The three-year, 1-mill tax passed with 2,312 votes of support and 1,917 votes of opposition. Generating around $335,428 a year for three years, the millage will allow us to address facility updates while protecting our instructional budget.
We’ve worked hard to improve our fiscal stability and increase our community’s support for our schools. Having the sinking fund pass shows us that our community is confident in what we are doing and willing to invest in the future of WLPS.
Upgrading our wireless Internet network infrastructure will be at the top of the list of things WLPS will address with the fund, followed by resurfacing the high school track, updating heating and cooling equipment, remodeling some elementary classrooms to accommodate art and music classes as well as fixing drainage issues on some athletic fields.
After the first year of work, WLPS will develop another priority list for the remaining years of the fund.
Tuesday’s election also brought with it some new Board of Education members. Incumbents Michelle Kritzman and Laura Schwennesen and new member John Meadows Jr. were elected for six-year terms. Write in candidates for the partial term are being verified by Washtenaw County. Join me in congratulating all and thanking them for their service to our district.
And again, thank you for helping make Tuesday a great day to be a Trojan.
Top Grades on Annual Audit
The sinking fund victory comes shortly after another victory—an “A” report card on our annual audit.
During our October 24 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, we received commendation from auditors Maner Costerisan for the financial stability we have achieved this past year. They pointed out specifically that increasing our fund balance from less than one percent to over seven percent in two years is worthy of high praise. The auditors reinforced that the Michigan Department of Treasury has indicated school districts need to maintain a minimum of a 5 percent fund balance, which we currently exceed.
It is almost unheard of to have school districts Increase their fund balances while experiencing reduced funding from the state along with decreasing enrollment. But those people obviously haven't heard of Whitmore Lake Public Schools and all that we have achieved.
Needless to say, we were proud to have our hard work and accomplishments affirmed from an outside source.
We will continue to work together to push forward.
7-12 grade. 58 Houses. A whole lot of leaves.
Today was the annual Rake N Run service project at Whitmore Lake Middle and High School. This event sponsored by our Junior and National Honor Societies involves our student body, grades 7-12, spending the day out in the town, cleaning up the yards of community members. I encourage you to check out the photo album posted on our Facebook page HERE (thanks to Pam Blount for the great photos). This day is always a valuable opportunity for our students to learn the importance of serving their community.
And I also want to give a special shout-out to the Whitmore Lake Tavern who provided quite a lunch spread for our senior class today, free of charge.
What a great day to be in Whitmore Lake, and another great week to be a Trojan.
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