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Voters to consider sinking fund on May 3 ballot for NICE Community Schools

ISHPEMING, MI— A sinking fund millage for NICE Community Schools is on the upcoming May 3rd ballot.

Superintendent Bryan DeAugustine says the proposal is for 1.75 mills over 10 years—the same millage rate the district collects now. He notes while there would be no change in the amount residents currently pay, a change in the sinking fund law prevents the district from calling it a “renewal.”

“Under the legalese, when the lawyers and politicians get involved, it’s a new sinking fund cycle, but nothing changes other than our ability to buy extra technology that we couldn’t buy in our old cycle.”

DeAugustine says if the millage passes, the district would continue to collect about $950,000 a year. The money can only be used for building repairs, new construction, campus maintenance and beautification, and technology upgrades.

“It gives us the ability to keep our campus and our buildings beautiful, keep them repaired and up to date so that our kids have a comfortable and safe learning environment. And then that allows us to spend our general fund money on curriculum and the personnel we need to educate our kids,” DeAugustine says.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.