Bond & Building Site Sinking Fund Proposal
Construction Update
The 2023-2024 school year brought a new look to Lakeland and Milford High Schools. Each school saw new upgraded safe and secure entryways and front offices. Lakeland and the International Academy-West(IA) entryways were both complete in September, while Milford was complete in January. A new Large Group Instruction room(LGI) at both Lakeland and Milford are complete, along with Classrooms throughout both buildings have seen major improvements with new ceiling tile, lighting, furniture, doors, flooring, paint and state of the art technology. Parking lots at both campuses were also at end of life and have been replaced. For those who have an opportunity to visit our updated stadiums, the grandstand bleachers at Milford’s stadium are complete with additional seating and a new press box. Bogie Lake campus is also getting water main, power plant and cooling tower upgrades.
All of these improvements and upgrades are made possible because of the approval of the Bond and Building Site Sinking Fund (BSSF) in 2019. While a lot of important work has been done, there is still a much larger need in the District. Costs for construction pre-pandemic were approximately $250 per square foot. Today, these costs are $400 per square foot. We have and will continue to invest taxpayer dollars wisely. The Strategic Plan 2.0 process has been deliberate in terms of data collection and forecasting enrollment to avoid using Bond/BSSF dollars until our footprint is clearly established for the next five years and beyond. We have an opportunity to continue this important work with a Bond this year that will be a zero tax increase. Passing bonds without raising the tax rate will maintain the current millage rate for property owners while allowing the Huron Valley Schools to make continuous improvements, including:
Safety and security upgrades designed to keep students and staff safe
Remain competitive in terms of active learning environments that help us prepare students for a job force that is constantly changing
Maintain current infrastructure challenges like HVAC, roofs, bathrooms and parking lots
The Huron Valley School District recognizes the pivotal role that healthy schools play in shaping strong and vibrant communities.
Thank you again for your continued support!