Area voters pass school operating millages

Operating millage renewal proposals passed easily in all area school districts Tuesday. Voters in the Grand Haven Area Public Schools district approved the 18-mill nonprincipal residence levy 2,416 to 969, or with more than 71 percent saying yes. Spring Lake Public Schools' operating millage renewal passed with 74 percent of the voters saying yes, 667-234. The nonprincipal operating millage renewals were also passed in the Allendale (78.6 percent said yes), Coopersville (65.5 percent), Fruitport (69 percent) and West Ottawa (65.8 percent) districts.

Mark Brooky

Ottawa County

May 4, 2011

West Ottawa voters rejected a $25.9 million bonding proposal, 4,731 to 2,032. It would have funded a new athletic stadium and performing arts center for West Ottawa High School, and other improvements in the district.

Several area school board members were unopposed on Tuesday’s ballot. In Grand Haven, Carl Treutler was re-elected to the school board for a four-year term and Jennifer Williams was re-elected to a partial term ending in June 2012. Paul Aldridge was re-elected to the Spring Lake school board.

In the Fruitport district, Steven Keglovitz unseated Trustee Nathan Whipple, 717-493. Incumbents Elroy Buckner and Ben Gillette were unopposed for the other two Fruitport Community Schools seats on Tuesday’s ballot.

Two seats on the Allendale Public Schools district were up for grabs Tuesday. Jim Crawley was re-elected — but he came in second to newcomer Jennifer Coffey, 1,044 to 866. Jeffrey Blum finished third with 699 votes.

West Ottawa Trustee Bill Kangas held off three contenders to win another four-year term on that district’s board.

— WZZM-TV contributed to this report.