Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) trustees will hold a special meeting Thursday to vote on withdrawing an annexation proposal from the November ballot that would have added Benzie County to the college district. The move comes after NMC learned it can't expand its board to include two Benzie County residents, which is stated in the ballot language. NMC tried to remedy the error with the Benzie County clerk but was unsuccessful, with NMC President Nick Nissley saying in an email Wednesday that he wasn't willing to risk NMC's reputation of "trust and honesty...by continuing an annexation effort that included inaccurate information."

Trustees will meet at 9am Thursday to vote on a resolution to withdraw the proposal. "I am disappointed that Benzie voters will not have the opportunity to access more affordable – even free in many cases – education and skills training via annexation," Nissley said in an email to the NMC community. "However, I am proud to recommend this action to the board based upon our shared NMC values of integrity and respect."

Benzie County residents were set to vote in November on a millage proposal that would bring Benzie into the district and give county residents an in-district rate. The proposal included adding two Benzie County residents to the NMC board. However, last week NMC's legal counsel discovered that while adding two new board members is allowed, NMC's board can't exceed seven total members. The board is already at seven members. 

"This language had undergone review at multiple points at the state and local levels," Nissley wrote. "Upon learning of the error, we attempted to correct the language in collaboration with the Benzie County clerk so voters could make the best decision for themselves based on accurate information. We were not successful. For the entire 73 years of our history, NMC has built a reputation of trust and honesty. I am not willing to risk that reputation by continuing an annexation effort that included inaccurate information." Nissley said he was therefore recommending the board "suspend our effort" and withdraw the proposal.

Following that decision, NMC intends to "step back, regroup, and determine how to best move forward, in Benzie and beyond, since northern Michigan families deserve the same access to higher education as the rest of the state," Nissley concluded. "We extend our thanks to the leaders and supporters of Yes 4 Benzie, many of whom have been involved with the effort for more than a year. Northwestern Michigan College is an oasis in a higher education desert, and remains committed to bringing affordable, accessible higher education and skills training to our entire region."