REED CITY — Leaders in the Reed City Area Public Schools district are asking voters to approve a $75.5 million bond proposal for facility upgrades and renovations after a similar request failed earlier this year.
The district’s previous $88.1 million bond proposal was rejected by voters in May.
Superintendent Mike Sweet said while the cost has been reduced by more than 10%, the need for infrastructure improvements remains critical.
“We have two older buildings that have been maintained, have been taken care of, but have been around a while. They need more than just regular maintenance. It’s time for some renovations,” Sweet said.
Much of the district’s infrastructure dates back decades, with the elementary school built in 1954 and the high school in 1963.
Sweet said neither building has undergone major renovations in nearly 20 years.
The latest proposal includes plans for a new cafeteria, a dedicated band room, and a new gymnasium at the middle-high school. It would also fund upgrades to the elementary school’s kindergarten through second grade wing, where Sweet said the roof, boiler, and classroom furnishings are in the greatest need of attention.
“It takes care of some safety pieces throughout the district as far as working on a secure entrance at the middle school, realigning some parking lots to create a better traffic flow and safety as far as pick up and drop off of kids,” Sweet said.
The proposed bond calls for a 4.5-mill increase over 26 years, which would add about $365 annually for every $100,000 of a home’s taxable value. Sweet said some of the district’s current bond debt, from a 2015 proposal, will begin to drop off this year and be fully paid by 2030.
“It’s a lot of money. It absolutely is. There’s a sticker shock when you look at it. It would bring the total millage for Reed City Area Public Schools to 6.7 mills,” Sweet said.
Sweet emphasized that voter-approved bonds are the only legal way for Michigan school districts to fund major renovations.
“That’s the way the system is set up, and people wonder, ‘Well, why don’t you do it with the funds you get?’ Well, it’s not legal. You can’t do that. You have to use the funds that they give you for operations,” he said.
If the proposal fails again, Sweet said it will likely return to the ballot next year during the gubernatorial election, when voter turnout is expected to be higher.
The district scheduled a public information meeting for 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Reed City High School to discuss the proposal and answer community questions.
For more information about the bond proposal, please click here.
