For the second time this year, Oxford Community Schools is putting a bond proposal before voters, however, unlike the previous financial request, this one won’t be supported by a ‘yes? campaign.
‘We are not going to be soliciting ‘yes? voters. We’re going to do (an) informational (campaign) only,? said Superintendent Dr. William Skilling. ‘Obviously, people know the district wants a ‘yes? vote. They don’t need to hear us say it.?
Last week, the board of education voted unanimously to place two bond proposals on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 ballot ? one for $32.7 million and a second for $635,000, making the total request $33.335 million.
The first, dubbed Proposal A, covers facility repairs and upgrades, new technology, security enhancements and construction of additional classrooms. It encompasses all five elementary schools plus the middle and high schools.
Proposal A also includes $1.5 million to purchase and renovate the First Baptist Church of Oxford (150 Pontiac St.). The district plans to turn the 15,728-square-foot building, which sits on 7.35 acres, into a childcare/pre-kindergarten center and use the athletic field for multiple purposes.
The second request, dubbed Proposal B, exclusively pertains to the football stadium at Oxford High School. It includes replacing the grass field with synthetic turf, constructing a 1,000-square-foot facility with storage space for sports equipment and bathrooms for athletes, resurfacing the track that circles the field and correcting the severe drainage problems that plague that area.
Because synthetic turf is able to withstand more frequent use better than natural grass, it would allow the football, soccer and lacrosse teams to use the stadium for practice and games. It would also allow the marching band to practice on it and host competitions.
As far as money, synthetic turf would require a maintenance budget of about $5,000 per year versus the approximately $21,000 that’s currently spent, according to Skilling.
Skilling explained the district split up the ballot proposals so this time voters who still oppose the synthetic turf field won’t have to reject everything else in the bond as part of an all-or-nothing proposal.
The Feb. 24 bond proposal for $70.135 million ‘had voters who were very outspoken in favor and people who were outspoken in opposition? to the synthetic turf, according to the superintendent.
That proposal failed by 289 votes with 2,191 people casting ‘no? ballots and 1,902 voting ‘yes.?
Skilling doesn’t want that to happen again because it’s ‘really critical for us is to be able to upgrade our buildings and repair our buildings where they need to be repaired.?
Examples include partial or full roof replacements at all five elementaries, the middle school and the bus garage; mechanical and electrical infrastructure upgrades; and energy efficient door and window replacements.
According to Tim Loock, assistant superintendent of business and operations, $13.15 million (or 39.87 percent) of the bond proposals deal with fixing up or remodeling existing facilities and infrastructure.
‘This is a bond issue that we really need to pass because the basic things (that) we need to do to maintain our buildings, we cannot afford to take out of our operational budget,? Skilling said. ‘These are just things that we need to get done.?
And those things can’t get done given the current state of educational funding in Michigan, according to Skilling.
‘We’re looking at a $1,000 potential cut per student, possibly more, unless the state comes up with a new funding structure,? he said. ‘If they don’t, you’re looking at four-digit cuts for every school district in Michigan.?
In addition to addressing maintenance issues, the bond proposals will enable the district to invest $8.7 million in new technology, the ‘bulk? of which is going in classrooms, according to Skilling.
The district will be able to purchase new building-wide security systems that include both internal and external surveillance cameras and transform existing entrances into ‘safe and secure? entrances at all seven schools.
Under the bond proposal, four new classrooms (a total of 6,000 square feet) would be added to Clear Lake Elementary and five news ones with a resource room (7,225 square feet) to Oxford Elementary.
Existing classroom space at Lakeville Elementary would be renovated for better utilization, while an existing storage space would be transformed into a pre-kindergarten classroom.
Over at OHS, an existing lab would be renovated to accommodate pre-engineering programs.
The district’s traditionally frugal taxpayer base should be pleased to see the total bond proposal’s been reduced by $36.8 million (or 52 percent) since the February election.
Skilling explained that based on the public input the school system received following the failed election, many voters felt the $70.135 million proposal was too much to ask for and would have created too much debt for the district.
As with the February bond proposal, the November requests, if approved, will not increase the existing tax rate of 7 mills that district property owners currently pay annually to retire the schools? debt.
However, the proposals are a tax increase in terms of district property owners paying for a longer period of time.
As it stands right now, the district’s current debt load is scheduled to be paid off in 2031. If the November bond proposals are approved, the debt won’t be paid off until 2041.
‘Where people’s additional tax comes from is during the extension period,? Skilling said. ‘Instead of having the (school) debt paid off, they’re continuing to pay. That’s where they pay the additional tax.?
Regarding the failed bond proposal, Skilling believes the ‘yes? campaign back then turned some voters off with its tactics.
‘I think what happened is at the end, some people got inundated with multiple (phone) calls,? he explained. ‘I think that offended some people and rightly so. We don’t want to do that again.?
‘I think you can alienate people when you have an aggressive campaign. And we don’t want to alienate people,? Skilling added.
This time the superintendent indicated only a strictly informational campaign would be conducted through the Oxford Leader, the school district’s newsletter, community forums and signs simply reminding people to vote.
‘We feel that if we put the information out there (and) people understand the need, if they’re able to vote yes, they will vote yes,? Skilling said.
And unlike the first campaign ? which accepted $5,976 in contributions from the Troy-based Integrated Design Solutions and the Lansing-based Granger Construction, companies that would profit from the bond’s passage ? this one won’t require financing.
‘We are not accepting any funds to operate the campaign because it is informational only,? Skilling said.