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Museum representative urges voters to back Millage Proposal 2 as a renewal, not a tax increase
Summary
Jim Nesbitt, speaking for the Saint Charles Museum, urged the council and community to help spread the word that the August 4 Proposal 2 is a renewal (average household cost about $14.64/year), warning the museum and related local collections could close if the millage is not renewed.
Jim Nesbitt, representing the Saint Charles Museum, used the council’s public-comment period to ask the village and neighbors to help pass Proposal 2 on the August 4 ballot.
"So my name is Jim Nesbitt. I'm here representing the Saint Charles Museum," Nesbitt said, arguing the ballot question is a renewal and not a tax increase. He told the council the average household share is roughly $14.64 a year and asked council members to help spread that message through town and into Saginaw County.
Nesbitt described the museum as a local cornerstone that houses military displays, trench art and logging exhibits assembled by local residents and volunteers, and warned that without the millage renewal "the museum will cease to exist." He noted the Castle Museum’s millage supports smaller museums in the area and urged residents to visit, volunteer and vote.
Council members asked clarifying questions about which institutions the millage supports; Nesbitt and others confirmed the Castle Museum receives millage funds and that local museums also rely on grants and public donations. Nesbitt emphasized the millage’s long history, saying it is simply a renewal of funding "we've all been contributing to since 2000."
The council did not take a formal vote on the proposal during the meeting. The next procedural step for the measure is the August 4 election date Nesbitt cited.
Why it matters: Local millage renewals that appear on municipal ballots typically determine operating budgets for cultural and historical organizations that rely on steady, small contributions from property-tax levies. Supporters say renewals preserve collections and local tourism; opponents often frame levies as additional taxes. The speaker asked the council to emphasize the question’s renewal status to reduce voter confusion.
What to watch for: Public outreach and informational materials from the museum and the DDA ahead of the August 4 vote.
