Sturgis bond proposal overview: What’s being upgraded and who’s paying for it?

In less than a week, Sturgis voters will decide whether to approve a nearly $100 million school bond proposal.

The proposal from Sturgis Public Schools asks voters to authorize the district to borrow up to $98.475 million for building, safety, accessibility, technology, athletic and infrastructure improvements across the district. Major pieces include improvements at Sturgis High School, a new aquatic center, upgrades at elementary buildings, special education and support service spaces, athletic facility improvements, and work involving the existing Community Pool.

The proposal will appear as a yes-or-no question on the May 5 ballot. A “yes” vote would authorize the district to issue the bonds and move forward with the proposed projects. A “no” vote would reject the bond proposal as presented.

The last Sturgis school bond proposals approved by voters came in September 2000, when three separate ballot questions passed for a combined $49.26 million, according to Michigan Department of Treasury school bond election records. Those measures funded construction of the current middle school, upgrades and additions at the high school, and improvements at elementary schools. By comparison, the proposal on the May 5 ballot seeks $98.475 million.

Where is the money coming from?

The funding would come through a bond proposal, which is the mechanism public school districts use to ask voters for authorization to borrow money for large capital investments.

If approved, the district would work with a financial institution to sell bonds in multiple series, according to Superintendent Arthur Ebert. The first bond sale would be for a little more than $30 million in 2027, with the remaining amount issued in 2029.

Selling the bonds in phases allows the district to match borrowing with construction timelines and avoid paying interest on money that would not be needed until later stages of the project.

The proceeds from those bond sales would then be used to pay for the school facility improvements outlined in the proposal. Ebert said design work would begin immediately, with construction starting in 2027 and continuing through 2031.

Ebert compared the repayment process to a home mortgage. The district would receive money upfront through the bond sales, then repay the bonds over time using property tax revenue generated through the district’s debt millage.

Bond funds must be spent on purposes generally described in the ballot proposal. They cannot be used for operational expenses such as employee salaries and benefits, school supplies or textbooks. The funds must be kept separate from operating funds, and all related expenditures must be audited by an independent firm.

How will it impact my taxes?

According to Sturgis Public Schools materials, if the bond proposal is approved, the district’s debt millage rate is expected to remain at its current level of 7.00 mills, resulting in a 0.00 mill net increase over the prior year’s levy.

In practical terms, district officials say the proposal is not expected to create a higher school bond tax rate than what property owners are currently paying. 

A mill is a property tax rate. The district states that one mill equals $100 in tax for every $100,000 of taxable value, not market value. Taxable value is determined by the local assessor and is typically lower than a home’s market price. 

Even if the bond passes, individual tax bills could still change for reasons unrelated to the proposal, such as increases in a property’s taxable value or changes to other local tax rates.

If the proposal does not pass, district materials state the school debt millage rate would decline sooner as existing bond debt is paid off.

What’s being upgraded?

Below is a comprehensive list of projects the school district says are included in the proposal: 

Building accessibility and safety

ADA-related renovations: Accessibility improvements at building entrances and bathrooms across the district.

Secure vestibule installations: Two-door secured entry systems at buildings that do not currently have one.

Thumbturn classroom locks: Locks that can be secured quickly from inside classrooms without a key, while still using a keyed exterior.

Building repairs and renovations

Bathroom renovations: Upgrades to address accessibility, plumbing issues and appearance.

Flat roof replacement: Replacement of aging flat roofs, with drainage improvements as needed.

Boiler replacements: New boilers at Jerolene, Wall and Sturgis Middle School.

Media center/library renovations: Redesign of media centers throughout the district.

Classroom renovations: Updated flooring, furniture and paint for Early Childhood Special Education, Early Head Start, Great Start Readiness Program, Career and Technical Education, Special Education, Viceroy Program and Adult Education classrooms at Jerolene and Central Commons.

Academic and career education

Fabrication lab renovation and expansion: Expansion of the Sturgis High School fabrication lab to improve space, equipment layout, visibility and safety for manufacturing programs.

Athletic and recreation projects

Athletic turf installation: Synthetic turf for the stadium, softball field and baseball field to allow more regular use by school teams and youth programs. The stadium turf would allow both football and soccer use.

New track and field event areas: Replacement of the current track and field areas, including substructures, with a redesigned layout and expanded event space.

Soccer locker rooms and grandstands renovation/addition: New grandstands, press box and locker room at the soccer field.

New aquatic center: Construction of a new pool facility near Sturgis High School to replace current aquatic programming held at the Community Pool. Plans include at least eight lanes, compared with the Community Pool’s six lanes.

Existing Community Pool reuse

Community Pool renovation: The current Community Pool would be filled in and repurposed into a multipurpose athletic training facility if the bond passes.

Site and transportation improvements

Parking lot and driveway redesign: Redesign and replacement of parking lots and driveways at Wall to improve capacity, traffic flow and safety.

Fuel tank replacement: Replacement of underground gasoline and diesel tanks at the bus lot with above-ground units and secondary containment infrastructure.

Overall, the proposal combines routine facility repairs with new construction and expanded student programming spaces.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.