By Robert Tomlinson and Dennis Volkert
STURGIS — Voters in the Sturgis Public Schools district will have a say Tuesday as to whether a school bond will be renewed for the next six years to fund a number of school improvements and updated athletic facilities.
On the Tuesday, May 5 ballot, a bond renewal will be on the ballot for the district, which would keep the millage rate the same level as it has for the last several years, at seven mills, and allow the school district to borrow up to $98.475 million and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds for the purpose of several initiatives.
As previously reported in the Commercial-News and Sturgis Sentinel, those initiatives include building and remodeling facilities, equipping and refurnishing, installation of instructional technology and improvement of athletic fields, playgrounds, facilities, structures and sites. If passed, funds would be available in two batches, one spanning 2027-30 and the second from 2029-32, covering the six years being proposed.
The proposal is highlighted by a number of upgrades to the schools, including ADA-related renovations to improve accessibility, classroom renovations, a new fabrication lab at Sturgis High School for the manufacturing CTE program, flat roof replacements, media center renovations, thumbturn classroom lock installation, and the installation of new secure entryways for all schools that don’t have one currently.
The classroom renovations being proposed, according to an FAQ sheet from the district, would renovate the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), Early Head Start, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Career and Technical Education (CTE), Special Education, Viceroy Program, and Adult Education classrooms at Jerolene and Central Commons with new flooring, furniture, and paint. Congress, Wall, Wenzel, Eastwood, and Sturgis Middle School have already had the renovations complete, while Sturgis High School’s renovations are in progress.
As for the new secure entryways, bond money would be used to install such entryways at all the buildings that currently don’t have one, which according to the FAQ sheet is every school but the Wenzel School. According to the FAQ sheet, a secure vestibule promotes safety and security with entryways featuring two locked doors allowing the screening of individuals before they are able to enter the building.
However, the bigger-ticket items on tap if the bond passes have to do with athletics, most notably the construction of a new Aquatic Center. As previously reported, Superintendent Art Ebert said this project was one of the most extensive projects targeted with such a proposal, and has been discussed community-wide.
The vision for the new Aquatic Center, according to district officials, is to fill in the pool and repurpose the current building for a new school-related use. If the bond passes, district officials plan collaborate with the community to determine how to renovate and use that space. It would be repurposed with a student-use focus.
The new center would be the site for all aquatic programming currently offered at the community pool, both by both students and the community. It is to include a minimum of eight lanes, instead of community pool’s six lanes. The pool does not meet depth requirements for competitive swimming. Currently, it’s at five feet, said Steven Crone, aquatic director, and the standard is about 6.5, set by MHSAA. It was allowed to remain at 5 feet, under a grandfather clause, but the grace period will end at some point, Crone said.
Digging a deeper pool at the current building would require use of heavy equipment and the construction process could halt swimming programs for more than a year. Preferred site for the new aquatic center’s location most likely is the courtyard area west of Sturgis High School, Ebert said.
In addition, the bond proposal, if passed, would also fund upgrades to the athletic fields, including the installation of turf at the football, baseball and softball fields. District officials say the new turf would make it possible for the stadium, softball and baseball fields to be used on a more regular basis by both school teams and youth programs, and would allow both football and soccer to be played at the stadium, opening new opportunities for use, such as hosting marching band events and playoff games.
Other athletic upgrades planned include a soccer grandstand and locker room renovation, as well as replacement of the track and all field event areas, including substructures, which are about 60 years old.
A community Q&A session on the bond was held on Thursday, April 23, which was attended by a number of residents. Ebert said the Q&A was a productive one.
“Over the past three months, I have conducted 30 bond proposal informational presentations with a total of 714 attendees. This has given me the opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with a lot of people from around Sturgis. In a digital age, it has been so refreshing to leave technology behind and talk with people in-person. The conversations at each session are different, because everyone has unique things that are important to them,” Ebert said. “The recent session at the library was no different, and included rich dialogue. What I have gleaned from this process is that we have an amazing community that cares about Sturgis and I am proud to be part of it.”
