Schools’ facilities needs hearing may be as early as June 6

The Wayland Board of Education may have a public hearing on future facilities needs as early as Monday, June 6.

The board earlier this year scrapped plans to have a bond election in November to buy more time to prepare for outlining plans and to gather input from the public. School officials already have hired Tower Pinkster Architects of Grand Rapids to assess the district’s needs. Tower Pinkster has identified the high school pool, tennis courts and Pine Street Elementary, the oldest building in use, as having the great needs for improvements or replacement.

The pool, a 41-year-old facility, has shown more and more signs of mechanical failure and other serious problems. It was closed over spring break for yet more repairs.

The board now is considering having a bond vote in May 2017.

Tower Pinkster only recently has indicated that it was too much of a rush to have everything ready for the November election, so Wayland would have to take the next available date, in May 2017.

School officials also say as many as 19 secondary and 17 elementary school buses may be needed in the future and some adjustments may be necessary because Dorr Elementary is bursting at the seams and perhaps some students may need to be sent to Steeby Elementary to relieve overcrowding conditions.

Finance Director Bill Melching told the school board the district will get $119,000 less in special education funding from the Allegan Area Education Agency because of state funding cuts. However, the school district’s finances appear to be in reasonably good shape in attempt to increase the fund balance for next fiscal years by one-half to one percent.

The board agreed to authorize Melching and Supt. Norm Taylor to negotiate the school district’s current installment payment agreements for iPads, the science wing addition to the high school and purchase of new buses.

PHOTO: (From left) Amanda Winn of the Children’s Healing Center accepts a check for more than $1,350 from the Wayland Middle School Student Council, represented by counselor Sue Salhaney and Olivia Tobin, student president.