UPDATE: OKEMOS - Okemos schools were able to get their 20-year-old tax renewed on November 8.

The Okemos Building and Site Sinking Fund was renewed with nearly 80 percent of ballot casters, saying yes.

"It's a milage specifically to be used for building and site needs throughout the district, major repairs or upgrades to buildings," said Dean Bolton, Chair of the Okemos Education Foundation.

If the fund was not approved, money would have to come out of the general fund portion of the budget, which does not provide enough for the upgrades needed.

"This is one of the few ways that the state of Michigan allows districts to go directly to local voters for direct support," said Bolton.

The fund will continue to generate more than a million dollars over the next ten years.

Hiawatha's Elementary School's roof will be replaced. This project will cost the sinking fund roughly $400,000, but it's well needed.

"What this allows us to do, is to continue to use general fund for programing, and services and education of our students," Said Okemos Superintendent Catherine Ash.

Money that is generated for the sinking fund is coming through property taxes of Okemos residents.

"It allows us to do those extras of maintaining our buildings and facilities through a different funding source," Ash said.

Without the renewal, the sinking fund would have expired on December 31. Now, the approval of the fund will not expire for another ten years.

ORIGINAL STORY: OKEMOS - Get the news about the Sinking Fund? Check out what projects are coming up on Meridian Magazine, tonight @ 5:30 pm!