Today is Election Day and voters in two local school districts  will decide on school bond requests while a third district is seeking operating funds.

 

Hastings Area Schools is asking voters to approve 0.6 mills for critical building  repairs such as replacing roofs at Hastings High School and the 1997 section of Hastings Middle School. Also to be replaced if the bond passes are single pane windows from 1954, renovation of 53 year old bathrooms at the High School and 93 year old bathrooms at Central Elementary. Passage of the bond would also allow upgrades to the high school cafeteria and media center.

 

The Hastings bond proposal would bring in $17.4 Million to be repaid over 11 years.  Hastings school district voters have turned down the last six bond requests for infrastructure repairs;  the last bond proposal that was passed was in 2015.

 

However, unlike previous bond proposals, this one if approved on Tuesday will  result in a net decrease for voters of .15 mill over the prior year’s levy because prior debt has been repaid.

 

Lakewood Schools are seeking district voter approval of a $39 Million bond proposal for remodeling, refurnishing and equipping school buildings including for school security; acquiring a site for and building an early childhood / elementary building;  erecting, furnishing, and equipping a bus garage; improving athletic  facilities, playgrounds, sidewalks, and purchasing school buses. If approved, the millage increase would be 1.2 mills and the bonds would be repaid over 20 years.

 

Gull Lake Community School District which includes parts of Kalamazoo, Barry and Calhoun Counties has an Operating Millage Proposal to levy an increase of 2.9 mills for 11 years to provide funds for operating purposes.

 

*Voting Locations are open 7AM-8PM Today*