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The Memphis Board of Education is contemplating the ramifications of the election consolidation legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder in late November that will mean changes for Michigan school boards beginning in January.
Public Acts 232 and 233 of 2011 amend state law to require that school board elections now take place in November of even-numbered years to help garner larger voter turnouts for school board elections.
The changes will affect current board members’ term lengths and rotation schedules and is touted as a standardizing move for school districts to save money.
The acts provide that a term of office shall not be shortened, but instead prolonged to implement this election cycle and will lengthen current board members’ terms by as much as six to 18 months. The differing term extensions is because in prior years school districts had the option of holding elections in May or November of even or odd years and now sitting candidates must accordingly adjust their terms through the next even-year election.
In Memphis regular school board elections were previously conducted annually on the May election date.
Memphis board member Cheryl Florka’s current four-year term, for instance, was set to expire in May 2015 but her new election date will be 18 months later, in November 2016, to accommodate the new election cycle whereas Memphis board member Karyn McCue’s four-year term was previously set to expire in May 2012 and has been adjusted six months to take place in November 2012.
To prevent a four-three candidate rotation cycle that could create inconsistency in the district and result in no less than four board positions coming up for election every four years, board members are contemplating extending board terms from four years to six years to begin at the expiration of each present four-year term.
“The board may want to change their terms to six years. If they go six-year terms, starting with their next term, then it would be every other November where two would be elected or one would be elected, so you would never elect a whole majority of the board at one election,” Memphis Community Schools Superintendent Frank Johnson said.
The new law does not affect the four special election dates during which school districts may propose bond or millage issues – the fourth Tuesday in February and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, August and November.
According to the Bureau of Elections special elections may also be conducted on any Tuesday that falls more than 30 days before or 35 days following one of the four “fixed” election dates through the filing of an initiative petition with the county clerk but districts are limited to one special election each calendar year. Continued…
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Johnson said the Memphis Community Schools 18 mil renewal on non-homestead property (business and commercial property, second homes and certain agricultural properties) that makes up about 12 percent of the Memphis budget and presently scheduled for May of 2013, will most likely be rescheduled to November 2012 so the district won’t have to spend the funds for a separate election.
“It makes up a big percentage of each district and so districts have to have that 18 mil renewal and it’s usually routinely passed,” Johnson said.
Jeanne Kniaz is a freelance reporter. She can be contacted at jeannestory@hotmail.com
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The Memphis Board of Education is contemplating the ramifications of the election consolidation legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder in late November that will mean changes for Michigan school boards beginning in January.
Public Acts 232 and 233 of 2011 amend state law to require that school board elections now take place in November of even-numbered years to help garner larger voter turnouts for school board elections.
The changes will affect current board members’ term lengths and rotation schedules and is touted as a standardizing move for school districts to save money.
The acts provide that a term of office shall not be shortened, but instead prolonged to implement this election cycle and will lengthen current board members’ terms by as much as six to 18 months. The differing term extensions is because in prior years school districts had the option of holding elections in May or November of even or odd years and now sitting candidates must accordingly adjust their terms through the next even-year election.
In Memphis regular school board elections were previously conducted annually on the May election date.
Memphis board member Cheryl Florka’s current four-year term, for instance, was set to expire in May 2015 but her new election date will be 18 months later, in November 2016, to accommodate the new election cycle whereas Memphis board member Karyn McCue’s four-year term was previously set to expire in May 2012 and has been adjusted six months to take place in November 2012.
To prevent a four-three candidate rotation cycle that could create inconsistency in the district and result in no less than four board positions coming up for election every four years, board members are contemplating extending board terms from four years to six years to begin at the expiration of each present four-year term.
“The board may want to change their terms to six years. If they go six-year terms, starting with their next term, then it would be every other November where two would be elected or one would be elected, so you would never elect a whole majority of the board at one election,” Memphis Community Schools Superintendent Frank Johnson said.
The new law does not affect the four special election dates during which school districts may propose bond or millage issues – the fourth Tuesday in February and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, August and November.
According to the Bureau of Elections special elections may also be conducted on any Tuesday that falls more than 30 days before or 35 days following one of the four “fixed” election dates through the filing of an initiative petition with the county clerk but districts are limited to one special election each calendar year.
Johnson said the Memphis Community Schools 18 mil renewal on non-homestead property (business and commercial property, second homes and certain agricultural properties) that makes up about 12 percent of the Memphis budget and presently scheduled for May of 2013, will most likely be rescheduled to November 2012 so the district won’t have to spend the funds for a separate election.
“It makes up a big percentage of each district and so districts have to have that 18 mil renewal and it’s usually routinely passed,” Johnson said.
Jeanne Kniaz is a freelance reporter. She can be contacted at jeannestory@hotmail.com
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