Politics & Government

Troy Residents' Message at Polls: We'll Keep Our Library

Troy residents voted by a 58 percent margin to approve a library millage that will keep the Troy Library open.

Troy residents voted Tuesday to pass a 0.7-mill tax that would be levied for five years with the purpose of providing exclusive funding for the city's library.

Voters passed the millage by a vote of 12,246 to 8,799, including absentee ballots. The vote was 58 percent yes to 42 percent no, according to Oakland County website . 

The proposed millage will be levied for five years and would raise about $3.1 million in 2011, the first year it is levied. Millage revenue would be disbursed to the city for library purposes. 

Find out what's happening in Troywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is an hour-by-hour look at Tuesday's special election, from the polls opening until the results.

10:00 p.m.: Final results posted on website, with all 18 precincts reporting. 

Find out what's happening in Troywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

9:49 p.m.: Troy City Manager John Szerlag announces "Yes" votes lead "No" votes on absentee ballots by 1,300 votes, at , where proponents gathered to await results.

9:36 p.m.: Iniital results from the Oakland County elections office show 4,966 yes votes for the library millage and 3,591 no votes, or 58.03 percent in favor and 41.97 opposing. 

9 p.m.: Troy Mayor Pro Tem Mary Kerwin said a strong voter turnout Tuesday shows the community wanted their voice heard. "This community will decide whether the library is sustainable for 5 years or will close Aug. 5.

9 p.m.: Troy Library Director Cathy Russ addresses a large crowd of library millage supporters at Joe Kool's. "I wanted to thank them," she said. "I thanked them on behalf of the library and told them we love them."

8:15 p.m.: Troy resident Sharon MacDonell called to say she was at Precinct 15 when it closed, and the final tally there, according to the precinct workers, was 477 yes, 397 no votes. That's unofficial, but we thought you'd appreciate some results from the field. 

8 p.m.: Polls close. Anyone arriving after 8 p.m. won't be permitted to vote.

7:45 p.m.: About 10 people in line at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church still waiting to vote. Elections officials say anyone arriving by 8 p.m. is permitted to vote. 

7:29 p.m.: Barbara Harrell, with Troy Citizens United, said victory margin for the proposed library millage will likely "come right down to the wire."

7:20 p.m.: Steve Linville, 41, said he supports library, not council. "Despite the ineptitude of the City Council and the fact that, Democrat or Republican, I will vote against every one of them -- the city should still have their library."

7:17 p.m.: Opposing parties start to gather in anticipation of library millage results. Millage proponents hope to celebrate at , 1835 Big Beaver. Troy Citizens United announced Monday plans for a "Vote NO Victory Party" at , 4924 Rochester Road.

6:55 p.m.: Election officials at Woodside Bible Church said 639 people cast ballots at the polling location. 

5:44 p.m.: Aileen Bittner, acting city clerk, confirmed today a temporary glitch with voting equipment at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 760 W. Wattles, but said it was repaired within the first hour of voting. 

5:00 p.m.: Troy Mayor Pro Tem Mary Kerwin said the library will close Aug. 5 if the milage isn't approved. Councilman Wade Fleming said he isn't set on closing the facility if the millage fails. "If it's a no vote, I just can't see closing the library."

3:30 p.m. Elections officials at , 2442 E. Big Beaver, said there hasn't been any problems with voting or political committees at the polling location where about 285 votes had already been cast.

2:30 p.m.: Message on billboard truck traveling up and down Big Beaver Road: "Vote Yes or you'll never know if Everyone Poops."

2 p.m.: Library patrons support millage, say they wouldn't know where to go if facility closes. 

12:15 p.m.: Acting City Clerk Aileen Bittner said more than 14,000 of Troy's 56,782 registered voters are likely to cast their ballot at polling stations during Tuesday's election.

Bittner said 7,108 absentee ballots were cast before polls opened on Tuesday. A total of 7,734 absentee ballots were distributed.

11:30 a.m.: The sky over Troy begins to gray as the National Weather Service in Detroit predicts thunderstorms for the afternoon and evening. Some residents said possible storms may have spurred early voting.

11 a.m.: Business as usual at the library while a truck with with a billboard on the back stating "Vote YES" circles the parking lot. 

10:00 a.m.: Line outside the Troy Public Library of visitors waiting to go inside.

9:15 a.m.: Election staff inside say at least 160 people of the some 4,364 registered at the location have voted in Tuesday's election. Voter traffic has remained steady throughout the morning.

9:10 a.m.: Edna Abrahim with Save Troy and Rita Harl, with Troy Citizens United, hold opposing signs next to each other outside St. Anastasia Catholic Church, 4571 John R Road. They say they have recieved support from voters heading inside to vote, but it still seems too close to call.

8:25 a.m.: Ken Barton and Bo Duanmu said they both voted "yes" on the millage before exiting the Community Center. Barton says he and his family use the library and want it to remain open. "It makes our community more desirable, and that's why we moved here," Duanmu said.

8:15 a.m.: Election staff at the Troy Community Center polling location report about 38 people have voted in since polls open.

8 a.m. Antoine Delaforterie sits in a lawn chair outside the Troy Community Center holding signs urging voters to vote against the library millage. An elections inspector confirms he is outside the 100-foot mark allowed by law.

7 a.m.: The polls opened; they will remain open until 8 tonight. 




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