By Matthew Hutchison / news@whmi.com

Brighton Area Schools says the survey they fielded after the defeat of the May 5 bond proposal shows voters want any future bond request to be smaller, more focused on core needs and paired with clearer financial information.

The district received 851 responses; 577 came from people who voted “yes” with 181 who voted “no.”

Superintendent Dr. Matt Outlaw said of the people who voted “yes,” 90.3% said they would continue to support the bond if it were placed on a future ballot, while 8% said it would depend and 1.7% said they would not support another bond initiative. He characterized the comments from “yes” voters as showing broad support for strong schools, school safety and core infrastructure, along with academic spaces, arts and music.

Among the respondents who voted “no,” 28.2% said they would support a future bond if the issues they identified were addressed. Another 49.7% said it would depend on the proposal, while 22.1% said they would not support a future bond initiative. Common themes among “no” voters included concerns about the size and scope of the proposal, a desire to focus on needs rather than enhancements, a preference for a November election and requests for more financial information about future proposals and allowable uses of bond dollars.

The district said 93 responses came from people who did not vote in May. Of those respondents, 50.5% said they would support a future bond initiative, 44.1% said it would depend and 5.4% said they would not support another bond proposal.

Among non-voters, the district said two groups emerged: those who had scheduling challenges or were confused by election logistics and those who were conflicted about the proposal.

Survey respondents identified their top priorities as infrastructure, a security lock-out system, science classrooms, elementary classrooms, secure vestibules for Spencer and Hornung, technology, special education spaces, Maltby-Hornung Road, gymnasium air conditioning and elementary gymnasiums.

The district said the Board of Education may consider placing a proposal on the November 2026 ballot. Outlaw said the feedback will help guide the district’s next steps. Any decision would ultimately be made by the board, but Outlaw would expect a future proposal to include no increase to the current tax rate, a significantly reduced scope and a primary focus on safety and security, learning spaces and infrastructure.

“I want to express my appreciation to everyone who took the time to complete the survey, as well as to the hundreds of community members who have shared their feedback in informal conversations since May,” Outlaw said. “That input has been extremely valuable as we determine the next steps for our district’s facilities and grounds.”

Outlaw also said feedback from residents who voted against the proposal or did not vote was especially helpful.
“For those who voted ‘no’ or chose not to vote in May, your comments were particularly helpful,” Outlaw said. “It was important for us to hear directly from members of our community about their perspectives, priorities and concerns as we continue our mission of educating the children of this community. Please know that your feedback has been heard and will help inform our decisions moving forward.”

The district said the Board of Education and district administration will use the feedback as they evaluate next steps and consider future facility planning.