Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette CTE Director Corey Soumis (left) and CCISD Superintendent Jim Rautiola at a video presentation at the Bluffs last month to discuss the CTE program. The CCISD's millage renewal passed on Tuesday.

HOUGHTON – Voters in four local counties went to the polls Tuesday to decide on proposals largely related to school funding, including a three-county vote to renew the Copper Country Intermediate School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) millage for another 10 years.

The CTE millage renewal proposal passed, 5,373 to 1,406, a 79.3% margin. CCISD Superintendent Jim Rautiola expressed his appreciation for the community’s response. “I’m just very excited that the community came out to support education and the area students for career and technical education skills,” he said. “It was a pretty loud and clear message, and I’m grateful and humbled for the support.”

Rautiola said the renewal allows the CCISD to build on the original 10-year foundation to expand classes and provide students career and technical training to prepare them for skilled jobs in the local labor market.

“From a local community standpoint, it’s good for our local economy, and it’s good for our kids,” he said.

Rautiola said with elections, the community gets to speak on what they support, need and want. “We take that work very seriously with the CTE program,” he said, “and we make sure the community gets a return on their investment for the dollars they put in.”

In other election results from Tuesday:

• Baraga Area Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal passed, 240-206

• Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area Schools Operating Millage Proposal passed, 270-115

• Ewen-Trout Creek consolidated School District Bond Proposal passed, 319-259

• Lake Linden-Hubbell Public Schools Bond Proposal passed, 556-257.

• Ontonagon Area School District Sinking Fund Millage Renewal Proposal passed 621-224