School renovations are planned

An artist's rendering of the planned digital
monument signage planned at Romulus High School

Romulus Community School District officials have revealed plans for upgrades and repairs to four district buildings, funded by the millage approved by voters last August.
Renovations will take place during the next two years, officials said.
Voters approved a sinking millage to fund the repairs by 2,525 to 2,074 votes last August.
According to Dawn Jamison, the chief communications officer for the district, the renovations and improvements are necessary to provide adequate educational experiences for the students in buildings that are about 50-years-old.
“We have several renovation projects in store for our schools,” she said. “We recognize that our buildings are aging and these slated projects and improvements will breathe new life into our district.”

All the planned renovations and repairs will be funded through the sinking fund millage.
“We are very excited about some of the projects in the pipeline,” Jamison said. “These projects improve the technology, accessibility and general curb appeal of four of our schools.”
Improvements at Romulus High School include a new secured entry and frontage improvements along with a new student drop off area and replacement of the cafeteria flooring. Also planned are toilet room renovations and monument signing at the school.
At Romulus Middle School, repairs include the flooring in the cafeteria and repairs or replacement of the water heater and boiler. Monument signage, cafeteria flooring, frontage improvements and new secured entries are also planned at Wick Elementary School, Hale Creek and Barth elementary schools.
A sinking fund is a limited property tax to fund major repairs and renovations to school buildings and allowed the district to levy 3 mills on every $1,000 of property value which is usually at half the market value of the property.  Romulus residents are now paying about $120 annually on an average home assessed at about $37,508 which will generate about $2.3 million annually for 10 years to fund the needed renovations and repairs.
Money from a sinking fund millage can only be used for specific improvements and renovations and cannot be used for salaries, benefits, pensions or any other district expenses.