Bloomfield Township

District sets unification bond issue for May 8

By Chris Jackett
C & G Staff Writer

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — After nearly 15 months of planning, the latest bond proposal for Bloomfield Hills Schools has been determined.

The Board of Education voted 7-0 on two issues Feb. 16. Both supported Superintendent Rob Glass’ recommendations for a new bond proposal and plan, as well as the election date for voters to decide it.

On May 8, district voters will decide if they want a 1.16-mill bond to pay $58.65 million over the course of 26 years. The district would contribute $20 million to the $78.65 million project’s total cost, which would break ground later this year and allow the newly configured Bloomfield Hills High School building to open at the current Andover High School site in fall 2015 if voters approve the bond this May.

“What we’re talking about is a tax simply to support buildings in the community, which is a local community responsibility,” Glass said during his 40-minute presentation at the Feb. 16 meeting.

The latest $78.65 million plan is less costly than previous plans and proposals, which ranged from $97.5 million to $145 million in 2010 and 2007, respectively, and sought bonds of $73 million and $121 million. The district was able to drive the cost down in 2012 by maximizing its contribution to $20 million, roughly $9 million more than the $11 million amount suggested one month ago, officials said.

Previous bonds sought 1.43 mills in 2010 and 1.41 mills in 2007, but both were defeated by 54-55 percent of voters. The district has spent more than a year working with analysts and community groups to determine what would work best while fitting the community’s vision, and came up with the current plan.

“We knew after the failure of the 2010 bond that we were missing something,” said Glass, who was hired by the district in July 2010. “None of these factors had changed. I don’t know how we could’ve reached out to the community any more. I think that deep down, even people who opposed things in the past recognized we had needs.”

The newly proposed 1.16-mill bond increase would be partially offset by the sinking fund’s decrease, which will drop from 1.4834 mills to 0.74 mills in 2014 before ending in 2018.

“While this is a new tax, this is not a new cost to you. In 2014, taxes will actually go down,” said Trustee Joan Berndt, who noted maintaining two high schools would be “economically infeasible.”

The plan
If the new bond passes, a 64 percent new high school will house all ninth- through 12th-graders from throughout the district and the Model High School program in fall 2015. The west wing of the current high school, which is one of the newest wings, will be renovated, but the town hall meetings revealed the $8.8 million “learning community package” to replace it was not preferred.

However, the auditorium and black box theater will gain size and space as part of the original base plan, while the $8 million “athletic package” will be picked up to increase the main gym/fieldhouse and pool sizes to better accommodate the number of people using them, officials said. The increased size will also allow more use, as events such as swim meets will not take as long with a 50 percent increase in the number of lanes, and the new fieldhouse could host regional tournament events to draw in more revenue.

With enrollment projected for 1,650 students, the newly configured Bloomfield Hills High School would hold 1,800 students. About 1,700 people would be able to fit into the new fieldhouse for assemblies, as opposed to the 1,000 maximum at the current location.

“We don’t have enough space to hold everyone or have tournaments or (big) competition,” Glass said. “Our classes and our regular competition teams will be able to get through meets in reasonable time and not getting stacked up and using it at all hours.”

Some residents were concerned that there would be less parking and more competition for the single high school facility, as opposed to the usage of facilities at two campuses.

“We are going to get shiny and new, but we are going to get less. There is going to be competition for these spaces,” Bloomfield 20/20 leader Chris Fellin said. “You are losing these spaces, which is the bottom line.”

However, others applauded the measure; in some cases, literally.

“Both high schools now are beyond sensible renovations,” said former Bloomfield 20/20 co-founder George Derderian, who noted the group’s original goal nine years ago was seeking an $85 million plan instead of a $125 million plan. “This is not a mega high school. This is the right plan at the right cost at the right time.”

Parent Mary Belden, whose one daughter is an Andover senior and the other is already in college, said her children won’t be affected by the change, but property values will be for retirees looking to get good value if they sell their house.

“I still live in this community, but I want people to understand that they are spending $35 million to repair two outdated buildings or $78 million — $58 million for what will be bonded — for a renovated/new high school,” Belden said. “It’s so clear to me where this needs to go, but why would anyone oppose it? … How cheap can we be? These buildings were made for children who are long gone.”

During the construction of the new plan, 10th- through 12th-graders would be at Lahser, freshmen at Hickory Grove and Model High School students at Pine Lake.

After completion, Lahser would “go offline” in 2015, except for its athletic fields. Plans for the facility’s future are not set, but demolition or use as a cultural arts center have both been suggested.

“Our intent is to take Lahser offline,” Glass said. “We will either sell it, demolish it or whatever creative business partnership we can figure out. I’m not going to keep it hanging around. It’s got to go or it’s got to be used for education. We’re not going to have vacant buildings sitting around.”

The Election
The May election will cost the district $60,000, but officials said the additional $1.4 million of savings they would gain if the bond passes would be well worth that investment. The $1.4 million in operational costs would not be saved if the district held a November election alongside the presidential election.

“If we pass it, the $60,000 will seem like nothing compared to the millions we’ll save in the long run,” Glass said. “If there’s someone out there who thinks this is a stealth election, I don’t know what they’ve been doing for the past eight-10 years.”

Although more voters would likely head to the polls in November, the November election would have also delayed the start of construction, displacing students for three years instead of two and delaying the opening to fall 2016, which could change costs as market prices change.

“Going in November means three years of transition,” Glass said. “Short construction windows are much safer. By lengthening it by a year is not good.”

If the bond fails in May, officials said the district would take funding from K-8 buildings and programs struggling to maintain participation at two high school campuses in order to pay for at least $35 million in necessary upgrades and repairs. If all suggested repairs were made, that cost would balloon to $82 million in expenses without a bond, Glass said.

“I’ve heard all the arguments, I’ve weighed them out, they’re all good arguments,” Glass said. “We need certainty and closure for all the families that have wrestled with BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — After nearly 15 months of planning, the latest bond proposal for Bloomfield Hills Schools has been determined.

The Board of Education voted 7-0 on two issues Feb. 16. Both supported Superintendent Rob Glass’ recommendations for a new bond proposal and plan, as well as the election date for voters to decide it.

On May 8, district voters will decide if they want a 1.16-mill bond to pay $58.65 million over the course of 26 years. The district would contribute $20 million to the $78.65 million project’s total cost, which would break ground later this year and allow the newly configured Bloomfield Hills High School building to open at the current Andover High School site in fall 2015 if voters approve the bond this May.

“What we’re talking about is a tax simply to support buildings in the community, which is a local community responsibility,” Glass said during his 40-minute presentation at the Feb. 16 meeting.

The latest $78.65 million plan is less costly than previous plans and proposals, which ranged from $97.5 million to $145 million in 2010 and 2007, respectively, and sought bonds of $73 million and $121 million. The district was able to drive the cost down in 2012 by maximizing its contribution to $20 million, roughly $9 million more than the $11 million amount suggested one month ago, officials said.

Previous bonds sought 1.43 mills in 2010 and 1.41 mills in 2007, but both were defeated by 54-55 percent of voters. The district has spent more than a year working with analysts and community groups to determine what would work best while fitting the community’s vision, and came up with the current plan.

“We knew after the failure of the 2010 bond that we were missing something,” said Glass, who was hired by the district in July 2010. “None of these factors had changed. I don’t know how we could’ve reached out to the community any more. I think that deep down, even people who opposed things in the past recognized we had needs.”

The newly proposed 1.16-mill bond increase would be partially offset by the sinking fund’s decrease, which will drop from 1.4834 mills to 0.74 mills in 2014 before ending in 2018.

“While this is a new tax, this is not a new cost to you. In 2014, taxes will actually go down,” said Trustee Joan Berndt, who noted maintaining two high schools would be “economically infeasible.”

The plan
If the new bond passes, a 64 percent new high school will house all ninth- through 12th-graders from throughout the district and the Model High School program in fall 2015. The west wing of the current high school, which is one of the newest wings, will be renovated, but the town hall meetings revealed the $8.8 million “learning community package” to replace it was not preferred.

However, the auditorium and black box theater will gain size and space as part of the original base plan, while the $8 million “athletic package” will be picked up to increase the main gym/fieldhouse and pool sizes to better accommodate the number of people using them, officials said. The increased size will also allow more use, as events such as swim meets will not take as long with a 50 percent increase in the number of lanes, and the new fieldhouse could host regional tournament events to draw in more revenue.

With enrollment projected for 1,650 students, the newly configured Bloomfield Hills High School would hold 1,800 students. About 1,700 people would be able to fit into the new fieldhouse for assemblies, as opposed to the 1,000 maximum at the current location.

“We don’t have enough space to hold everyone or have tournaments or (big) competition,” Glass said. “Our classes and our regular competition teams will be able to get through meets in reasonable time and not getting stacked up and using it at all hours.”

Some residents were concerned that there would be less parking and more competition for the single high school facility, as opposed to the usage of facilities at two campuses.

“We are going to get shiny and new, but we are going to get less. There is going to be competition for these spaces,” Bloomfield 20/20 leader Chris Fellin said. “You are losing these spaces, which is the bottom line.”

However, others applauded the measure; in some cases, literally.

“Both high schools now are beyond sensible renovations,” said former Bloomfield 20/20 co-founder George Derderian, who noted the group’s original goal nine years ago was seeking an $85 million plan instead of a $125 million plan. “This is not a mega high school. This is the right plan at the right cost at the right time.”

Parent Mary Belden, whose one daughter is an Andover senior and the other is already in college, said her children won’t be affected by the change, but property values will be for retirees looking to get good value if they sell their house.

“I still live in this community, but I want people to understand that they are spending $35 million to repair two outdated buildings or $78 million — $58 million for what will be bonded — for a renovated/new high school,” Belden said. “It’s so clear to me where this needs to go, but why would anyone oppose it? … How cheap can we be? These buildings were made for children who are long gone.”

During the construction of the new plan, 10th- through 12th-graders would be at Lahser, freshmen at Hickory Grove and Model High School students at Pine Lake.

After completion, Lahser would “go offline” in 2015, except for its athletic fields. Plans for the facility’s future are not set, but demolition or use as a cultural arts center have both been suggested.

“Our intent is to take Lahser offline,” Glass said. “We will either sell it, demolish it or whatever creative business partnership we can figure out. I’m not going to keep it hanging around. It’s got to go or it’s got to be used for education. We’re not going to have vacant buildings sitting around.”

The Election
The May election will cost the district $60,000, but officials said the additional $1.4 million of savings they would gain if the bond passes would be well worth that investment. The $1.4 million in operational costs would not be saved if the district held a November election alongside the presidential election.

“If we pass it, the $60,000 will seem like nothing compared to the millions we’ll save in the long run,” Glass said. “If there’s someone out there who thinks this is a stealth election, I don’t know what they’ve been doing for the past eight-10 years.”

Although more voters would likely head to the polls in November, the November election would have also delayed the start of construction, displacing students for three years instead of two and delaying the opening to fall 2016, which could change costs as market prices change.

“Going in November means three years of transition,” Glass said. “Short construction windows are much safer. By lengthening it by a year is not good.”

If the bond fails in May, officials said the district would take funding from K-8 buildings and programs struggling to maintain participation at two high school campuses in order to pay for at least $35 million in necessary upgrades and repairs. If all suggested repairs were made, that cost would balloon to $82 million in expenses without a bond, Glass said.

“I’ve heard all the arguments, I’ve weighed them out, they’re all good arguments,” Glass said. “We need certainty and closure for all the families that have wrestled with this for close to 10 years.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Chris Jackett at cjackett@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1110.