By Crystal Hayduk
Voters strongly supported the Chelsea School District Operating Millage Proposal at the polls on Nov. 3, according to unofficial election results.
The renewal of the non-homestead property millage will collect 18 mills for six years. Both Washtenaw and Jackson County voters approved it by a wide margin.
Superintendent Julie Helber released a statement the morning of Nov. 4: “I would like to thank the voters of Chelsea for casting their ballot in the 2020 election. The Chelsea School District Operating Millage passed with 71.45% of the vote [in Washtenaw County and with 67% in Jackson County]. We have seen consistent support from the voters for their school district and we are so thankful to them. The renewal of the Non-homestead Operating Millage will allow us to continue our current programming and provide additional options for our students.” (More information about the millage can be found here: https://chelseaupdate.com/chelsea-school-district-non-homestead-millage-renewal-request-information/.)
Incumbent Tammy Lehman and newcomer Eric Wilkinson were elected to the Chelsea School District (CSD) Board of Education for the next six years.
They defeated incumbent Dana Durst and the official write-in candidate Mark VanDeWege. The new terms will begin Jan. 1; Lehman and Wilkinson will be sworn in at the board meeting on Jan. 11. (Election results by the numbers available here: https://chelseaupdate.com/voters-elect-lehman-and-wilkinson-to-chelsea-board-of-education-seats/.)
All four candidates released statements on Nov. 4.
Lehman thanked the community for their support. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” she said. “I look forward to representing you for the next six years. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to me.” (Lehman’s school board email address is [email protected].)
Lehman was first elected to the board in 2010. She has served on a variety of committees, has been liaison to all of the schools, and has been the board treasurer. She is currently the board’s vice president, chair of the policy committee, member of the bond committee, and is a liaison to the high school and the Chelsea Student Board. In addition to her experience, she has community connections and the ability to engage with residents.
Lehman believes the district’s continued need for a fluid COVID-19 plan in response to changing recommendations from the state and CDC is a top priority. Another priority is wise use of the $81 million bond funds, approved by voters one year ago to make extensive improvements to all district buildings. She has been involved in the planning, community focus groups, bidding, and construction meetings since the beginning, and wants “…to ensure that the board is doing what the taxpayers entrusted us to do.”
Wilkinson thanked his supporters for their efforts to help his campaign. “I appreciate this opportunity to be able to represent Chelsea on the school board and I will work to live up to the responsibility and will work to make sure I don’t disappoint them,” he said.
Wilkinson said he is like other board members because he is “a parent with a vested interest in seeing that the children in our community are getting a good education.” However, he believes he brings another viewpoint and background to the board. “My background in business will help with the budgeting process and making sure that we’re using our resources effectively to reach goals and priorities.
“I hope I can represent the residents in Chelsea and I am open to hearing their concerns and helping to strengthen communication between the residents and the board,” said Wilkinson.
Wilkinson also believes COVID-19 response is a priority. He said it’s hard to suggest getting back to pre-pandemic normal at this point, but finding a “new normal” is “the most pressing issue at hand right now.” The district has done a tremendous amount of work to reopen buildings, but there are more challenges coming as the number of cases rise around the state, including determining the impact on the current response and the timeline for returning to full-time in-person education, as well as addressing short- and long-term issues.
He said the pandemic has impacted student enrollment. “There’s a lot of work to be done to stabilize our enrollment and a lot of that goes back to how the district can get back to ‘normal.’ It’s not ideal right now.”
Durst, a board trustee since her election in 2014, said, “I have been honored to serve the Chelsea School District and will always be grateful for the opportunity. I am also full of gratitude for everyone who supported my efforts to continue to serve and will hope to find other ways to actively contribute. I believe that Eric Wilkinson will be an outstanding addition to the board.”
VanDeWege, who filed on Sept. 9 as a write-in candidate, said, “I would like to congratulate Eric Wilkinson and Tammy Lehman on their elections to the Chelsea [School District] Board of Education. I know they will both work diligently in service to our community. My efforts to help our students won’t stop now that the election is over. Other opportunities are available as a result of the awareness our campaign gained over the last couple of months. I would also like to thank everyone who volunteered, promoted, talked about, and assisted on behalf of our campaign. We couldn’t have done any of this without you. Again, congratulations to Ms. Lehman and Mr. Wilkinson.”
Helber thanked all four of the school board candidates for showing an interest in the district.
“Congratulations to incumbent Tammy Lehman and soon-to-be Trustee Eric Wilkinson. Committing to a six-year term takes a sacrifice of personal time. We appreciate their dedication to the Chelsea School District and the community. I look forward to working with both Tammy and Eric,” she said.
