Politics & Government

Schools Elections: Beaty Wins, West Bloomfield Sinking Fund Loses

The West Bloomfield School Board has its newest member in a district parent, while similar millage proposals in West Bloomfield and Walled Lake Con see different results.

Updated: 11:29 a.m. Nov. 8, with more accurate information

The results are in and the West Bloomfield School District Board of Education has found its newest member in district parent Julie Beaty.

Beaty ran opposed by John Reed and won with 5,192 total votes from West Bloomfield's 17 precincts or 53.37 percent of the vote. Reed took 4,483 of the total, or 46.08 percent of the vote.

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Beaty replaces the former board President Bruce Tobin, who stepped down this year after serving five consecutive terms since 1991. In the Nov. 8, 2011, election, Reed placed third out of six candidates for two open positions, while Beaty placed fourth.

Beaty and the rest of the board could face a challenge as the West Bloomfield Schools' building and site sinking fund millage proposal was voted down. The 1.5-mill levy ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) would have reportedly generated an estimated $2.4 million annually for the district to use primarily on upgrades or repairs, specifically on playgrounds and sporting areas.

Find out what's happening in West Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Holding off on late-arriving board vote results, Beaty instead expressed "sincere, severe" disappointment in the fate of the millage proposal.

"It's designed as a mechanism to ease stress from the general fund," Beaty said. "We need to have local control over all our funding."

The measure failed with 7,763 "no" votes, or 52.78 percent of the vote. A total of 6,944 "yes" votes accounted for 47.22 percent.

With all 41 precincts reporting, the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, 10-year, half-mill levy ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) proposal won with a convincing total of 29,091 votes, or 61.50 percent. "No" votes totaled 18,215, resulting in 38.50 percent. Officials reportedly estimate that it will raise about $2 million annually.

Results are considered unofficial until approved by the county board of canvassers.


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