The Marquette Area Public Schools will ask voters in May to approve a bond issue to address multiple building and infrastructure needs within the district. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education Monday adopted a resolution to place a bond proposal before district voters on May 5, asking for support of a $59.995 million facilities improvement plan designed to address critical infrastructure, building systems and learning environment needs across the district. The estimated tax impact is 1.55 mills.  

This action follows two major facilities studies — one conducted by the state of Michigan and one independently commissioned by MAPS — both of which identified more than $100 million in essential infrastructure and building system needs across the district’s schools.

“We are grateful to our community, staff, and parents for engaging with us throughout this comprehensive planning process,” said Superintendent Zack Sedgwick. “The board’s decision to move forward with a May 2026 bond proposal is rooted in extensive data, transparent communication and clear community feedback. We asked the community, and we listened and responded to their feedback. This proposal represents a thoughtful investment in the future of our students and staff.”

If approved, the $59,995,000 bond would focus on addressing the highest-priority needs identified in the district’s Facilities Master Plan. Improvements would include:

• Critical infrastructure and building system replacements

• Safety and security enhancements

• Learning environment updates to meet current educational standards

• Long-term facility investments to reduce operational costs and improve reliability

Further project details will be shared with the community as planning continues.

The resolution reflects extensive community engagement and feedback gathered through the district’s Facilities Planning process, which included staff input, two community listening sessions, and a comprehensive community-wide survey mailed to every household in the district.

A MAPS press release notes that over the past two years, the district has emphasized a long-term, responsible approach to facilities investment as part of its District Strategic Plan. One of the plan’s core goals is to ensure that school facilities are safe, healthy, and aligned with modern instructional needs.

Key elements of the district’s facilities planning process include:

• Infrastructure studies: The state of Michigan funded a statewide facilities assessment, which determined that MAPS has more than $100 million in critical infrastructure needs–findings that closely mirrored the district’s own study.

• Community listening sessions: Held Sept. 22-23, these sessions helped inform residents about facility conditions and provided opportunities for questions and feedback.

• Community survey: Conducted by School Perceptions, an independent research firm, the survey gathered statistically significant feedback from 1,929 respondents, helping guide the board’s decision-making.

The district also continues to maintain facilities through its voter-renewed sinking fund, which provides approximately $1.3 million annually for repairs, insufficient, however, to address major system replacements and long-term building needs, the costs of which are estimated to exceed $100 million.

The district will continue providing updates on the proposed bond, including project scopes, tax impact details and opportunities for community engagement. More information is available on the district’s Facilities Planning webpage at:   https://www.mapsnet.org/page/facilities-planning.

Questions may be directed to mapsinfo@mapsnet.org or 906-225-4200.