Chassell Residents Will Vote Whether To Pull Out Of Portage Lake District Library

Among the many important items on the ballot this August 2nd is the withdrawal of Chassell Township from the Portage Lake District Library.

If approved, the township’s participation in the Houghton-based library will end after 2017.

After that, Chassell Township residents would no longer continue to pay the roughly 2 mil tax levy to support the library.

Library Director Dillon Geshel says that would cut their funding by about 20 percent.

Unlike communities such as Hancock and Calumet, whose school libraries serve as their public libraries as well, Geshel says Chassell residents do not have access to their school library at this time.

If the proposal passes, residents of Chassell would be required to purchase a library card from the Portage Lake District Library to access library services.