COLOMA — Voters in the Coloma Community Schools district will decide a $28 million bond on the May 2 special election.
The bond proposal would fund infrastructure overhauls in the district’s buildings from 2024-26. Should it pass, the bond would raise the tax rate by 0.99 mills and be paid over 25 years.
A homeowner with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay roughly an additional $99 in taxes annually, if the bond is approved. The total millage levy would be 4.69.
The elementary school and high school were built in 1950s and 1960s, respectively. The district plans to gut these buildings, replace windows, doors, lighting, ceiling, flooring, boilers and classroom furniture, among other improvements.
The bond would also pay for the installation of air conditioning in the elementary school building, which community members told the district was a priority.
The junior high school would also have four bathrooms remodeled and sidewalks repaired.
The demolition of the old high school, which was built in the early 1930s would also be part of the project, as well as the demolition of the Alwood Gymnasium. No students have used the building since 2014, and it’s mostly been used for storage since.
The district would replace these buildings with a new community center and a gym for fourth- and fifth-grade students. After school hours, various community groups would also be able to access the gym space. The district hopes to incorporate elements from the original building, like old bricks and stones, in the designs.
Additionally, the bond measure would pay for sidewalk repairs and resurfacing the track. At the McDaniels Field, the district would renovate the press box, adding a new concessions stand and new bathrooms.
