TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Board of Trustees this week unanimously approved a resolution requesting that Benzie County elections officials withdraw two proposals from the Nov. 5 ballot that would have allowed the county to join the college’s district.
The action comes shortly after NMC learned it cannot expand its Board of Trustees to include two Benzie residents. That language was included in the two ballot questions, which sought to annex Benzie County into NMC’s community college district and approve a millage to support college operations.
Upon learning of the error on Aug. 21, NMC contacted Benzie officials in an effort to correct the ballot language. That effort was unsuccessful. NMC president Nick Nissley said the subsequent decision to suspend the annexation effort and request the withdrawal from the ballot was based on the college’s values of transparency and integrity and its commitment to provide Benzie County residents with accurate information.
”It’s disappointing to know that Benzie voters will not have the opportunity to access more affordable – even free in many cases – education and skills training by joining our district,” Nissley said. “However, I was proud to recommend this action to the Board based upon our shared NMC values of trust and integrity.”
“This effort began with a request by Benzie County residents to join our district to make higher education and training more affordable to its residents,” said Board Chair Laura Oblinger, also an NMC alumna. “That outreach and the relationships we’ve built in Benzie County make this an especially difficult decision for us..While we are withdrawing this specific proposal, we will be regrouping as a team to consider our next steps in our mission to make community college more affordable and accessible for northern Michigan residents.”
According to state elections officials, an elected body like the NMC Board of Trustees can request to remove a ballot question by taking the same action it did to place the question on the ballot. Benzie County will consider whether to grant the request.
NMC’s board originally approved pursuing annexation April 22. With “in-district” status, Benzie County residents would have paid the lowest tuition rates. Individuals who graduated high school in 2023 and 2024, as well as individuals 21 and older who don’t already have a college degree, would have been eligible for free tuition under the Michigan Community College Guarantee and Michigan Reconnect programs, which cover in-district fully. NMC would have invested $2 million per year in facilities and programs to benefit Benzie County residents.
NMC intends to step back, regroup, and determine how to best move forward, in Benzie and beyond. Nissley and Oblinger thanked the leaders and supporters of Yes 4 Benzie, a group organized by those who supported joining the NMC district, many of whom had been involved with the effort for more than a year.
”Northern Michigan families deserve the same access to higher education as the rest of the state,” Nissley said. “Northwestern Michigan College is an oasis in a higher education desert, and remains committed to bringing affordable, accessible higher education and skilled training to our entire region.”