Cass District Library Seeks Voter Approval August 2
Submitted by Barbara Gordon, Director, Cass District Library
Cass District Library is on the ballot for the August 2, 2022, primary, for the first time since its original millage of 0.75 mills was approved by voters in 1993. Due to the Headlee Amendment, an amendment in the Michigan Constitution that requires local governments to reduce millage rates when growth on existing property is greater than the rate of inflation, CDL’s annual tax revenues have been reduced by $213,000. Voters in CDL’s service district, which includes 38,000 residents in Calvin, Howard, Jefferson, LaGrange, Mason, Milton, Newberg, Ontwa, Penn, Pokagon, Porter, and Volinia townships, will have the opportunity to approve the Headlee override and restore the library’s original millage rate.
The current rate of 0.6386 mills is adequately funding routine operations for the district and its five branch locations. The current rate is not able to fund the $1 million dollars in critical, deferred capital improvements needed across the district. These facility repairs and improvements were identified through a robust Facilities Master Plan executed by Intersect Studio of Kalamazoo. Further investments at the Main, Edwardsburg, and Howard Branches are needed in order to renovate those facilities, create more accessible spaces, and design libraries that are inspiring, modern, and reflective of current community needs. For the average property owner, the override of 0.1114 mills will cost just an additional $0.72 a month.
While residents of Marcellus Township are not part of Cass District Library’s service district and cannot vote on the measure, the success of the millage will directly benefit all county residents. Card holders at Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library are eligible for a free library card at Cass District Library through the two libraries’ reciprocal agreement. This allows Marcellus residents to freely access CDL collections and many do! We welcome all visitors and hope you will visit us soon for a program, to borrow materials, or simply to enjoy our facilities. We are incredibly thankful to have strong support from all our neighbors!
To find out more information about CDL and the upcoming millage and renovation plans, please visit www.cassdistrictlibrary.org/millage/.
To find out how to get a Cass District Library card, visit https://www.cassdistrictlibrary.org/about/get-a-library-card/.
Cass District Library is headquartered at 319 M-62, Cassopolis, with branches in Edwardsburg, Howard township, and Mason/Union. The Local History Library is located at 145 N. Broadway.
911 Renewal on August 2 Ballot
Voters throughout Cass County are encouraged to go to the polls, Tuesday, August 2, to cast ballots on proposals and for candidates running for public office.
Countywide, voters are being asked to renew the millage for 911 Central Dispatch. The proposal is
“Shall the constitutional tax rate limitation in the County of Cass be renewed at 1/5 mill ($0.20) per thousand dollars against all taxable property in the County of Cass for a period of 4 years beginning with the December 1, 2022 levy and ending with the December 1, 2025 levy to provide funding for the operation of the 911 Central Dispatch? If approved and levied in its entirety on December 1, 2022, this millage would raise an estimated $487,160.00 in the first year.”
Other proposals in the county include Cass District Library’s millage proposal, Ontwa Township’s two proposals for Ambulance Service Millage Renewal, Volinia Township’s Road Millage Renewal, Cassopolis Public Schools Sinking Fund Millage, Edwardsburg Public Schools Bonding Proposal, Decatur Public Schools Operating Millage and White Pigeon Community Schools Sinking Fund Renewal.
To find out more about these proposals, candidates, and voting locations, visit the County website at https://www.casscountymi.org/159/Election-Information.
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