The Huron Valley school district will pursue a massive bond proposal for next year that would ensure its future financial stability for decades to come.

According to Huron Valley Schools Superintendent Paul Salah, the district is creating a proposal for a 20-year, $361 million, zero tax increase bond that could be on the ballot in May of 2024.

“The decisions we are making now for the overall scope of the district will help take care of this district for the next decade and beyond,” said Salah.

In 2018, Huron Valley identified over $400 million in needs for the district and put a $182 bond initiative on the ballot in 2019.

Approval of that proposal and approval of a 10-year sinking fund renewal gave them almost $200 to address a long list of projects.

Ten of the 18 buildings in the district were built in 1968 or earlier and the average age of all the buildings in the district was 58 years old.

But labor and supply cost increases up to 60% during the COVID-19 pandemic and security issues led the district to hire the Plante Moran accounting firm in September 2022 to help reevaluate district needs.

The final price tag for a future ballot proposal was adjusted to $436 million for upgrades and renovations.

Preliminary plans call for fewer buildings to ensure each has a large student population and moving over 60 administrative staff from the current administration building to Milford High School, which is currently at 54% capacity in the 400,000 sq. ft. building.

Salah said the eight Huron Valley elementary schools are at 84% capacity, but the three middle schools that have capacity for 3,000 students only have 1,600 enrolled.

There are currently has 7,998 students in the district.

“We are only utilizing half of what we need at the middle school level and that needs to be adjusted,” said Salah. “Redistricting will put our building layout to better use and better utilize taxpayer resources.”

The district currently has eight elementary schools feeding into three middle schools which feed two high schools — Milford and Lakeland.

If the bond proposal passes, the new configuration will have four elementary schools feeding one middle school into one high school.

A committee of parents, students and district staff has been working on recommendations to present to the school board in order to gain their approval of the plan and preparing ballot language for the election next spring.

“It is a really good blend of individuals who have been meeting since last June and have helped us to come up with a recommendation to the board that makes the most sense,” said Salah.

Salah said the $60 million remaining from the 2019 bond is being spent primarily at the high schools, which Plante Moran identified as needing the most work based on cost.

Milford High School led the list of all district buildings with an estimated $73.7 million in renovations, followed by Lakeland at $71 million. Muir Middle School costs were estimated at $34.4 million.

Huron Valley Schools covers the Village of Milford and Commerce, Milford, White Lake and Highland townships.