The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 2, 2023 — Page 3far-ranging district of the state party that
includes such counties as Oceana, Muskegon,
Ottawa, Ionia and Lake, among others. Cindy
Twichell of Prairieville Township also rep-
resents Barry County in District 2 as a mem-
ber of the executive committee.
Rocha called District 2 “the tip of the
spear” when it comes to mobilizing the state-
wide Republican effort.
“Some of the northern counties are still
trying to figure themselves out – some of the
more rural counties,” Rocha said about work-
ing with fellow county representatives within
District 2. “They need help and we offer
things that help them out and they offer
things that help us out.”
District 2 is chaired by former state rep
candidate Andrew Seabolt of Oceana County.
The revamped District 2 leadership is indica-
tive of what is going on within the party at the
county, district and state levels. The party has
been overhauled as a result of grassroots
groups that have become fed up with what
they view to be complacent Republican lead-
ership.
Rocha said the party has essentially been
torn down and the new leaders in place are
tasked with the rebuilding process.
“I think the biggest dissatisfaction overall
(with previous party leadership) was, for the
lack of a better term, the lack of conviction
and confidence from our Republican state
senators and representatives just overall,”
Rocha said. “When we ask for something to
get done, there was a lot of capitulating and
hem-hawing back and forth....not really going
after those strong conservative values when
we held majorities.”
“Some would say ‘Well, we needed to do
that to keep the House and the Senate,’”
Rocha added. “Well, you did that and we still
lost the House and Senate.”
Last month, 19 delegates from the Barry
County GOP, in addition to delegates from
around the state, congregated in Lansing for
the GOP state convention, where a new chair
and co-chair were selected from a crowded
field.Three rounds of voting were needed before
Kristina Karamo, the Republican nominee for
Secretary of State last year, emerged as the
winner alongside co-chair Malinda Pego.
Karamo rose to prominence starting in
2020 as an outspoken critic of the state’s elec-
tion process, casting doubt on the validity of
that year’s presidential election involving
former President Donald Trump. Karamo ran
against current Secretary of State Jocelyn
Benson during the 2022 midterm elections,
losing by 14 points and refusing to concede.
Karamo and 2022’s Republican candidate for
attorney general Matthew Deperno were front
runners for Republican chair amongst a
crowded field.
Rocha encouraged unity behind the new
leadership in a party that has been fraught
with in-fighting as of late.
“We need to get everyone behind her,”
Rocha said. “I know that she’s not every-
one’s first choice, but she’s the one who won
and she’s our leader and we have to support
her. We have a lot of work to
do.”
In the crowded field, the
Barry County GOP publicly
endorsed Billy Putman for
party chair. Still, the new
chairman of the county
party echoed Rocha’s calls
for unity.
“We’re ecstatic about it –
we love Kristina,” said Phil-
lip Joseph, who was named
chairman of the Barry
County GOP upon the exit
of former chair Ben Geiger.
“We got behind her as the
Secretary of State and Barry
County did a really good job
supporting her. We’re total-
ly, 100 percent behind her
and we’re excited about the
future.”
The Barry County GOP
will welcome Karamo and
Pego to Hastings on March17 for a St. Patrick’s Day parade and a meet-
and-greet fundraiser at the Hastings Elks
Lodge.
Joseph is a prime example of the changes
being made at the county level, which has
also seen a house cleaning of sorts. He is a
former state rep candidate who ran against
newly-elected Rachelle Smit. He is joined by
Vice Chair Mark Tierney, Treasurer Jason
Watson and Secretary Shelly Lake to run the
Barry County GOP.
While power has slipped through the grips
of the party at a statewide level, Barry Coun-
ty as a whole continues to be a conservative
stronghold and Joseph and the new leadership
hope to only enhance that advantage.
“When we look at Barry County, every one
of our officials – state all the way down to
county – are Republican. What we’re trying
to do is make sure our party is doing some-
thing to be duplicated in all the other counties
and that we can support the longevity of
Republican success across the state.”“I have conveyed candidly to the superin-
tendent and the administration team that for
a district this size, that is a phenomenal
result, so I thank all those who took the time
to (take part in the survey). It’s an important
part of this process,” Goscenski added.
GETTING A PULSE ON THE COM-
MUNITY
The school board last November hired
Perspectives at a cost of $20,750 to put
together a survey to get a pulse on the com-
munity, after voters turned down a $23.
million bond issue in May 2022 by 147
votes, 1,908 to 1,761. It was the sixth consec-
utive time HASS voters had rejected a bond
proposal since 2017.
Survey respondents generally agreed that
the district’s buildings and facilities need
improvement. Nearly 74 percent of those
responding to the survey said they felt
improvements were needed, while 16.6 per-
cent said they were not needed and 9.5 per-
cent reported being unsure.
Another question asked respondents which
buildings were in the greatest need of
improvement. Hastings High School topped
the list, with 70.2 percent of respondents
saying improvements were needed there.
Next on the list was Central Elementary
(69.8 percent), Southeastern Elementary
(63.2), Northeastern Elementary (58.8) and
Hastings Middle School (48.6).
One issue of concern the consultants
brought up was the feeling of survey respon-
dents about the district’s fiscal responsibility.
Only 46.6 percent of those responding felt
HASS was fiscally responsible, while 26.
percent disagreed and 27.2 percent said they
were unsure.
“This is a challenging number, I think,
because it is not as high as we would hope to
see it,” Goscenski said. “The idea of being
fiscally responsible is important for people,
when they look at spending for a new bond,
there are some residents that have some con-
cerns.”
The survey found that two different bond
options seem to have some broad level of
support.
Option 1 would be a $12.3 million bond
issue that would be paid off over a period of
9.5 years. It would reduce the district’s cur-
rent debt millage from 6 mills to 5.69 mills,
resulting in a $31 savings for a homeowner
whose home has a market value of $200,
and taxable value of $100,000. It would pay
for replacing the roof at the high school,
replacing the 1997 portion of the middle
school roof, replacing all single-pane win-
dows throughout district buildings, repaving
the parking lot at the middle school and Cen-
tral Elementary School, upgrading heating
and cooling systems districtwide, and updat-
ing bathrooms and locker rooms.
Option 1 would receive “yes” votes from
68 percent of survey respondents if it went to
the ballot, with 20.1 percent opposing that
option and 11.9 percent saying they were
unsure.
Option 2 would be a $17.6 million bond
issue that would be paid off over 10.5 years,
and would cut the debt millage from 6 mills
to 5.88 mills. That same homeowner with
the $200,000 market value home would see
a $12 savings on their tax bill. Option 2
would include all items included in Option
1, as well as updates to the high school caf-
eteria and media center, updating the athlet-
ic lobby at the high school, new classroom
furniture and student desks, updated play-
ground equipment, new lockers at Star Ele-
mentary School and new individual school
signage.
Option 2 received support from 61.8 per-
cent of survey respondents, with 23.6 percent
opposing and 14.6 percent falling into the
“unsure” category.
Two other options had lesser degrees of
support.
Option 3, which would include include all
items in Option 1, plus construction of a new
early childhood and day care center, would
be a $19.3 million proposal that would be
paid off in 11.5 years and result in a debt
millage reduction to 5.94 mills. That option
was supported by 49.1 percent of respon-
dents and opposed by 29.1 percent, with 21.
percent unsure.
Option 4 would incorporate all items in the
first two options and pay for construction of
the early childhood center, which could be
completed for the start the 2026-27 school
year. It would involve a bond issue of $24.
million to be paid off over 13.5 years with no
change in the 6-mill debt service levy. That
option was favored by 51.5 percent of
respondents, with 31.4 percent in opposition
and 17.1 percent unsure.
Factoring in the survey margin of error of
4 percent, the level of support for Option 3
may be as low as 45 percent and 47 percent
for Option 4. In addition, Goscenski pointed
out another survey question which showed
about 16 percent of respondents could change
their vote from last year if the economy were
to change.
“Our conclusion is that neither Option 3 or
Option 4 has a level of support that would
allow it to pass in an August 2023 election,”
he said. “Option 1 and Option 2 do have a
level of support. However, there would need
to be work done to address ... some misper-
ceptions that exist in the community about
certain aspects of those proposals.”
Board President Matt Haywood asked
Goscenski whether the survey results would
remain valid if the bond issue were delayed
into next year.
“When we put the survey in front of the
voters, we expressed that there would be
savings incurred if it was passed in August
before the millage rolls off,” Goscenski said.
The district’s debt service would be
reduced from 6 mills to 5.25 mills if no bond
issue passed this year. If the district waits to
seek a bond issue until 2024, there would no
longer be a savings, but an increase in the
levy.
“I would have concerns about carrying the
results forward (into 2024) with a level of
confidence for that reason alone,” Goscenski
said. “The economy, of course, could change
at any time. We’ve been seeing this with
other districts that we’ve been working with.
It’s more sensitive now than it’s been before
... I would caution you about trying to proj-
ect support to any date beyond August 2023.”
Other findings from the survey included:- 41.5 percent of respondents gave HASS
a grade of B, while 29 percent gave the dis-
trict a C grade. 10.4 percent gave the schools
a grade of A, 6.9 percent a D grade and 5.
percent an F.- 49.2 percent felt the district did a good
job of communicating with the community,
while 34.6 percent did not feel that way and
16.1 percent said they were unsure. - 49.6 percent of respondents would
favor a bond issue to fund the purchase of
solar energy equipment that could reduce
the district’s electricity costs. That idea was
opposed by 30.4 percent of respondents and
20.1 percent said they were unsure. The
solar energy purchase was not included in
any of the four bond issue options that were
presented to survey participants, Goscenski
said.
A majority of the survey respondents were
parents who had children attending the Hast-
ings district, so the results had to be weight-
ed, with the parental responses being 40
percent of the total outcome, Goscenski said.
“We used all the responses we received,
but we weighted the data to reflect the actual
percentages of parents and community mem-
bers who didn’t have students attending
currently at Hastings Area School System,”
he said.
MOVING FORWARD
Board Trustee Brad Tolles appreciated the
feedback the district received in the survey.
“I’m of the mind that this survey, in a way,
has let our public into a school board com-
mittee meeting, basically, to decide what
we’re going to ask for,” Tolles said. “This is
exactly what we do inside of our committee
work, trying to determine what we’re going
for, and our whole community just got invit-
ed to do that. We haven’t had great luck
passing (bond issues), so we want to be
responsive.”
Of the survey respondents, 85 percent of
them voted in the May 2022 election.
Goscenski is confident the survey results
accurately portray how voters will respond to
a possible bond issue.
“Our average projection is within 3 per-
cent of the vote, and there’s been no district
that has gone to an election after doing a
study that hasn’t passed what they asked
for,” he said.
“The reality is you have the information
that you need to decide what you want to
put in front of voters. You know where the
pitfalls are. You know where the potential
is, it’s outlined in the report. The question is
in your hands right now to use the informa-
tion as you see fit to move forward,”
Goscenski said.
Links to the survey results as well as com-
ments made by respondents who opposed
various survey questions can be found on the
district’s website at hassk12.org. A commu-
nity forum has been scheduled for Tuesday,
March 14 at 7 p.m. at the Hastings Middle
School cafeteria to get further community
input on a possible bond issue.
“We’re encouraging (everyone) to come to
that,” Haywood said. “Bring your neighbor,
bring your friends ... We need to have some
good dialogue to figure out if we are pre-
pared to make the next step.”
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HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL MEETING
TO RE-OPEN AND CONSIDER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R SMITH AND SONS INC. – 8409 MILLER ROAD
SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE/SITE PLAN APPLICATION
PROPOSED MINING OPERATIONTO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY
COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission of Hope Township will reopen its review
and consider additional information regarding the special exception use and site plan application
of R. Smith and Sons Inc. for a proposed mining operation at 8409 Miller Road, Delton, MI in the
Township at the Planning Commission meeting on March 16, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hope
Township Hall, 5463 S. M-43 Highway, within the Township. Please note that this is not a public
hearing, but public comment will be received by the Planning Commission during the meeting as
required by the Michigan Open Meetings Act.PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special exception use/site plan application materials
can be reviewed at Township Hall during business hours of 9 a.m. to noon and 1:15 p.m. to 3 p.m.
on Wednesdays and will also be available at the Planning Commission meeting. Written comments
will be taken from any interested persons concerning the special exception use/site plan application
by the Township Clerk at the address set forth below, at any time during regular business hours up
to 12:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting and may further be received by the Planning Commission
at the meeting.Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with disabilities at the
meeting upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals requiring services should
contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below.HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
Hope Township Hall
5463 S. M-43 Highway
Hastings, Michigan 49
(269) 948-195887195646
NOTICE TO BIDDERSBARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale six pickups: (6) 2022 GMC
2500HD Crew Cab SLE pickup.Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission,
1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, MI 49058, until 10:30 AM, Wednesday,
March 8, 2023 for the following items. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck
number i.e #220020 or #220080.Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office
at the above phone number or aat our website http://www.barrycrc.org., please make an
appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is.(6) 2022 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab SLE Pickups
4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission
Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors1-Summit White Truck #220010 – Green Title – approximately 25,838 Miles- Minimum
Bid $48,
1-Cardinal Red Truck #220020 – Orange Title – approximately 16,476 Miles – Minimum
Bid $48,
1-Summit White Truck #220040 – Orange Title – approximately 16,348 Miles –
Minimum Bid $48,
1-Black Onyx Truck #220100 – Orange Title – approximately 10,071 Miles – Minimum
Bid $48,
1-Summit White Truck #220120 – Orange Title – approximately 15,536 Miles –
Minimum Bid $48,
1-Black Onyx Truck #220140 – Orange Title – approximately 16,672 Miles – Minimum
Bid $48,NOTE: All mileages are approximate – trucks are being driven until they are sold.
ORANGE TITLES are MUNCIPAL TITLES.The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the
best interest of the Commission.“The economy, of course, could change at any time. We've been
seeing this with other districts that we've been working with. It's
more sensitive now than it's been before.”
- Gary Goscenski, Perspectives Consulting Group
SURVEY, continued
from page 1 ––––––––––––
REPUBLICANS, continued from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Michigan's Republican party lost power in both the State Senate and House during
the mid-term elections, leading to a house cleaning of sorts within the party.