Michigan Election 2019: Dearborn's School Bond Proposal

DEARBORN, MI — There's only one item on Dearborn's ballot for the Nov. 5 election and it's a bond proposal for the schools. Known as BRICS, the proposal would not raise taxes and infuse money into the district, though opponents say the plan is too rushed.

To decide, here's a look at the BRICS plan:

The $240 million bond proposal for the district would improve the schools with repairs and updates needed. Dearborn Public Schools includes 34 buildings and 3.2 million square feet of building space. The district has 20,700 students. Advocates for the bond say very school building will see some improvement with the bond approval.

On average, each elementary school would get $4 million in work, middle schools $8 million, and high schools $15 million, according to organizers.

The $240 million was the amount of money that can be added to the current bond debt without increasing the current millage rate of 4.82, according to officials. If the bond passes, residents would not pay more in taxes as the debt millage rate will stay the same, but the district would be able to make many much-needed infrastructure repairs and updates, improve security and safety, and address other areas such as capacity.

The district has dubbed the bond BRICS for the areas it will target: Buildings, Renovations, Infrastructure, Capacity and Safety. The main focus for the funding is infrastructure including boilers and related equipment, restrooms, roofs, exterior doors and windows, LED lighting, paving and sidewalks, and technology infrastructure. Some buses and technology needs will also be purchased, district officials said.

These focus areas were identified during several months of work by the Citizens Infrastructure Task Force. The group presented its findings to the Board of Education in October 2018. The task force reported that infrastructure, capacity, and safety most needed to be addressed, but it also included air conditioning as a separate item for consideration.

Under the bond, capacity includes additions at a few elementary level buildings, renovating and creating classroom space, and constructing special education classrooms. The district is also looking at acquiring two buildings on the Henry Ford College campus, an ideal site to accommodate the expanding Early College programs and the growing Adult Education program.

The Early College programs also help relieve overcrowding at the traditional high schools.
Security and safety changes in the bond proposal included improving how visitors can access schools. In some cases that may mean remodeling or moving the main office closer to the front doors for better control and monitoring of who enters the building during the school day.

If approved, the bonds will be issued in two sets. The first series would provide about $86 million in the first three years. The second series would provide $154 million in years four through six. The first projects could begin in the spring of 2020. The bond is expected to be the only question on the November ballot.

Opponents, organs as Dearborn Parents For Better Schools, say there's too much overlap with former proposals in this bond and that the plan is rushed. They point to schools requesting new carpeting and roofing that was just replaced in the last 10 years, for example.

"Our goal is to not let this bond pass today so that the school district can propose a more reasonable bond in a few months that addresses the real and urgent needs of the students and the schools while being mindful of the hard workers in this city," opponents said on their Facebook page. "This will allow the district to address the urgent needs and also gives everyone time to come up with a unified long-term plan."

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