Hastings Area School System leaders are asking district voters to approve .7 mills to raise $9.9 million in the May 7 election that will be paid off in 12 years. A previous .4 millage will be paid off in 2020; approval of the proposal will mean taxpayers will have a .3 mill increase in taxes.
The maximum number of years the bond may be outstanding is 12 years.
Superintendent Carrie Duits provided a list of the millage rate during the life of the bonds, if approved:
2019--0.76 mills
2020--0.76 mills
2021--0.76 mills
2022--0.76 mills
2023--0.746 mills
2024--0.724 mills
2025--0.703 mills
2026--0.643 mills
2027--0.625 mills
2028--0.606 mills
2029--0.589 mills
2030--0.558 mills
A brief listing of projects planned for improvements in all district schools buildings includes:
*At the High School, partial roof replacement, bathroom interior doors, locker and cafeteria service improvements.
*At the Middle School, partial roof replacement, bathrooms and locker room improvements.
*At Central Elementary, partial roof replacement, flooring, windows and interior door improvements.
*At Northeastern Elementary, roof replacement, flooring, windows and interior door improvements.
*At Southeastern Elementary, roof replacement, flooring, windows and interior door improvements.
*At Star School, partial roof replacement and flooring improvements.
In May, 2015 school district voters rejected a $55 million millage request, but approved a trimmed down request for $44.5 million in November that year for improvements in several areas to every school building, to demolish and replace a deteriorating a part of the middle school and build a performing arts center.
The money raised from bonds can be used only on capital projects listed on the proposal and not for day to day operating expenses such as day to day maintenance, repair, teacher’s salary and so on.