By Wendy Colsen
With absentee ballots arriving in mailboxes soon, voters will be asked to consider a $49.5 million, 25-year bond proposal for Saugatuck Public Schools that, among other things, would include the development of a community recreation center on district-owned property off Wiley Road in Douglas.
The proposal is up for vote on the November 3, 2026, ballot. According to Superintendent Mark Neidlinger, if approved, the current millage rate would remain the same. Conversely, if the bond is not passed, the tax rate would decrease.
“[For this bond], this would be a no tax rate increase,” said Neidlinger at the September 14, Saugatuck City Council meeting. “We have a bond dropping off next year, so if we are able to secure this bond now, there will be no additional tax increase.”
The main focus of the proposal is the construction of a new community recreation center that would expand opportunities for students and provide services for the broader community.
According to district provided materials, the center could support the marching band, physical education classes and student athletics. It could also provide robotics activities.
In addition, the center may include the following:
- Indoor basketball courts and walking track
- Community fitness and meeting spaces
- Youth and adult recreation programming
- Variety baseball and softball fields
- Community soccer field and tennis courts
- Pickle ball courts
When asked by council members to whom the recreation center would be available, Neidlinger replied it would be open to community members who buy a membership. Tourists and non-residents could also purchase admittance. The district is considering membership fee structures similar to Byron Center and Whitehall’s recreation centers.
The question of an indoor pool came up as well, to which Neidlinger replied, “An indoor pool is not likely. But an outdoor pool… we’re at the very beginning phase of figuring out what the building itself will look like, which will determine where the dollars get spent.”
“I’ve made it really clear that if we have the funds to have an outdoor pool, I would love for that to be available for our community,” he continued. “It’s also part of our second-grade curriculum to take swim lessons. It would be lovely for us to use our own pool instead of driving up to the Aquatic Center.”
The bond would also fund the expansion of the Early Childhood Education Center with the addition of a new center on Blue Star Highway next to Douglas Elementary, which would provide additional classrooms for three-year-olds, increasing access to preschool programs with Montessori curriculum. The existing Early Childhood Center would continue to operate the preschool program for four-year-olds.
Furthermore, the bond proposal also includes:
Sound and lighting upgrades to the high school auditorium
Safety and security enhancements
Technology updates for teaching and learning
High school parking lot improvements
New buses
Moving the buses from Blue Star Highway to the Wiley Road property
The proposal follows completion of projects funded by a 2020 bond, which the district says were completed on time and within budget.
The district also points to two community surveys conducted in 2026, which considered input from more than 550 community members, parents, staff and students to “identify priorities and provide input for future improvements.”
Absentee ballots are expected to be available beginning September 24, and polls are open Tuesday, November 3, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The district will host informational sessions for community members on the following dates:
September 22 at 6:00 p.m. at Saugatuck High School
October 13 at 6:00 p.m. at Douglas Elementary School
October 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Saugatuck High School
For more information, visit saugatuckpublicschools.com/proposed-bond-information.
*Disclaimer: Reporter is a former Saugatuck Public Schools employee.
