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Information on 2012 School Bond |
| 2012 Proposed Bond Projects (PDF file) | |
| 2012 Bond Proposal Timeline | |
| Learn More: Meetings on Facilities Needs | |
| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | |
| 2012 Bond Brochure (PDF file) | |
| 2004 Bond Archive Information |
2012 Bond Frequently Asked Questions
To view the FAQs in PDf format, click here.
General Questions
What is the proposal?
On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, voters in the Ferndale School District will be asked to consider a
$22.8-million bond program to fund facility improvements, student safety enhancements, technology equipment, and energy saving measures. The Bond Program will not increase the current tax rate. This proposal extends the current bond issue beyond its scheduled expiration in 2023 to 2041.
Why does the school district need a $22.8-million bond?
For our students and our community—We need to ensure we provide the best possible facilities and educational experiences for our students. The proposed bond improvements will allow our students to remain competitive with their peers at other districts, maintain and upgrade facilities to improve safety and energy efficiency, improve and upgrade computer technology, and retain operational budget funds for
student programs instead of using those dollars to upgrade facilities.
Why a bond now?
With the current state per pupil funding and recent school funding cuts, public school districts do not have general fund dollars in their district budgets to repair or replace costly items that have exceeded their life expectancy. Under Proposal A, a bond issue is the only method available to school districts to fund large-scale capital improvements such as those in this proposal. The Ferndale Schools has assessed its facilities needs and determined that in order to ensure all district facilities are safe and up to date, 2012 is a financially prudent time to bring a bond proposal to extend the current millage at 7 mills.
Additionally, due to declining property values, the bonding capacity (amount the district can borrow) is limited. It will become more limited in the coming years, making it necessary to place this bond issue on the ballot February 28, 2012.
What happens if the bond doesn’t pass?
The needs that were identified by the 2011 Citizens Bond Committee will continue to exist and become more costly to address in subsequent years. If we do nothing, our bonding capacity will diminish because of declining property values and result in further deterioration of district facilities. The district’s ability to provide a safe environment and quality educational services will be compromised. Many of the major repairs will still need to be made. Expenses for emergency repairs, such as leaking pipes in areas where coinciding asbestos abatement requires costly, time-consuming repairs, will need to be drawn from the general operating budget which could impact programs and services for students.
How was the proposal developed? Who developed it?
The Board of Education directed its Operations Committee to study facilities needs in early 2011, and a Citizens Bond Committee of 20 parents, community members and district employees, met throughout the summer months to analyze the district’s facility needs.
The Citizens Bond Committee carefully analyzed facilities needs and pared down the list to include only those items deemed most essential. The Citizens Bond Committee recommended the resulting facility improvement plan to the Board of Education which unanimously approved it in the amount of $22.8-million by the Board in August 2011.
What does the proposed bond issue include?
The proposed bond focuses on site improvements and enhancements at school district
facilities. Many buildings and sites require mechanical system upgrades, technology upgrades, flooring replacements, and exterior walk repairs. The most significant work will be at the Pinecrest Site which houses Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School, where $5.2-million has been designated to remove the asbestos from the ceilings and replace all ceilings and lighting. The auditorium and stage need remodeling to provide safe and dependable lighting. Another significant area in need of improvement is school kitchens, where some schools have full kitchens and Roosevelt and University High School only have prep kitchens, requiring food to be prepared elsewhere and brought in daily.
Click here to see the Bond Issue Cost Breakdown by Facility. (PDF file)
Why is most of the money being spent at the high school/middle school
Pinecrest Campus?
70% of the proposed bond funds are targeted for the FHS/FMS campus, including technology upgrades. Improvements to this facility would eventually benefit all district students. Currently, nearly half of the district’s students are attending school in this facility, and this site is used for most district-wide events, such as musicals, open houses, town hall meetings, dance recitals, and athletic competitions. The replacement of aging items such as the pool mechanical system, high school gym divider curtain, restroom upgrades, and guardrail replacements are included in improvements for the Pinecrest Campus.
The remaining bond budget (30%) will cover items necessary for health, safety, systems infrastructure and building integrity at other buildings in the district.
As a parent of small children, improvements to the middle/high school don’t affect me. Why should I care?
Today’s small children will be tomorrow’s users of these improved facilities – Children throughout the school district will eventually attend grades 7-8, and 9-12 at the Pinecrest facility, and they will benefit from the proposed improvements. The Pinecrest Campus (Ferndale Middle School/Ferndale High School site) is also used for most district wide events, such as musicals, open houses, town hall meetings, graduations, and athletic competitions. Additionally, it will take up to three years to fully complete the projects.
Why is voting for a bond important even if I don’t have children attending school in the district?
Because strong schools come from broad community support. A strong school system impacts property values and is a reflection of the community as a whole. The Ferndale Schools are a valuable community resource, even for those without children attending the district. As the district facilities and infrastructure age, future generations of students are depending on today’s administration and community to make needed improvements to maintain the buildings for years to come. Six of our buildings will be more than 80 years old by the time the proposed bond work is complete. Ferndale High School will be nearly 60 years old. The entire community stands to benefit from ongoing improvements to the public schools.
The school building in my neighborhood is no longer a K-12 school.
Why should I vote for a bond?
A strong school system impacts property values and is a reflection of the community as a whole. In most cases, all district students will attend school in many of our facilities as they progress through their elementary and secondary education. In fact, the entire four square miles of our district now comprise the neighborhood community that serves our students, requiring that all schools remain safe, competitive, and have structural integrity.
Will all the money be spent immediately if the bond passes? How fast will the work take place?
According to state law, 85% of all bond proceeds must be spent within three years. For this project, it is hoped that smaller projects, such as the kitchen remodeling, can be completed soon after approval of the bond, with many other high school/middle school improvements completed by the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
Will the items on the proposed bond list change or is it final?
The final bond issue items are those approved by the Department of Treasury in the district’s application for qualification of the bonds and identified in the ballot language. Changes in the project must be approved by the Department of Treasury. Additionally, the Board of Education will review all projects to ensure they are consistent with the current and scheduled use of the district’s buildings.
What controls has the district put in place to make sure money from this bond will be spent on the items listed in the proposal?
The Board of Education will approve bond improvement work before beginning any project and to study any proposed bond work as it relates to current facility usage. Furthermore, the Board has made a commitment to establish a bond oversight subcommittee comprised of citizens who will work in collaboration with the Board Operations Committee to oversee expenditures of bond funds.
How much is being spent on technology and what will is go for? Will it benefit all students/schools in the district?
Approximately $3.3-million is allocated for technology. It will be used to replace outdated equipment and improve network operations, including infrastructure. The technology improvements will benefit all students in the district.
How do the proposed improvements to the high school facility differ from what was spent at that facility with the ’95 and ’04 bonds?
Improvements made in the 1995 bond did not include the current proposed items, or those completed from the 2004 bond, because a “Pyramid of Priorities” was created that focused on the elementary and middle school structures, including windows, media centers, and extensive renovations. The 1995 bond included construction of the high school/middle school media center, but none of the proposed site improvements on the 2004 bond, or the proposed asbestos removal proposed in 2012.
The ’95 bond funded improvements to buildings that were then repurposed. Why are you proposing spending more money on these buildings?
It is important to note that the 1995 bond improvements were made using the best information available at that time. In the 17 years since that first bond was approved, the district has reorganized to ensure efficient use of our infrastructure. Although we have buildings that are no longer used for K-12 programs, they are valuable assets to our school district and community and have been repurposed for other school uses. Harding, in particular, operates as the district’s technology hub, and Central administration and Board offices allowing district visitors to visit one location to enroll, apply for jobs, and attend Board meetings. The building improvements planned for these facilities through the 2012 bond issue include basic items that any responsible property owner would maintain, such as concrete and pavement repairs, and mechanical system upgrades. As long as we own these facilities, we must keep them safe and functional. The Board of Education has made a commitment to approve bond improvement work before beginning any project and to study any proposed bond work as it relates to current facility usage.
Asbestos - Why is $5.2-million needed to remove asbestos? How much is spent every year on asbestos-related repairs?
The cost to abate and remove asbestos was coordinated with the district's Environmental consultant. They reviewed the 180,000 square feet of asbestos ceilings to be removed and determined the cost to be $2,160,000. Click here to view the building layout highlighting the location of asbestos with a cost analysis. The work will take place in all classrooms, the Commons, Cafeteria, Pools, Auditorium, and Main Office. Additionally, once the ceilings are removed, the other costs are designated to replace ceilings and energy-efficient lighting, as well as upgrades to add new one-hour fire walls between classrooms and corridors, and new rated classroom doors and frames. Examples of cost savings once the asbestos is removed include reduced electric bills due to energy efficient lighting, as well as reduced maintenance costs from the general fund to repair ceilings when damaged.
Technology - Why is $3.3 million devoted to technology? Where and on what will technology funds be spent? How will the technology be integrated into the classroom to make it usable? Technology needs identified in the bond proposal were prioritized to meet the needs of an increasingly Internet-driven method of delivering instructional content. A technology FAQ is available here. Critical projects include:
- Network Equipment Upgrades or Replacements to ensure that all data traffic travels efficiently within and between all schools and to the Internet. Most of the district’s network equipment is more than 10 years old and susceptible to failure.
- Wireless Network Expansion will allow anyone in the school community to bring their own device and access the internet, and create a more flexible teaching and learning technical environment for our students.
- Data Disaster Recovery/Storage Area Network (SAN) implementation will provide a flexible, reliable anytime, anywhere infrastructure, and will support increasing data retention requirements and virtual classroom tools.
- Internet Connection Upgrades and generator backup are crucial as we move toward more Internet-based classroom tools beyond our school buildings and traditional school hours. Currently, the district internet connection is provided by Oakland Schools using a fiber connection and leaves us vulnerable with potential for a single point of failure.
- The district’s Telephone System Replacements are no longer upgradeable and fail continually. A reliable phone system is essential for safety across the district.
- Wall Mount Projectors and Document Cameras, and Interactive White Boards/SmartBoards will be added to every classroom across the district. Currently, only Roosevelt, Coolidge and FMS received this equipment through Title I grant funds, and this project will ensure equity across all schools. This will provide teachers a common ground to share and collaborate with each other through a standard, interactive learning environment.
- Computer Upgrades are needed because our current computers do not have the processing power or memory needed to run updated operating systems and software. The district is currently using Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003, for which the support and maintenance has expired. More than half of the computers need to be upgraded to Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010.
- Server Upgrades include replacement of seven servers and the firewall, which will support reliable teacher and student access and for the continued growth of our virtual classroom environment.
Technology is integrated in many district classrooms now. Technology integration is a joint effort of several teams across the district, including the curriculum team, the technology team, and the building and district administrative team. Technology integration is rooted in our school improvement plans, our curriculum documents, and in the engagement process of the students themselves. The continued and increased requirements of the State and Federal Departments of Education require all teachers to use technology in the delivery of instruction, and having efficient technology will support our teachers and students in improving achievement. Technology projects and needs are addressed monthly by the Board’s Program/Technology Committee.
Technology – How will you ensure teachers use the technology?
The district will have an established training schedule, as is done with other hardware/software program rollouts. This will include web training and online video for instruction. Our instructional programs will increasingly require the use of technology by all teachers.
Why not build a new Ferndale Middle School/Ferndale High School facility? How much would it cost to build a new high school?
The cost to build a new high school/middle school facility would be approximately $100-million based on estimates for a similar sized 400,000 square foot building at $165 per square foot, and including asbestos abatement and demolition of the existing facility, site reconstruction to rebuild parking lots and athletic fields, and the new construction. Building of a new school at the present site would require the new building to be constructed at the existing parking, baseball field and activity field areas while the existing building remained occupied.
Kitchens - If schools have operated for 80 years without kitchens, why do these schools need kitchens now? Will there be a cost-savings associated with the kitchen?
There are currently only two K-12 schools without full-service kitchens in the district, Roosevelt Primary School and University High School, serving more than 900 students between them. For these two schools, food must be prepared at Ferndale High School and transported to the prep kitchen areas every day. A full-service kitchen will also give these schools an ability to serve the greater selection of food that is available to students at Coolidge, Kennedy, FMS and FHS, and not to rely on deliveries as a satellite program from the FHS kitchen. Currently, they can only keep food warm and they do not have the ability to do any cooking. In order to expand the service and menu options provided, Health Department standards require full remodeling. Such items as replacing the current sink cannot take place without a full update to ensure compliance.
Carpet-Why carpet repairs?
Flooring replacements are in the bond proposal on a replacement schedule. Carpet has a useful life of 10 to 15 years depending on maintenance and/or site conditions. Most of the buildings in the district are coming up on 10-12 years on the carpet that was installed under the 1995 bond program, and are scheduled for 2-4 years into the 2012 project schedule, which would make it 12-16 years by the time it is replaced. This work is being scheduled to replace carpet that is beyond its life expectancy. Floor coverings will not be installed in areas that have seen limited traffic and is still in good shape. The district will focus on rooms and areas that are showing signs of wear and/or have been damaged through the years.
Given the current financial status of the state and local economies: 1) Will the district be able to pay back the loan? and 2) Will the school district be able to propose additional bond issues within the 30-year term of this bond issue should additional upgrades and improvements be needed?
1) Yes, based on the conservative financial estimates of our financial advisors, there will be sufficient revenue from the 7 mill assessment to repay the principal and interest of the bonds.
2) The bonding capacity of a school district is based on the taxable value of the property within the school district and the terms of current outstanding bond issues. Regarding current bond issues, the 2004 bonds will be repaid in 2024, and the bonds refinanced in 2011 will be repaid in 2022. Upon the repayment of these issues, bonding (borrowing) capacity will increase significantly. Additionally, state law defines the formula for determining bonding capacity and repaying the principal and interest on the bonds that are sold. Borrowing capacity for this issue is directly proportional to property tax values, i.e., as the property tax base declines, borrowing capacity declines, or, by contrast, as property values increase, borrowing capacity increases. As has been done with the 7 mills approved in 1995, extended in 2004, and now requested to extend in 2012, future extensions will be possible within the 30-year term of this issue as taxable values grow, and as current outstanding bond issues are repaid. The actual interest expense on a bond issue is determined at the time of the bond sale. Bond issues, like homes, can be refinanced during the term of the issue, making it possible to reduce interest expense. Ferndale has refinanced bonds periodically, most recently in 2011 with a savings to taxpayers of more than $1-million in interest.
How are cost estimates arrived at?
Developed based estimates of costs per square foot and formulas defined by the Michigan Department of Treasury, including inflation.
What is the official ballot wording?
The official ballot wording is as follows:
FERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN
SCHOOL BUILDING AND SITE
BOND PROPOSAL
Shall the Ferndale Public Schools, County of Oakland, State of Michigan borrow the sum of not to exceed Twenty-Two Million Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand and 00/100 ($22,825,000) Dollars and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefore, for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years, for the purpose of defraying the costs of:
- Remodeling, equipping and reequipping, furnishing and refurnishing school buildings, or parts of those facilities, including mechanical upgrades; asbestos removal; additional lighting; improvements to the high school auditorium and stage, and to the pools; and safety and security upgrades; preparing, developing and improving school sites, or parts of or additions to sites, including parking lots and drives, playgrounds, structures, or other facilities;
- Acquiring and installing technology and equipping or reequipping school buildings for technology, including installation of technology infrastructure, and upgrading existing hardware?
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in the first year that the levy is authorized is zero (0.00) mills, and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire the debt over the term of the bonds is approximately Four and 52/100 (4.52) mills. It is not expected that the School District will be required to levy more than the seven (7) mills for debt retirement purposes than it currently levies, but the amount of the tax levy may decrease more slowly and/or be levied for a longer period of time as a result of the issuance of these bonds. If the School District borrows from the State to pay debt service on the bonds of this issue, the School District may be required to continue to levy mills beyond the term of the bonds to repay the State.
(UNDER STATE LAW, BOND PROCEEDS MAY NOT BE USED TO PAY TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATOR SALARIES, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR COSTS OR OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATING EXPENSES.)
Who can vote in this election?
Any registered voter who lives within the Ferndale School district boundaries which are from I-696 to the North, Eight Mile Road to the South, Hilton to the East, and Scotia to the West. The Ferndale Schools encompass four square miles in the City of Ferndale, City of Pleasant Ridge, Charter Township of Royal Oak, and a portion of the City of Oak Park.
Election law requires that the first time you vote, you must have appeared in person before an elections official either at the time of registering to vote, at the time of requesting an absentee ballot, or at the polls on election day.
What is the deadline to register vote?
You must be registered to vote at least 30 days before the election (Monday Jan. 30, 2012). Any American citizen over the age of 18 can register and vote. To vote in Michigan, you are required to live in the community where you will vote for 30 days prior to the election. If you are not yet registered, contact any Secretary of State’s Office, or the Clerk’s Office in the community where you live. Deadline to apply to Register to Vote: Monday, January 30, 2012
How do I know if I’m registered to vote?
If you are a resident and are not sure if you are registered, you can check that information easily on the Secretary of State’s Voter Information Center website at https://webapps.sos.state.mi.us/mivote. The site will prompt you to enter your name and will tell you if you are registered and where your polling precinct is located.
How do I register?
If you are not registered to vote in the Ferndale School District, visit the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MIVoterRegistration_97046_7.pdf for an on-line registration form. You can type directly on the form, print it, sign in and mail it to your local Clerk’s Office. You can also register in person at your Clerk’s Office.
Charter Township of Royal Oak
Deputy Clerk, Joanne Day, 248/547-9804
21075 Wyoming, Ferndale, MI 48220
City of Ferndale
City Clerk, Cherilynn Tallman, 248/546-2384
300 E. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220-1797
City of Pleasant Ridge
City Clerk, Amy Allison, 248/541-2900
23925 Woodward, Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069
City of Oak Park
City Clerk, Tonni Bartholomew, 248/691-7400
13600 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park, MI 48237
Where do I vote?
If you are unsure where you vote, check your voter registration card or call your City Clerk's Office (see above for all Clerks' phone numbers).
This is a closed primary, voters must declare either a party (Republican or Democratic ballot), or if they choose not to obtain a party ballot, they can request a ballot with only the Ferndale Schools Bond Issue. This is for both absentee and in-person voters.
How do I vote absentee?
Applications to vote absentee are available in the Clerk’s Offices of each of the Ferndale Schools four municipalities.
As a registered voter, you may obtain an absentee voter ballot if you are:
- age 60 years old or older
- unable to vote without assistance at the polls
- expecting to be out of town on election day
- in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
- unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
- appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.
A person who registers to vote by mail must vote in person in the first election in which he or she participates. The restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped or voters who are 60 years of age or older. (Voting in person on one governmental level clears the restriction on the other levels. For example, if a voter subject to the restriction votes in person at a school election, the voter would be free to obtain an absentee ballot for the first state election in which he or she wishes to participate.)
This is a closed primary, voters must declare either a party (Republican or Democratic ballot), or if they choose not to obtain a party ballot, they can request a ballot with only the Ferndale Schools Bond Issue. This is for both absentee and in-person voters.
Requesting an Absentee Voter Ballot
- Download your absent voter ballot application
- Send your absentee ballot request form to your local clerk
Deadline to Apply for Absentee Ballot:
Saturday, February 25, In Person at Your Clerk’s Office
Deadline to Vote Absentee:
In person – Monday, February 27
Deadline to Return Absentee Ballots:
Tuesday, February 28 at 8 pm
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