MARQUETTE, MI— Marquette Area Public Schools Superintendent Zack Sedgwick says a recount of votes from the May 5 election will delay the district’s bond planning timeline.
Marquette resident Margaret Brumm filed a petition requesting the recount, saying a post on Facebook indicated the bond proposal had failed, but unofficial results showed it had passed. Sedgwick says the Facebook information was wrong, and it was posted long after the polls had closed; therefore, it couldn’t have swayed any voters.
The recount of four precincts will take place on May 28 at the Marquette Township Hall.
Sedgwick says because of the recount, the district’s original financing schedule has been disrupted. MAPS was planning to complete due diligence, secure a bond rating, price the bonds on June 8, and finalize closing on June 25. That timeline will need to be adjusted as the district waits for the recount process to conclude.
The delay may also affect how taxes are levied for the bond. Marquette school taxes are typically levied on July 1 and collected over the summer, but a delay in the bond sale might mean the district would have to consider putting the levy on the winter tax bill, issued December 1.
Sedgwick says MAPS will keep the community informed as the process continues.
