Great Schools in a Great Community

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Absentee ballots will be available after September 25, 2025.

Each year, the county recalculates the total taxable value of property within the school district’s boundaries. The debt millage is then calculated by the district using those values to generate funds for bond payments. Due to a combination of factors such as repaying older bonds, refinancing to reduce costs, and growth in taxable property values, the district’s required millage rate is projected to decrease.

By keeping the rate at 3.70 mills, the district can issue new bonds to fund additional capital projects without increasing the tax rate above the 2025 level. Essentially, we’re using the difference between the projected lower rate and the current rate to finance new improvements, while maintaining a consistent tax rate for property owners.

When a school district proposes a “zero mill increase”, it means the current millage rate is not expected to rise. New bonds can be issued for improvements without increasing the millage rate above the current level. This is often possible due to factors like repayment of older bonds, refinancing, and growth in taxable property values, which allow the district to maintain the current millage levels without raising the rate.

School districts use mills to calculate dollars collected to repay bonds issued for capital improvements like new buildings, renovations, buses, and technology. 1 mill is equal to $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable property value. The district’s current debt millage rate is 3.70 mills, meaning property owners pay $3.70 per $1,000 of taxable value.

Following the 2024 bond vote the district conducted a survey eliciting feedback about the bond scope. In addition, the district updated the 2023 facilities needs assessment, identifying the highest priorities for each building.

The facilities needs assessment and master plan are living resources that allow the district to monitor and plan for infrastructure needs as buildings and systems reach the end of their useful life. They also inventory existing buildings, evaluate how they are utilized, and consider opportunities for future growth. The plan is put together with input and consultation from the community to guide the district on how to best invest and balance “needs” vs. “wants”.

According to a recent utilization study, nine of our classrooms in that building are deficient in size. The addition would allow students to learn in appropriately sized classrooms, while the other spaces would be reassigned to provide specialized instruction. This would include delivering speech, special education, social work, and reading intervention instruction in spaces that are conducive to learning instead of in hallways and other spaces designed for storage.

Our aging systems and deteriorating roofs have led to significant flooding issues resulting in the loss of instructional materials. Last winter, eleven math classrooms at SJHS were relocated due to flooding caused by faulty HVAC equipment. Math classes were relocated into science labs for two weeks, impacting instruction in both core areas. This bond scope addresses the highest infrastructure priorities across the district so that failing systems are fixed properly in lieu of ongoing costly maintenance and repairs that do not address the issues long term.

Michigan law requires the expenditure of bond proceeds to be audited and an audit would be completed at the end of each series to verify compliance. By law, the bond proceeds can only be spent for purposes approved by the voters. The bond cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs; teacher, administrator, or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.

The St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation (SJPSF, the “Foundation”) is an 501(c)(3)/non-profit organization that operates independently, yet in support of the St. Joseph Public Schools. SJPSF is a wonderful partner of the district that directs donations, in the form of grants, to the students and staff at SJPS. Donations are the result of the generosity of local businesses and from individuals and families with a passion for SJPS and education. The purpose of the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation is to raise, steward, and distribute resources to enrich the education of students in the St. Joseph Public Schools. Although the Foundation is a steadfast partner of the district, it does not have the resources to independently meet the significant infrastructure and programming needs that are part of the bond proposal. The same is true for the newly formed Maize and Blue Fund.

If the bond proposal were to be approved by voters, the district’s architect/engineer would design the proposed projects and prepare construction documents and specifications for the projects. Once the projects are designed, the district’s construction manager would assemble bid packages and publicly advertise to solicit competitive bids for all work. Competitive bidding is required by the Revised School Code. This process requires that the district selects the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. All qualified contractors would have an opportunity to attend a pre-bid meeting to obtain additional information and project clarification, and all would have the opportunity to participate in the competitive bid process.

Yes, businesses and second homes (non-homestead properties) and primary homes (homestead properties) are treated the same regarding bond millage.

Each of the proposed bond series (2026, 2027 and 2029) are structured to have a bond term of slightly under 25 years. The final bond series is scheduled to be issued in 2029 and is projected to have a final maturity date of May 1, 2054 (tax levy year 2053). A visual of the projected future bond series and resulting debt levies is provided below:

Maintenance refers to the regular, ongoing work done to keep buildings and assets in good working condition. It’s preventative in nature—like cleaning, inspections, or replacing filters—to avoid future problems. Repairs, on the other hand, are curative; they’re done after something breaks or wears out, with the goal of restoring it to good condition. Improvement projects go a step further by enhancing or upgrading the asset, such as installing new equipment or renovating a space.

When it comes to funding, a sinking fund can be used for repairs and improvements, but not for routine maintenance. Bond proceeds are even more restricted—they can only be used for enhancing, upgrading or replacing projects, not for repairs or maintenance.

In the example of the building roofs at SJPS:

• Roofing companies offer maintenance services to extend the warranty and life of the roof. Neither sinking fund nor bond proceeds should be used.

• If flashing and caulk on an existing roof is failing and needs repair, this is eligible for sinking fund but not for Bond proceeds

• If due to the failing caulk and flashings (mentioned above) a new roof membrane with flashing and caulk is specified, that is eligible as a bond expenditure.