Metro Roundup: Chelsea mayor, council share opinions on forming school system
Their decisions were split between three individuals in favor, one undecided and two against.
Mayor Tony Picklesimer began his mayor’s report by sharing that although a survey has been on the city’s website for over three weeks, it has “extremely low and disappointing numbers.” Only 970 of the city’s 11,500 registered voters (of the 15,000 residents) had completed the survey as of the meeting.
Addressing the general results on the six-question survey, Picklesimer said a double-digit number of voters are in favor of forming a new school system; a single-digit number said they would be in favor of a property tax; a double-digit number said they would be willing to pay a $600-per-year property tax; and those in favor of only people living in the city limits attending the schools was "an overwhelming yes."
Picklesimer said that findings from the feasibility study recently presented by the Criterion Group came back very favorable and the numbers show that Chelsea could start an independent school system with four schools with 11 mills of property tax. The next number was 22 mills, which would generate over $40 million and enable the formation of a school system and renovations to be completed at the middle and high schools. A third option is a 32-mill property tax that would generate over $80 million in funding and be used to build a new high school and complete renovation projects on the remaining three schools.
“We are going to make a fresh push to have our constituents fill out the survey and let us know what their wishes are,” he said.
A new high school has been something Picklesimer said he has wanted to see since he took office, and he is also in favor of a 30-mill property tax.
“This is not my decision. It's the decision of the citizens of Chelsea,” he said. “What you elected me to do is represent you and what you want to happen.”
The property tax would be based on home values. With almost half of the homes in the city averaging $280,000 or less, the example of a $300,000 home was given. At 20 mills, it would be a $600 per year property tax. A $500,000 house would be $1,000 in property taxes per year.
Here is a recap of the opinions of each of the council members:
Cody Sumners
Sumners said most people know he has been against the city of Chelsea forming a school system. “I just feel like right now we aren't in a position financially as a city to take on such an expense,” he said.
He shared information on where Chelsea would rank in terms of property tax millage. A new 30-mill property tax would put the city at 74 total mills, which would rank seventh highest of all municipalities in the state; Twenty more mills would mean a total of 64 mills but would still be 10th highest in the state.
“We are currently No. 62 in property tax. I don't see burdening the city with that type of debt right now, especially when none of that will come back to the city to fund programs we need,” Sumners said. "We will need things we will need in the future as we grow, and I'd have a problem coming back to the citizens in the future to fund basic services we’re supposed to provide. As a council and mayor, we are charged with the finances of the city, and it looks as if the city can’t afford it, and I don't think now is the time for us to do that.”
Scott Weygand
Weygand said when he was sworn in in 2016, he would never be for a property tax unless it was for a school system. He added that he is not for maxing out a property tax, and he is not for the rates that have been shown by Criterion. However, he believes something definitely needs to be done and something has needed to be done for 10 years.
“We have beautiful elementary schools, but we have a middle school that can’t even have an assembly because it’s too small,” he said. “We’ve got a high school that the students have to eat on the lunchroom floor because it’s too small for them to eat lunch. The high school needed a second gym at least 10 years ago. These are things that should be handled. If we didn't take care of parks here in the city, there would be people here with pitchforks. They would be mad. As far as the rest of it goes, I'm still trying to go through all the information. When we have a public hearing, I hope people show up. I’m not sure where I’m at on the tax number yet, but I’m certainly for a school system and think this will help Chelsea remain being all about family.”
Chris Grace
The newest member of the City Council said there has probably not been a bigger decision by this council since the formation of the city and applauded his colleagues for taking this on because to take no action would be irresponsible.
Grace said all three of his children graduated from Chelsea High School and his wife is a teacher in Chelsea schools. He said his children got a good education in the Chelsea schools and this isn’t an academic issue, but about facilities.
“I'm conflicted. I do want to hear from the people,” he said. “There's a sense of disappointment that we haven't heard more from our constituents about this issue.”
He pointed out that the city’s 1-cent sales tax implemented in 2019 was set to sunset, but if a school system passes, it would continue.
Grace said Chelsea is a young city and he is concerned about needs that will arise in years to come and said he wouldn’t vote for a property tax as a resident. "I do have concerns about a 30-mill property tax increase. I wouldn’t vote for that as a citizen," he said.
While his mind is not made up completely, taking no action is not an option, and action must be taken in some form, he said. "The quality of our schools is a direct mark of the quality of life in our community.”
He added he hopes to hear from the community before and during public hearings on the issue.
Tiffany Bittner
Bittner said this is a big commitment and Criterion showed a favorable result for a school system. She thinks there is a need to figure out the correct millage in order to have a new school.
“I believe if you want something you have to pay for it,” she said. “Shelby County Board of Education has told us they don't have the funding and the resources to provide us with the things that we need to continue in the future.”
Bittner, a mother of four children in Chelsea schools, said people say they want change but now isn't the right time. She questions when the right time would be. She said the school facilities are inadequate and downright embarrassing and with Chelsea moving to class 7A next year, Chelsea is nowhere near ready to play these schools in all sports across the board.
Referencing the possibility of Chelsea having the seventh highest property tax rate in the state, she asked “Do we want to be the lowest and still provide the worst facilities possible to our students?
“I feel like it's only fair to let the people vote," Bittner said. "If they vote no, then that's no, but I feel like we should give them an option to at least vote and decide if they're willing to pay."
She said Chelsea’s facilities don't compare with other 7A schools around the area, and if anyone has visited the schools, they would hopefully agree. She feels if no action is taken, residents will leave and move their students somewhere else because of the inadequate facilities.
“We need to try to get the public to interact with us and come to public hearings and weigh in their thoughts and feelings,” she said. “We are at a crossroads now where we can make decisions for the future of our city and the future of our students to provide them with better facilities. We have the opportunity now, and we've got to do something with that. I'm passionate about it because I'm baffled because so much of this should have been in the works five to 10 years ago, and we are at a point now where it hasn't, and we have an opportunity to try to make change for the better, and I feel like now is the time to do something.”
Casey Morris
As a parent, Morris said he has the longest time to gain if a school system were to start now having a third grader and kindergartner. He said he wants nothing more for both of them and the kids ahead of them to be able to have the best facilities possible.
“At the end of day, if it comes down to a facilities issue, I believe we need to investigate further instead of just breaking away. There needs to be more conversation with Board of Education leaders and county leaders as to how we could do this. When study shows it's favorable, I didn't see it as favorable. I saw it as feasible, but financially it does not make sense to extend ourselves so far in debt services that we can't allocate money anywhere else.
Morris said he was excited about the opportunity from the beginning and he would love for the city to have its own school system and the best facilities possible, but he is also very wary of what that would cost and the impacts of that cost on the other amenities around Chelsea.
Picklesimer invited the public to change the minds of himself and the council. Whether by filling out the survey or attending a public hearing, he and the council want to hear from the residents whether their opinion is a yes or a no, he said. The first potential public hearing is in the works and could potentially be as early as the third Tuesday in January, but will be announced soon, he said.
“Not voting on a particular issue is not a sign of protest, but rather a sign of surrender. Please let us know what you think,” Picklesimer said.
The survey is on the city's website at cityofchelsea.com.