Ferndale

Proposed bond extension to come before voters Feb. 28

By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

FERNDALE — Voters in Ferndale Public Schools will decide next week on a proposed bond renewal that would bring myriad upgrades to the district’s school facilities.

The $22.83 million bond extension will come before district voters on Feb. 28. If approved, it would generate funding for infrastructure improvements across the district over a 10-year period. It would carry on the existing 7-mill bond, which is set to expire in the 2023-24 school year, through 2033-34. The proposal is designed to complete facilities enhancement work that started in 1995 with voter support of a $47 million bond and continued in 2004 with the passage of a $15.5 million extension.

The plan has earned support from Mary Schusterbauer, chief of Oakland County Youth Assistance and a longtime Ferndale resident. Schusterbauer also served as co-chair of the 20-member citizen committee that studied the district’s needs last summer and determined which projects should be included as part of the request.

“I could see that there were people on the committee with a big variety of viewpoints,” she said, “but we were able to get it down to a very reasonable proposal that was approved unanimously by the entire group. We did a really thorough analysis and made sure that every single item in this proposal was vetted really well. I feel very confident that we’re presenting a proposal that is very mindful of the fact that these are taxpayer dollars we’re asking for here.”

Schusterbauer stressed that the request is not a tax increase, only a renewal of an already existing bond. In addition, even if the proposal fails, residents’ taxes will not go down because the current bond runs through 2023-24.

Still, for Schusterbauer and others, the main issue at stake is keeping Ferndale’s school buildings in good shape. “I’m a firm believer that educating kids is one of our biggest responsibilities as a society, and this is a big part of it,” she contended. “We want our kids to have the most vibrant atmosphere possible in which to get an education. Schools are also part of the infrastructure of our community, so we have to make sure that they’re safe, secure and in solid condition.”

Not everyone in the district agrees with her, however. Resident Tom Gagne has been an outspoken critic of the bond proposal and recently represented the opposition side during a forum held by Citizens for a Fair Ferndale on Feb. 12. Gagne believes that Ferndale Public Schools should focus on improving its standardized test scores, which are consistently below the statewide average, before asking residents for more tax money.

“All these test numbers are telling me that the school district is not doing a good job of preparing our students for college,” he said. “It’s too bad that no one wants to ask, ‘What is the best thing we can do for our kids?’ Instead, they just ask, ‘What is the best thing we can do for the school district?’ Besides, it’s not a bunch of shiny new buildings that attract people to your community — it’s the performance of the local schools that really matters.”

Gagne also pointed out that many parents in the district, including himself, opt to send their children to school in neighboring districts. Meanwhile, Ferndale gets a large percentage of outside students via Schools of Choice, especially at University High School and in its alternative- and adult-education programs.

“The district is trying to pad its enrollment numbers with a ton of students from outside the district,” Gagne said. “How is that a plan to support the residents of this community? Why would anyone want to spend $23 million to educate a bunch of kids from outside our district?”

If enough voters disagree with Gagne on Feb. 28, the revenue from the bond extension would be used to fund numerous maintenance projects at facilities all over the school district. Chief among these would be asbestos abatement at Ferndale High School and Ferndale Middle School, along with the installation of a new heating and cooling system, remodeling the FHS auditorium and pool, and putting in new carpeting and energy-efficient lighting. There also would be changes made at other school buildings, including technology upgrades, mechanical and electrical improvements, and repairs to sidewalks and parking lots.

The bulk of the funds — nearly $14.4 million — would be allocated for projects at FHS and FMS. Of the remaining monies, about $3.3 million would be spent on technology improvements, while approximately $1.3 million would be devoted to various districtwide projects. The remainder of the funds would be divided up between the other buildings in the district.

There is also a strategic reason for the timing of the bond renewal. According to Gary Sophiea, director of operations for Ferndale Schools, district officials chose to come before voters this month because it would allow them to use the five-year average taxable value numbers that were calculated in 2006 rather than those from 2011, which are projected to be significantly lower. If the district had delayed placing the proposal on the ballot, Sophiea said, the amount of revenue generated would have decreased to around $13 million, a drop of more than 40 percent.

Gigi VanderWeele, a district parent with two children at the elementary-school level, feels that the projects outlined in the bond extension are essential for the future of Ferndale Public Schools.

“This money is so desperately needed right now for our school district to stay competitive with neighboring districts,” she said. “Every child in our district is going to be affected positively by this bond if it passes. This is going to pay for projects for every school in the district — it’s not just for one school or one project.”

VanderWeele pointed out that even for residents who don’t have school-age children, the bond proposal will still benefit the community as a whole by increasing property values. She also has firsthand knowledge of what can happen when residents do not support their public school system.

“I grew up in a community where the local school district went bankrupt, so this is kind of a sore spot for me,” she explained. “Things have changed with funding from the state becoming increasingly unstable, so I think you’re going to start seeing more and more proposals like this. This is how school districts are going to have to fund these types of improvements in this day and age.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jeremy Selweski at jSelweski@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5004.