CHASSELL TOWNSHIP – In November, Chassell Township voters will again be voting on whether to withdraw from the Portage Lake Library District.

The Township Board approved the ballot measure, which is identical to the proposal on the Aug. 2 primary ballot. Voters defeated that measure 340-289.

Library Director Dillon Geshel said he is shocked the township would bring back the proposal in the next election.

“I just don’t see any legitimate reason to revisit that proposal,” he said. “The township has decided to throw out the vote of more than 600 people. I think we learned on Aug. 2 that the voters of Chassell Township value their library services and want to retain them.”

The proposal would pull Chassell Township from the library district at the end of 2017. Residents who wished to remain patrons of the library would have to purchase a nonresident card.

In an earlier interview, Geshel said the township accounts for about 20 percent of the library’s revenue. The withdrawal would result in the library closing an additional day per week, and cutting at least two staff positions, he said.

Chassell Township Supervisor David Mattson could not be reached for comment. He failed to return repeated messages requesting comment.

In talking with Mattson after the new proposal was submitted, Geshel said Mattson mentioned several residents had told him they had intended to vote for withdrawal but hadn’t realized the issue was on the August ballot.

However, Geshel said, he had worked with the township to pick the most convenient date. An August election allowed people to get the word out at the Strawberry Festival, the only large-scale festival in Chassell before the fall election, Geshel said. It also gave more impact to yard signs, which could be buried in snow by November.

“It’s frustrating to me that now he’s bringing that up, suggesting they should have gone with November all along,” Geshel said.