It’s looking more and more like the Brighton Area Schools will be asking the voters to approve a bond issue next year.
Unlike the 2012 bond issue of nearly $89 million, this time around the amount will be about half that. The bond money would be used for many aspects that were left off the 2012 bond issue. They were not included because it was felt that if the bond issue were too high, it would not pass.

The items in the next bond issue could include roof replacement for some schools, parking lot repaving, replacement of acoustic tile, some new lighting and other items. At its meeting Monday night the board discussed creating a time schedule for certain benchmarks prior to submitting the proposed bond to the state, such as deciding on the types of items - and the amount - to be requested. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI the application to the state treasury dept. would have to be made by sometime in May, with the deadline for submitting such applications in June.

With the district’s long-term debt now declining, the bond issue would not result in a millage increase, but rather would extend the year by which the district’s debts from past millages and bond issues would be paid off. In the coming weeks and months the board will be deciding what items – and the estimated cost of each item - to include in the possible $45 million bond issue. (TT)