Community Corner

Letter to the Editor: Brighton School Bond Being Spent on Unneccesary Fluff

Brighton residents Bob and Brenda Goebbel express concern over Brighton Area Schools' management and spending of bond money.

Everyone in the Brighton School District interested in preventing their bond money from being wasted should attend the school board meeting this Monday Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. to see how their tax dollars are proposed to be spent.

The Scranton Middle School football field, "piggybacked" on the "technology" and school improvement bond, as proposed, will now require annual use of school funds for operational and maintenance expenses.

Many Brighton citizens do not have issue with the installation of a new athletic field. The main objection is the move of the field from its original, voted on site and the addition of costly and unnecessary "fluff".

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We have a problem with the surreptitious movement of the field to a new site on the school grounds without an impact analysis or notifying the public most directly affected by this move. We also vehemently object to the planned additional expenditures, not in the bond.  

We do not approve of bond monies for the purchase or installation of a P.A. system, restrooms, concession stand, press box or additional parking which the proposed 500 to 1,000 seat stadium dictates. This was not part of the bond and we can't afford to waste money on things that don't directly impact our students.  

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There is more than a one-time expense associated with these additional amenities. The year round operational and maintenance costs (heating and/or draining of water pipes, etc) will be more monies attached to the general fund.

We haven't forgotten our teachers working without a contract last year and the almost annual threat of no buses for our students. General fund expenditures should be directly impacting the Brighton students, not SELCRA activities for which people outside the district participate.

We can't believe with the tight finances in Michigan, and in our district, that such frivolous expenditures are being considered. It's hard to imagine people voting for the millage renewal on the November ballot with this grossly wasteful plan which is being entertained by the school board. Is there a reason the vote to approve the new site for the football field and its amenities is not until after the election? 

Bob and Brenda Goebbel


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