By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich-On Monday night the school board of trustees voted 7-0 to move forward with the exploration of a district bond and or sinking fund for vote in November 2019.
The discussion stems from a Oct. 15, district building and site committee meeting with school district attorney to discuss the district’s facility needs. According to the Michigan Association of School Boards a sinking fund millage is assessed every year for however many years the funds are approved. With bond issues, the district receives all the funds from the assessed mills upfront and then it is paid back over a number of years.]

Ryan Relken, district superintendent said that over the last year the district administration team has been looking into options to support the future educational needs of students in the district, upgrade technology, keep a safe learning environment and maintaining facilities.
“The district would like to move forward with exploring options to support these endeavors,” said Relken. ”This exploration process will included consulting an architecture firm, creating a construction management team, formation of a steering committee, creating a facilities study outline, formulation of a project scope and costs analysis along with a citizen’s committee.
The cost on any of the projects nor amount of the bond or sinking fund was not discussed, however, Relken said the exploration cost would be minimal.
“Most of the work would be nearly free,” said Relken. “Some of the firms we will use (for the exploration) do not get paid unless we pass something. Worse case scenario we come out with a lot of very good data about our district. We then set the course going forward, what ever that right course is, based on the information we get.”
David Cramer, school board treasurer said it’s a long process.
“I’ve been a little closed minded on this topic because we have a lot of debt,” said Cramer. “But at the same time, there are facility needs and educational needs that we have to provide to the students of the district. So, we need at least to explore it and see what it’s going to take and how we can best fund it in the most cost effective way for the taxpayers. We should look it. It’s not a guarantee, it does not mean we are going to put it on the ballot or do it, but this is the first step.”
Goodrich voters approved a $15.4 million bond extension in February 2011 with 930 yes votes (52 percent) to 847 no (48 percent). About 23 percent of registered voters turned out. A total of 1,777 votes were cast. There were 7,547 registered voters in the school district, including 6,607 voters in Genesee County and 940 voters in Lapeer County. The funding supported educational facilities, 41 percent; technology, 30 percent; athletics, 13 percent; energy upgrades, 11 percent; and safety/ADA, 5 percent.