Metro Roundup: Chelsea votes no on property tax increase for school system
Chelsea residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to reject a property tax increase to form a Chelsea school system.
Of 3,685 voters who came out to the polls, 3,218 (87%) voted against passing an additional 12.5 mills of property taxes for Chelsea residents, while 467 people (13%) voted in favor of the tax increase, according to Chelsea City Clerk Crystal Etheredge.
Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer, in a written statement, said that as a Chelsea resident and grandfather, he was disappointed that the vote turned out like it did.
"However, the people, my neighbors have spoken," Picklesimer said. "As the mayor of Chelsea, I will move forward with the decision that has been made by our citizens to continue in the Shelby County school system and to partner with the Shelby County Board of Education to make our Chelsea area schools the absolute best they can be by utilizing the 1- cent sales tax that we currently collect for our schools. I look forward also to seeing the work of Councilman Casey Morris and Councilman Cody Sumners as they move forward with their alternative plan to improve the school facilities in our area."
Sumners said the residents of Chelsea gave an impressive turnout, with 32% of registered voters voting.
"The people have spoken, and I look forward to working with the mayor and council to build a partnership with the SCBOE [Shelby County Board of Education] that will take our already great schools to the next level," Sumners said. "With this divisive issue now behind us, I look forward to the citizens of Chelsea putting their best foot forward and showing that this community will emerge stronger than ever."
Chelsea Councilman Chris Grace said today was an important day for the city, and what impressed him most was the engagement of the citizens to come out and vote.
"This has always been about trying to do better; to improve our quality of life," Grace said. "The people have spoken. Now it is time for the council and the community to come back together and evaluate other options with the resources available."
Chelsea Councilwoman Tiffany Bittner said she is proud to say she was a part of a democratic process that allowed the citizens the ability to vote on such an important issue. However, "I’m disappointed more people couldn’t see the potential benefits in having our own school system,” she said.
Morris, who along with Sumners was against the plan, said that while the election is over, the work has just begun.
"I look forward to continuing our partnerships with the city of Westover, the Shelby County Commission and the Shelby County Board of Education as we address the issues that have been identified through this process." Morris said.
Councilman Scott Weygand said the people of Chelsea have spoken.
"I’m very proud to see the record-breaking turnout, and I am glad the people of Chelsea got to choose," Weygand said. "I look forward to continuing to partner with the Shelby County Board of Education to make the Chelsea schools the best they can be."
Shelby County Superintendent Lewis Brooks said he is pleased he majority of residents in Chelsea placed their trust in the Shelby County school district to continue to provide excellent educational opportunities for their children.
"While we understand the desire that some Chelsea city leaders and residents had to create their own district, we look forward to partnering with them again to make sure that our schools in Chelsea are the best that they can possibly be," Brooks said. "This includes our commitment to providing the very best instructional resources, hiring quality teachers, staff and administrators, as well as investing in future capital improvements."
Cody Cothron, who headed up the Vote No group, said that if this vote had not come, he doesn't think most of the parents would have taken the time to dig in and know what's going on in the schools.
"I'm relieved the way the vote came out today and very proud of where we live, even more so than I was before this," Cothron said. "We were all running in different directions before the feasibility study. Now I believe the hornet's nest has been awakened, and I'm excited about where we are going. It's all coming together at a perfect time to really unite our community, and I'm really excited about that. There has been some division, but I don't think it outweighs the unity seen in our community today."