3 Ludington school bond proposal forums scheduled.

LUDINGTON — Three community forums discussing Ludington Area School District’s upcoming millage election have been scheduled.

Dates include:

• Wednesday, April 3, 6 to 8 p.m. at Ludington High School Library.
• Thursday, April 18, 6 to 8 p.m., at L.F. Peterson Auditorium.
• Wednesday, May 1, 6 to 8 p.m., at L.F. Peterson Auditorium.

The school district will ask voters on Tuesday, may 7, to approve up to 2.32 mills, generating $100,935,000 for 30 years, a 1.71 mills increase in the maximum amount of district taxes currently being paid. The estimated average annual amount of taxes would be 2.58 mills.

Superintendent Jason Kennedy will be available at each of the meetings to answer questions the public may have on the proposal. A list of all questions asked with district’s responses to those questions will be posted to the district’s website, no later than the close of the week for those who are not able to attend.

Community members wishing to attend the April 3 forum will need to enter the library through the outside library door on Washington Avenue.

If passed the proposed project would fund the following:

• Construction of a new elementary school, housing grades kindergarten through five, on school-owned property near the southwest corner of Jebavy Drive and Bryant Road in Pere Marquette Township (known as the Outcalt property).
• New additions and renovations to the middle school and high school complex. The high school was built in 1957; the middle school was built in 1965. 
• Renovations and upgrades to L.F. Peterson Auditorium and the Donald Baldwin Community Pool, both built in the mid-1970s. 
• Improvements to the transportation center, including a new roof.
• Improvements to existing athletic facilities.
• Safety improvements, including single secure points of entry in all school buildings.
• Aggressive marketing of vacant and unused buildings. The proposal would mean the closures of all the current elementary schools: Foster Elementary, built in 1925; Franklin Elementary, built in 1957; Lakeview Elementary, built in 1964, Pere Marquette Early Childhood Center, built as Pere Marquette Elementary in 1965. 

The bond would be phased, allowing construction in 2019 and 2022.

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