Residents of the Calumet Laurium Keweenaw School District will vote on a bond millage renewal in the August primary election to address deteriorating infrastructure across the district’s campuses.
The renewal would fund improvements at CLK Elementary, Washington Middle School, Calumet High School and Horizons Alternative School. The $21.85 million bond will not increase the rate residents have paid on bonds for the past several years.
CLK Superintendent Joel Aisala said the district faces significant climate control challenges at its facilities.
“Right now it gets 90 degrees and then 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 60 degrees and we don’t have parts to be able to fix those,” Aisala said. “So this bond would be to replace those.”
The majority of funding will address the middle and high school campuses, where the district plans to replace heating and air handling systems, lockers and bathrooms that haven’t been updated since the 1970s. Horizons Alternative School will receive smaller-scale improvements to its climate control systems. The virtual center requires minimal maintenance.
Additional work includes parking lot resurfacing and masonry repairs across the CLK Schools campus.
“Trying to take that money and do the most we can but most of the money was spent in the middle and high school,” Aisala said.
The renewal will allow the district to continue planning infrastructure projects that support student education.
Across the western region, several communities have millage renewals and new measures on the August ballot.
Braga County voters will consider a road and street millage renewal for 2 mills. Adams Township has a cemetery millage renewal on the ballot.
Ontonagon County voters in Carp Lake Township will decide on fire and library millage renewals, as well as a new street millage for 1 mill over four years.
Keweenaw County voters will consider a split millage renewal for the Copper Country Intermediate School District, which provides education services.
Voters interested in reviewing their ballot before heading to the polls can visit the Michigan Voter Information Center website or use the “View My Ballot” tool for more details.
