Forest Hills to ask voters Nov. 7 to restore operating millage and approve $340 million bond

Forest Hills Public Schools officials on Sept. 18 outlined two proposals that will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot: a request to restore part of the district's operating millage and a $340 million bond to pay for capital projects through 2031.

Julie (district finance presenter) told the board that the district currently levies 17.6614 mills and is seeking a one-half mill increase to recapture revenue lost to state-mandated rollbacks; the operating request is expected to recover roughly $395,000 across the 2024 and 2025 tax years for day-to-day operations. “When you get to the ballot the language is prescribed by law,” Julie said, adding the district cannot levy more than the statutory 18 mills.

District staff framed the bond as a multi-series issuance that, if approved, would not increase the current debt tax rate and would fund projects across elementary, middle and high schools. Sample project figures in the presentation included an approximate $11.5 million allocation for Ada Elementary; roughly $13.1 million for Northern Trails elementary-level work; $41.2 million for Central High School building updates; and an estimated $51.6 million for a new aquatic center. The bond would also fund site work, roofing and mechanical system replacements, playground accessibility improvements, buses and technology refreshes.

Julie said the district developed the proposal from stakeholder input, facility walk-throughs, and assessments of mechanical and paving life cycles. She emphasized that bond proceeds cannot be used for operating costs such as staff wages, instructional supplies, or most software purchases.

The district noted legal limits on communications: while district staff must provide factual information about the measures, legal counsel reviews materials to avoid explicit advocacy during official presentations. The board also listed three community presentations on the proposals scheduled for Sept. 26, Sept. 28 and Oct. 3 and pointed residents to the district website for more detailed pages on the operating millage and bond.

The board did not take a final action on the measures at the Sept. 18 meeting; the district will continue outreach and provide factual information to voters ahead of the November election.