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Adams considers bond extension to fund building upgrades, repairs

Kali Katerberg/Daily Mining Gazette Jeffers High School will receive several repairs and upgrades if a bond extension is approved by taxpayers.

PAINESDALE — The Adams Township school board met Wednesday approving a new co-op hockey agreement, discussing an in-school officer and pursuing a bond extension.

The board is pursuing a bond extension intended to pay for needed instructional and facility projects and upgrades. The amount would be for $5.3 million as an extension over ten years, explained superintendent Tim Keteri in a presentation to the board. The bond language will read 24 years adding the ten to the existing 14.

The bond would be used to fund the improvements rather than a millage increase which was previously proposed.

“It is all for instructional and facility use, this is not an athletic bond,” Keteri said.

A few of the many improvements funded by the proposed bond would be two new roofs: one for the elementary building and another for the high school gym. Interior and exterior security cameras would be upgraded, flooring in both the elementary and the high school would also be upgraded, new lockers would be installed and computers would be upgraded.

“It’s a pretty extensive, wide-reaching bond,” Keteri said.

The board unanimously approved the preliminary qualification application moving the bond forward. If everything goes as planned, the bond will appear on the Aug. 7 ballot. If voters approve the change the planning and designing would begin with the project likely starting around May, 2019, Keteri explained.

The board also indicated support for looking into having a police officer on school grounds. The officer would be shared with South Range Elementary with more school hours during the semester and more time spent in the village in summer as was discussed at the last village meeting.

The council agreed that having an officer at the school could serve as a deterrent and add to security. The idea of sharing the officer’s hours with the village would be to reduce the financial burden for both parties, Keteri said.

Later in the meeting, the board unanimously approved a new hockey co-op with Chassell, Dollar Bay, Lake Linden, Ontonagon, L’Anse and Baraga. The previous agreement had ended and needed re-approval though L’Anse and Baraga were new additions to the co-op.

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