2026 Bond Proposal

If approved by voters, the Holly Area Schools Bond Proposal would provide $97.6 million for district-wide improvements with no tax rate increase projected over the current debt levy. The proposal focuses on three priorities:

• Strengthening Safety and Security
• Improving Buildings and Sites
• Enhancing Skill-Building Environments

• A bond proposal is how a public school district asks its community for authorization to borrow money to pay for capital expenditures.
• Voter-approved bond funds can be spent on new construction, additions, remodeling, site improvements, athletic facilities, playgrounds, furnishings, equipment, and other capital projects.
• Funds raised through the sale of bonds cannot be used on operational expenses such as employee salaries and benefits, school supplies, and textbooks.
• Bond funds must be kept separate from operating funds and must be audited by an independent auditing firm.

If approved by voters, the millage rate is projected to remain the same as the current levy with no tax rate increase to property owners.

This proposal represents Phase 3 of Holly Area Schools' Long-Term Facilities Master Plan. We remain measured and intentional following a long-term approach to address facility projects without increasing the tax burden on our community. This proposal focuses on the district's most current highest-priority facility improvements to our schools and facilities.

The most current Long-Term Facilities Master Plan update began in January 2025.  The plan is informed by multiple sources of input to ensure decisions reflect district and community priorities. This includes alignment with the district’s Strategic Plan, a community-wide survey conducted in February 2026, phone polling in March 2026, and planning sessions with key stakeholders such as staff, community members, and district leadership. Together, this input helped guide thoughtful, well-informed recommendations to the Board of Education to pursue a bond proposal.

Safety and security projects include:

• Emergency communication systems
• Security entrance enhancements
• Security window improvements
• Building entrance barriers
• Backup power generator
• A secure community entrance to the Holly High School pool

School safety standards continue to evolve. This proposal would allow the district to continue to update buildings with current best practices and improve emergency preparedness across all schools.

The proposal would help support learning opportunities by:

• Updating the Holly High School library and media center
• Creating Career Technical Education spaces
• Expanding the Holly High School band room
• Adding new space for district Early Childhood programs
• Creating multi-use space for robotics, fine arts, athletics, and community programs
• Upgrading instructional technology

Creating more Career Technical Education spaces would offer more students opportunities to learn skills and earn certifications that would help them compete for high-demand jobs, such as those in skilled trades.

This proposal would expand learning environments to enhance academic, trades, athletics, music and community programs to help prepare students for advanced fields like robotics and drone technology.

Multi-use space would provide year-round flexibility to support a wide variety of student and community programs and activities, including:

• Physical education classes
• Band and Music rehearsals
• Career-Technical Education training
• Robotics activities and competitions
• Athletic practices and student health & wellness programming
• Community pool entrance and fitness center
• School and community events

Multi-use space has become increasingly common in Michigan school districts. Within approximately 30 miles of Holly Area Schools, nine districts have constructed, acquired, or are currently constructing similar facilities, including fellow Flint Metro League districts such as Fenton, Linden, Goodrich, Flushing, Swartz Creek, and Kearsley to support educational, extracurricular, and community programs and activities.

• Early Childhood programs are currently located across multiple elementary buildings, which limits capacity and contributes to waitlists.
• Over the past four years, Holly Area Schools has experienced consistent enrollment growth —an important factor in long-range planning.
• Creating classroom space in elementary schools would better accommodate a growing population of Young 5s through 5th grade students.
• Centralizing Early Childhood programming would help improve staffing efficiency, collaboration, and instructional alignment.
• Proposed enhancements could increase access, support additional state funding opportunities for future investment in program expansion, and provide purpose-designed learning environments that help promote school readiness and long-term academic success.

Technology requires ongoing replacement to remain reliable, secure, and effective. 

The proposed bond would support device replacements based on end-of-life expectancy and improve network infrastructure to help meet future instructional, safety and security standards.

The proposal would replace or upgrade aging infrastructure and building systems, including:

• Heating and cooling systems
• Roofing
• Ventilation systems
• Plumbing
• Electrical systems
• Playground equipment

These projects would address systems that have reached or are approaching the end of their useful life.

As additional systems continue to age, the proposed bond would allow the district to proactively address remaining infrastructure issues in a planned, cost-effective manner rather than waiting for infrastructure to fail and being reactive with emergency repairs.

These improvements follow our Facilities Master Plan to improve building safety and structural integrity:

• Holly Area Schools’ buildings encompass more than one million square feet of roofing, and since the 2018 bond, approximately 70% of district roofs have been replaced by prioritizing the highest priority areas while planning for remaining roofing projects.
• Similarly, with more than 22 boilers across the district, 11 have been replaced as systems reached end-of-life.

While funding from this bond proposal is independent of the district’s general fund operating budget, the bond would likely have a positive impact on the district’s general fund by allowing the district to reallocate operating funds that are currently being spent on repairs and maintenance for aging facilities, mechanical systems, and technology.

The operational savings generated from cost-efficient facilities could be redirected to student programs and resources.

No. School districts are not allowed to use funds from a bond for operating expenses such as teacher, administrator or employee salaries, routine maintenance, or operating costs. Bond proceeds can only be spent for purposes approved by the voters. Bond revenue must be kept separate from operating funds and expenditures must be audited by an independent auditing firm.

Holly Area Schools earned and maintained a Standard and Poors, S&P Global Long-Term Rating of A+. This proposal would be subject to public reporting, independent audits and disclosure requirements to help ensure all bond funds are spent on voter-approved projects.

The 2022 voter-supported bond projects were completed on time and within the total budget.

• Visit Michigan.gov/vote to register to vote online.
• Individuals may also register in-person at their local clerk’s office through election day, with the required documentation.
• For assistance in obtaining the address of your local clerk, visit  Michigan.gov/vote.

Yes, if you rent a house you can still vote. You must be a registered voter in the city or township you are living in and live within the school district’s boundaries.

• Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot.
• To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then return it to your local clerk.
• For assistance in obtaining the address of your local clerk, visit  Michigan.gov/vote. When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.
• If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available starting September 24 through election day, November 3, 2026.

Registering to vote:

• The last day for voters to register by mail is October 19, 2026.
• Voters may register in-person through November 3, 2026 (election day) with the required documentation.

Absentee Voting:

• Absentee voter ballots are available from September 24 until November 3, 2026.
• Contact your local clerk with questions.

Attend a public information community forum:

• A public forum will be held this fall. Date and time to be determined.