The Wayland Board of Education Monday evening took another step toward having a bond election for the high school pool and other facilities.
The board approved on a 6-0 vote entering into an agreement with Tower Pinkster Architects of Grand Rapids for $15,000 for a facility needs assessment and gave indications it is interested in an election in May 2016.
Tower Pinkster also would receive $5,000 for pre-bond work.
Acknowledging that the aging pool, installed more than 40 years ago when the high school was built, is the key factor in seeking a vote, Finance Director Bill Melching noted that the district spent $33,500 two years ago, $7,000 last year and about $44,000 this year for repairs.
The lighting is being corrected with LED replacements, rotting wood benches are being replaced with aluminum ones and the mechanical system has needed work to remove too much humidity from the air.
The high school swim team is not allowed by state law to use the starting blocks to begin events, so there are few home dual meets or invitationals.
Despite all of its problems, Melching told school board members, “The pool actually has exceeded its maximum life span.”
Board Trustee Gary Wood then said, “So it’s a testament to how well the pool has been cared for.”
But Melching also said the pool is getting too costly and repairs lately have taken “spending money we don’t have.”
The board also listed to expert opinion from R.J. Naughton of Bauch & Associates, who came to the meeting to explain changes in school debt millage law. Noting Wayland customarily was paying about 7 mills per year for debt retirement, the amount was increased to 7.45 mills this year and will go up to 8.4 mills because of the state’s new rules.
The State of Michigan, in an effort to answer the crisis of the steep drop in taxable values of 2008. The debt retirement rules were changed in 2012 and Wayland, despite 4% growth this in tax values, saw the debt millage increase by almost a mill.
Naughton said it’s likely the debt millage will come back down next year, but lot likely below 7%.
With this information, he laid out a “hypothetical” bond election for May 2016 and said if a bond was passed next year, the local millage could increase to a little more than 10.
He added that the interest rates for a bond may become higher the longer the board waits to have an election and there will be primary and general elections next year in August and November.
Melching told the board, “We just wanted to give you an idea of what the costs could be (with a bond election). The May 2016 date is probably doable, but it’s going to be very tight.”
