The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Forum focuses on bond
By Sean Dalton, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
Dexter Community Schools' Superintendent Evelynn Shirk has long since lost count of the number of meetings she has been a part of in preparation for the $47.8 million bond election that is looming on the horizon.
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With the May 6 election fast approaching, Tuesday night's meeting at the Creekside Intermediate cafeteria was one of many planned for these final weeks, in an effort to reach as many voters as possible.
Attendance was sparse, partially due to other meetings being scheduled that night, such as the Washtenaw County Road Commission's public hearing on the Main Street Bridge and Mill Creek Dam Removal Projects.
Those that showed up were convinced.
"I see that this is needed," said Jack Clark, a Dexter resident, in regard to the district's 15-minute power point presentation with voiceover recorded by Shirk.
The presentation touched on a number of bond "themes" that act as classifications into which itemized projects at each of the district's buildings and operations fall under.
The district's most concise public information dissemination yet, started out with the most important point that Shirk and her staff want to get across to voters.
"This is not going to raise the levy over 8.5 mills that residents are already paying," she said. The presentation had that point bolded and underscored multiple times.
The 8.5 mills were previously projected to be levied until 2031, but due to greater than expected growth, that bond obligation is expected to be paid off by 2013 as things stand now.
On May 6, saying "yes" to the district bonding for the $47.8 million would only extend that levy out by 5 years to 2018.
It's important to get that across, Shirk said, because the bond is absolutely needed to make repairs, updates and replacements of equipment and systems that are being operated "beyond their life expectancy."
The district wants to make those things happen before an even costlier repair has to be made to a piece of equipment that breaks or the district falls too far behind in technology. Such a repair would have to be made with the district's state provided per pupil budget according to Proposal A. As it stands, the district's $28 million budget is mostly gobbled up by salaries and benefits for staff.
The list of things that the bond money is needed for includes energy efficiency updates throughout the district, roof work at Mill Creek and repairs to pavement that students walk on that the Shirk said are in a "state of decay" in her presentation voiceover.
The money will also increase security at the various school buildings, with key sensor doors with electronic locks, new security cameras and security lighting in lots and around buildings.
Shirk also said that student pedestrian traffic on Shield Road was another issue that the district would like to address.
Another attendee, Jack Snyder, of Dexter, said he was pleased to hear that.
"Kids are out on that road every day," Snyder said. "It's only a matter of time until an accident."
Dick Lundy, the Board of Education's treasurer, said that addressing that issue on Dan Hoey and Shield Roads has been something the district has struggled to address, due to a "lack of cooperation" by the Washtenaw County Road Commission, he said.
The district also hasn't had technology upgrades since the 1998 bond issue.
"Experts say you should be upgraded every four years," Shirk said. The district's overhead projector systems, computers and printers have gone ten.
Clark mostly talked asked questions about the pool during the questions and answers that followed the presentation, saying afterwards that he couldn't think of anything really to address with a question.
"What are you gonna do?" he asked rhetorically, "The rest is pretty well in hand. I asked about the pool because I use it," bringing up an issue that has been discussed in the past - support of senior voters, who use the Wylie Pool and the Dexter Senior Center, both of which will receive attention from the bond money, due to Michigan law.
The bottom line for Clark though, is his grand kids.
"I have six grand kids in the school system," he added. "I want this for them. (A school system) is like a house. You have things that need to be replaced."
Several parent meetings were scheduled for 8 a.m. today in the Center for Performing Arts and at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. today in the Bates Elementary gym. Others will be April 15 at 7 p.m. in the Bates gym and April 17 at 9 p.m. in the Bates cafeteria.
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