$4.9 Million School Bonding Probable For June 9 Ballot

Ann Arbor School District voters probably will be asked on June 9 to approve a $4.9 million bonding issue for construction of a fifth junior high school on Ann Arbor's northeast side. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. recommended yesterday during an afternoon briefing session of the Board of Education that a bonding election to fund only the proposed junior high school be held on that date. Westerman added that he "expects" to return to the electorate in the fall of 1969, however, to ask for funds to build a third senior high school and other needs considered "urgent" by the administration. Funds for the $4,899,000 junior high school, to be located at Nixon and Bluett Rds., were requested in a $15.5 million bond issue in January, 1968, and again last December in a three-part, $9.5 million bond issue. Both issues were soundly defeated. Because of these two defeats, Westerman said, the school district is in a "serious circumstances" regarding space in the junior highs, and he called construction of the fifth junior high the "most urgent" of all "backlogged needs." By the fall of 1971- the earliest the new junior high could be opened for classes if the bond issue is approved by voters this June - Westerman said the need for the new school would be "desperate." "This is no cry of wolf," he declared. "There is á genuine need for this junior high." Any further delay in the school construction could créate "very serious problems," the superintendent said. Westerman was referring to overcrowding in the junior high schools, expected to reach a high level by the 1970-71 school year. The existing junior highs were built to accommodate about 950 children. By 1970-71, there will be an average of 1,180 children in each school, making that year "extraordin a r i 1 y difficult," Westerman said. Westerman said he feit any larger bonding issue than one for $4.9 million "frankly wouldn't be successful," in view of the other money requests which likely will face school district voters June 9. He was referring to an operational millage request on that date for at least a 3.37mill renewal, plus a possible 3.68 additional milis. The Washtenaw Intermedíate chool District also has scheduled a June 9 election for approval of a half-mill increase for county special education programs. The superintendent also announced yesterday that he has "given up" plans to return to the voters for funds to construct a new administration building. Money for this construction had been requested in the two 1968 bond issues which failed. "We hope to make do" with a "small addition" at the 1220 Wells St. administration building, Westerman said, along with the Jones Building at 401 N. División, now used mostly for administrative purposes. Westerman said he intends to recommend the use of $650,000 still unexpended from an $18 million bond issue approved in 1965 for the Wells St. addition. The money also could be used, he said, for renovations at Slauson and Tappan Junior Highs, and at Mack Elementary Schools. These renovations also were requested in the last two unsuccessful bond issues. Only property owners would be able to vote on the $4.9 million bond issue.