The Oscoda School Board has decided not only to ask for a "Sinking Fund" renewal, but also an increase in the Sinking Fund millage rate in next May's election, according to the local Oscoda Press. The newspaper reporter, Jason Ogden, does a great job ferretting out some key facts - like the fact that the school board doesn't have any facts to justify the amount its asking for.
Get this - only one board member, Mark Parent, who wisely voted no, pointed out that the District had not commissioned a facilities survey, an essential tool in determining what needs to be fixed and what doesn't, and how much would be involved. The other 5 board members voted yes, buying into an argument by the Superintendent that a facilities survey might be nice but that they didn't have time to do it before asking for the money in the May elections.
Farmers could grow good crops with that fertile manure. OL says don't ask for money without documenting its necessity - and plan ahead. You had ten years in this case to do your facilities survey and document future needs. Even in the context of recency, why not start the facilities review say, several months ago?
Why not? Probably because the school doesn't want to really document its needs. Let's just go to the voter in a low-turnout election and yelp about protecting the children. We have no problem with financing real building needs to protect children - but's let's do it right and finance the real needs. This type of lack of documentation on sinking funds is happening across the state - we've seen it locally in person, and this is a great example.
A resolution to include the millage on the ballot was passed by a 5-1 vote of the board of education on Monday night. The motion was brought by Secretary Anne Holley, with President Mark Poland, Treasurer Sherry Clouse and Trustees Craig Peters and Neal Sweet voting in favor. Trustee Mark Parent cast the lone dissenting vote and Trustee Betty Hayman was not present.
Sinking fund millage use is restricted to capital improvements and real estate purchases. The expiring millage was last passed at .8 mills in 1997 and was last levied on the December 2007 tax statement at .7742 mill.
The school board is seeking to continue the tax for another 10 years at the higher rate of .8 mills - a .7742 renewal and .0258 increase.
This would generate an estimated $490,000 in its first year and would cost the owner of a property valued at $100,000, with a $50,000 taxable value, an additional $40 per year.
...
Alright, that's half a million a year to the District. Get this
Bob Otremba, district maintenance supervisor, threw his support behind the sinking fund millage.
No surprise that there.
According to Otremba, the high school heating boiler is in dire need of repair or replacement.
A boiler pipe needs to be replaced now at a cost of $3,500.
If one pipe needs replacement, Otremba contended, there is a possibility that the other 69 pipes could burst if not replaced along with it.
A replacement boiler could cost as much as $200,000, he said.
Ok. 10 years of Sinking Fund generates $5 million? You've documented $3500 for one pipe, but might want to replace 69 others (quarter million) so as not to risk replacing a $200,000 boiler).
Where's the rest of the needs?
Parent expressed reservations with voting yes on the motion.
“Before I could support this, I would like to see a facility survey,” he said, arguing that the district should pinpoint areas that need work.
Precisely. Kudos to Mark Parent for responsibility.
District Superintendent Christine Beardsley agreed that such a report might be valuable, but voiced concern conducting such a survey wouldn’t leave enough time to get the issue on the May ballot.
Why not start the review say, months ago?
Here's the defense by another board member.
Poland contended there is already enough information about building needs.
“I would like to see it passed,” he said. “We know what we had done and we know what we want to do.”
I want it. I want it. That's a great defense. "We know what we want to do." Does the public know it?
Fearmongering:
Holley contended, if the money for the boiler system is supplied from the general fund, the district would be hurt financially. She speculated that services in the school and even staffing positions would have to be cut.
Here's the finale:
In addition to the millage question, the board passed a separate resolution to have a regular election in May to also decide school board vacancies.
