Fowlerville Schools officials plan to ask district voters to approve a $15.3 million bond proposal next spring for building improvements and technology upgrades.
The Fowlerville Board of Education last week authorized Superintendent Wayne Roedel to take necessary steps, including seeking state treasury approval and development of ballot language, to put the issue before voters in May 2018.
“We will take the bond language to the school board on Jan. 9, and if they approve, the next phase starts — which is going to the community, letting them know what the bond is for, the scope, and how it will impact their wallet,” said Roedel.
The new $15.3 million bond, if approved by voters, would keep the amount of mills levied annually at 9.55, but would extend the levy by four years, with the district’s debt slated to be paid off in 22 years instead of the current 18-year plan.
Roedel will develop language for the bond that specifies what the money will be used for, but it will include improvements at every building in the district — including new security systems, new temperature and light controls, installation of LED lighting and technology upgrades at all schools.
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Additionally, there will be replacement of all 18 furnaces at Smith Elementary and installation of a heating element for a corridor between kindergarten and first grade classrooms that is currently unheated; replacement of the original carpeted flooring at Kreeger Elementary and at the high school (more than 20-years-old at both locations); parking lot and roof replacement at the junior high; replacement of leaking clerestory windows at the high school; room remodeling at Munn; and renovations to athletic facilities, including track replacement and an addition of press boxes at soccer, baseball and softball fields.
Replacement of a leaking 25-year-old roof at Kreeger Elementary, as well as 30-year-old boiler replacement at both Kreeger and the junior high and installation of LED lighting in all district parking lots, will be paid for by a $3.5 million energy conservation bond that the board approved Tuesday night. The smaller bond will be paid for from the general fund budget and savings expected to be recovered from lower energy costs.
The combined bond funds, which total nearly $19 million, will fill capital improvement needs for about the next six years, said Roedel.
The district sought an assessment of its facilities this past summer, which was conducted by Auch Construction and Mielock and Associates, with a 1-3 year plan to address immediate needs, as well as a 4-6 year plan, and a 7-10 year plan.
The last district facilities assessment was conducted in 2003, prior to the last bond request.
Fowlerville, like all public school districts, receives nearly all revenue from per-pupil funding. The district receives the state’s minimum foundation allowance of $7,611 for each of its 3,852 students and has a budget of $26 million.
“Being at the base we have really done well, because we’ve had the support of the community to do these bond-type projects,” said Roedel. “There is no other revenue. If you are not increasing the number of students you have, your funding is flat as the cost of living goes up, whether it’s gas, electricity, diesel fuel, paying teachers and custodians — the cost is going up and without a corresponding increase, it is difficult. The bond gives us flexibility to really remove capital projects from the general fund budget so you can meet needs elsewhere.”
Besides the building improvements, investments will also be made in new technology for students if the bond is approved by voters.
Currently, elementary and high school students are using 7- and 8-year-old computers. At the junior high, students have a one-to-one ratio of Chromebooks that are a few years old.
“There is money in the bond to help us move to newer technology,” said Roedel. “The bond is for what we need. The plan isn’t to go one-to-one right now for everyone, we have too many other needs, but we would make sure what we have is functional and operational. We would have funds to replace systems as what we have fails.”
Contact Susan Bromley at sbromley@livingstondaily.com Follow on Twitter @SusanBromley10