Dorr Library’s millage request appears to have won

The Dorr Township Library’s request for 0.6-mill for 10 years appears to be headed for victory.

With 36.62% of precincts reporting, the number of “yes” votes was 1,281 to just 762 “no.” That’s a margin of 62.7 percent to 37.3%.

The Library Board first asked for an 0.89-mill levy in August 2018, but it was defeated soundly. The board came back a year later with to ask for a mill, but that one lost by 100 votes.

Library Board President Rachel Vote told the Dorr Township Board that if the request was turned down, it likely would result in the library being closed, even before the end of the year, because of a lack of funds.

The library had been operating for 10 previous years on three-tenths of a mill, which was rolled back to 0.289 mill because of provisions of the Headlee Amendment. Vote insisted the library cannot continue to offer its services and programs on that millage amount, though Trustee John Tuinstra suggested belatedly that the library ask for the 0.289 and then perhaps another 0.2 mill in two separate proposals.

The library already this year had reduced staff, hours and services because of the shortfall of funding. Library officials said knowing the money will be available this early in the year enables planning for restoring services and programming.

In the Democratic presidential primary, Joe Biden was leading Bernie Sanders, but defeated him only 216 to 212 in Leighton Township.