Voters OK Berkley School District Millage Renewal Requests

Turnout was light Tuesday but voters who went to the polls in Berkley and Huntington Woods overwhelmingly approved two Berkley School District millage renewal requests.

The proposals asked voters to renew the general operating fund and sinking fund millages, which will not increase residents' tax rate. Following are the results, with 13 out of 13 precincts reporting, according to the Oakland County Clerk's website.

• 2,222 out of 2,695 voters – nearly 83 percent – cast ballots in favor of renewing the general operating fund millage rate of 18.9666 mils.
• 2,206 out of 2,697 voters – nearly 82 percent – cast ballots in favor of renewing the sinking fund millage rate of .7367 mils.

[Read: 2013 Berkley School District Millage Renewal Quick Facts]

"Turnout was pretty low," Berkley City Clerk Cheryl Printz said. "It was just very slow all day long. Things seemed to go pretty smooth."

Huntington Woods City Clerk Joy Solanskey also said things went smoothly in her community, whose election officials successfully used electronic poll books to look up and record voters for the first time.

"Almost all nearby communities have converted to the laptops, some almost 3 years ago," she said. "They were free to Huntington Woods, received from the state of Michigan and paid for with 'Help America Vote Act' funds."

Joel Topf of Huntington Woods, who cast his ballot at City Hall, said he never misses a vote and favored the millage renewal requests.

"I've seen what (the school district has) done with the funds and they're not wasteful," he said. "They're good stewards."

Stacey Eyler of Berkley, who cast her ballot at Berkley High School, echoed those sentiments.

"I'm a community member. I have two young children and I plan on staying here, so I think it's important every time to vote," she said. "I think (the renewal requests are) in the best interest of our community and our educational system."