Primary election, pool millage renewal vote Tuesday

The City of Tecumseh is preparing for the start of a busy election year as the presidential primary elections take place next Tuesday, March 8.

Also on the ballot is the millage renewal to provide funds to operate a system of public recreation. This renewal, if passed, will continue to support funding exclusively for the Tecumseh Community Memorial Pool. Language on the ballot states that the millage may be used for operating a system of public recreation and playgrounds, but this is only a requirement of the ballot language and funding will go exclusively to the Tecumseh Community Memorial Pool, according to Supt. Kelly Coffin. The millage is not an increase, but a renewal. The millage was first passed in 2012.

The ballot reads: This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy public recreation millage previously approved by the electors that will expire with the 2016 levy. Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of .25 mill ($0.25 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Tecumseh Public Schools, Lenawee County, Michigan, be renewed for a period of five years, 2017 to 2021, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for operating a system of pubic recreation and playgrounds; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect for such recreation program if the millage is approved and levied in 2017 is approximately $142,000 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2016 tax levy)?

Tecumseh Community Memorial Pool has received some recent improvements, including the addition of new: lockers, air conditioning unit, diving boards, clock and timing system. Also damaged equipment was replaced. The millage, if passed, will support installing a new air handling system at the pool to maintain water temperatures for competition and recreation, as well as other maintenance costs.

Residents who live outside the city but in the Tecumseh school district vote at township voting locations. City Clerk Jessica Emrick said 471 absentee ballots have been filled out for the primary election.

Democratic candidates that will appear on the ballot,  include Hillary Clinton, Roque Rocky De La Fuente, Martin J. O’Malley and Bernie Sanders. Clinton and Sanders are the only two candidates still running for the Democratic nomination.

Republican candidates include Ben Carson, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham and Mike Huckabee are on the ballot, but have dropped out of the race.

Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 are located at the Smith Recreation Center at 810 N. Evans St., with chairpersons Sarah White and Wanda Ziegler presiding. Precinct 2 is at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts at 400 N. Maumee St. with Deb Blanden presiding. Precinct 4 is at the Emergency Services Building at 101 E. Russell Rd. with Phil Kriger presiding.

There are 25 election inspectors total throughout the four precincts. Janet Nichols and Janice Weitzel are on the receiving board at City Hall in the council chambers at 309 E. Chicago Blvd.