate request. Residents of White Pine will have the same millage as those in the other OASD communities.

The public will have a chance to comment on the OASD Budget at the annual budget hearing on June 29.  That will be at 5:30 p.m., however it may be a tele-conference due to the governor’s executive order. The public can contact the school for the telephone number and password for that meeting.