Voters approve Clinton Township Public Library’s operating millage proposal

Jack Hartung was among the 283 voters who stopped into the Clinton Township Hall Tuesday, May 5, to vote in person on Election Day.

By BRAD HEINEMAN

Clinton Local

With 22% of voting participation — whether that be by absentee ballot or voting in person on Election Day — a new operating millage proposal for the Clinton Township Public Library was successfully voted into fruition last week during the May 5 special election.

Voters in the Clinton area voiced their support for the new, additional 1.00 mill request for funding to levy $1 on each $1,000 of taxable value for 10 years — 2026 through 2035.

In its first year, the estimated revenue to be collected would be approximately $167,000, with funding benefiting the library for such things as building improvements, staffing and wages, as well as managing the general cost of materials, supplies and increasing expenses. The library’s existing perpetual millage — which would remain in operation along with the new levy funding — generated $152,763 during the 2025 fiscal year.

Results of the ballot proposal consisted of 379 “Yes” votes and 285 “No” votes.

Regardless of how they may have voted, Clinton Township Public Library Director Mary Gallup said she wants to thank every single person who went out to vote last Tuesday on May 5.

“The large voter turnout proves this community feels very passionately about our library,” she said in an email. “I truly believe this millage request was a very wise decision for the library. Because of the additional funding, we will be able to make necessary building repairs (including those needed over the next 10 years), expand our services, circulate a wider variety of materials and continue to provide a safe, welcoming place for all community members.”

By going straight to the voters and asking for additional funding through the millage request, the library can be guaranteed it will be able to sustain itself when it comes to daily operations including — but not limited to — programming, books, wages and other essential services.

Property owners will start to see a tax increase beginning December 2026 now that the levy has passed successfully.

There were no major issues with the voting process at the Clinton Township Hall on Election Day, according to township Clerk Kim Scott.

“Everything went smoothly,” she commented.

When it came to those voting in person on Election Day, a total of 283 people stopped into the township hall to cast a ballot. Absentee voting appeared to be voters’ preferred choice in the Clinton area with a total of 381 people opting to vote absentee. The township mailed out 674 absentee ballots.

Scott did bring attention to the possible “confusion” shared on social media over the weekend leading up to the election of there being early voting availability for the May 5 special election — which there was not.

“August’s election will have early voting and November’s election will have early voting. It is nine days of early voting, and actually, now that this election is over, we are going to get the cards printed and sent out that will tell the times and stuff for early voting,” Scott said. “That’ll be done soon.”

Michigan has two statewide elections coming up this year: an Aug. 4 primary election and a Nov. 3 general election. In both instances, as Scott said, early voting will be available for Clinton area residents at the Township Hall, 172 W. Michigan Ave., downtown Clinton.

Early voting only applies to elections that have state and/or federal items on the ballot, Scott said. Since the May 5 special election just included the one item of the library’s operating millage proposal, there was not a need for early voting.

Leading up to Election Day, Gallup said the library refrained from making any “false promises” on what changes it might be able to make with additional funding — “aside from the necessary building improvements,” she said.

“But we are happy to announce that beginning Monday, June 8, we will be open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. That’s an additional 10 hours a week to serve our community,” she said in her email.

Countywide, with only two major proposals on the May 5 ballot — CTPL’s millage proposal and Adrian Public Schools’ bond proposal — Lenawee County had an overall voter turnout of 19.32%.

APS’ bond proposal, which aimed to fund a new community recreation center at Adrian High School, as well as renovations to the school’s existing performing arts center, was defeated last week: 2,011 “Yes” votes and 2,322 “No” votes.

Pineapple as a pizza topping victorious in library’s ‘mock’ election

While the library’s operating millage proposal required legitimate, registered voter participation, a mock, all-ages vote inside the CTPL — deciding whether pineapple belongs on pizza as a topping — generated a total of 81 votes cast.

In a close vote of 47 “Yes, pineapple belongs on pizza” to 34 “No, pineapple does not belong on pizza,” pineapple on pizza was determined the ultimate winner.

To celebrate all things voting, as well as the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year, the library has a pizza party planned for 11:30 a.m. June 5.