Dearborn School Board Seeks Public Opinion On Election Date

The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education is seeking community input in regards to placing a $76 million bond proposal on either the August 6 primary ballot or the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

The public can take part in an online survey by visiting the district website, www.dearbornschools.org, and clicking on the link located on the home page. No personal information will be collected by the survey.

“Although this is a non-scientific poll it will provide the board with one more way of gathering input from the community about the two election dates,” David Mustonen, communications coordinator for Dearborn Public Schools said.

At the March 11 Board of Education meeting, the administration presented a proposal for a $76 million bond that would provide funding for security, modifications, additions, remodeling, technology, and transportation.

Mustonen said the district has 19,100 students. Of those, more than 6,200 students enrolled during the past 26 years.

A need to provide additional security, increased student numbers, an aging inventory of buildings (23 of the district's 35 buildings are 50 to 90 years old), state required online testing, an aging fleet of busses, and an 8.1 percent decline in funding from the state during the last five years have all contributed to the need for the district to seek a voter approved bond, according to Mustonen.

Community members can find out more information, leave comments, ask questions, and engage in a constructive dialogue on a district website dedicated to providing information only on the 2013 S.M.A.R.T. Bond, http://iblog.dearbornschools.org/2013bond/.

Mustonen said a voter approved bond project would not increase the current 5.81 mill rate taxpayers are currently paying due to the retirement of existing bond debt.