Details needed on school plan

Today’s page 1 story about the Howell school district may well carry some sticker shock for residents. It’s not very often, after all, that a town’s school board proposes the construction of three schools simultaneously.

The construction of one new school is often proposed. In some instances, we’ve seen two schools built at the same time. But three? Well, we’d be hard-pressed to come up with a district that built three schools at the same time.

In a nutshell, that perception is what the Howell Board of Education will be up against over the next six weeks if it is to meet its goal of putting a $50 million building plan before voters on Dec. 11. The board appears ready to ask voters to approve:

• a 550-pupil elementary school in south Howell;

• a 550-pupil elementary school in north Howell; and

• a 750-pupil middle school in north Howell.

That said, board members and district administrators will have quite a sales job to do in order to convince a traditionally skeptical public that not one, not two, but three new schools are needed to meet a growing K-8 enrollment.

Given the fact that we are in uncertain economic times and that much of the new schools’ capacity would likely be filled by children from houses yet to be built, it may be worth asking when all that new housing may be constructed.

Specific information is also needed as to how much the plan will cost taxpayers. At a meeting last week a figure of $156 annually was mentioned, but without any supporting details as to what property assessment that figure was based on. Residents should seek more information from the school board.

The school board is seeking to build now in order to take advantage of state funding that may pay for up to 46 percent of the construction costs.

Residents will have to be convinced the board is not seeking to build more than what is needed just because there may be state funding available.

There is much work to be done if Howell school officials hope to win voter approval for a very ambitious plan.