Howell voters
approve three
new schools
HOWELL — Voters said yes to the construction of three new schools in the community when they approved at $46.6 million building plan on Dec. 11.
The $46.6 million public referendum will be supported by state aid totaling $14.2 million, leaving Howell taxpayers with a net cost of $32.4 million.
The estimated annual tax impact to residents will be $86 on a home assessed at $100,000; $103 on a home assessed at $120,000; $120 on a home assessed at $140,000; and $172 on a home assessed at $200,000, according to information provided by the Board of Education.
The Dec. 11 referendum passed with a count of 2,484 residents voting to approve the measure and 1,894 residents voting against it.
According to plans presented by the board, two new schools will be built in the Adelphia section of the township; a 550-pupil K-5 elementary school and a 750-pupil grades 6-8 middle school. The site of these two schools will be a 77-acre tract between Ardmore Estates and the former Board of Education administration building on Route 524 in northern Howell.
The second 550-pupil K-5 elementary school will be built on a 20-acre tract off Ramtown-Greenville Road near Howell Middle School South.
The Adelphia and Ramtown sites have existing water and sewer lines.
At present there are 7,350 pupils enrolled in the district. School administrators are projecting that number to increase to more than 8,000 students by 2005.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Enid Golden said she was "thrilled that the community had acted in the best interests of the children."
Golden said residents, teachers and board members held many information sessions over the past three months in order to inform the voting public why the board was making the proposal it put before voters.
"After taking the time to really look at the issues, the community came together and realized the new schools were the best way to go and they followed through," the superintendent said.
With the new schools in place several years down the road, district administrators hope to reduce class size to 23 students per classroom in grades four through eight and 21 students in kindergarten through third grade.