$36 Million Asked For Schools

A five-part bonding proposal totaling $36,280,000- including $15,800,000 for a third senior high school at M-14 and Maple Rds. - was recommended last night to the Ann Arbor Board of Education. It was the first time a total bonding figure had been revealed. It was also the first time in recent years that a total cost estímate of the third high school had been given. The school board must officially set the bonding issue for the June 8 ballot by next Wednesday. A public hearing on the bonding proposal, attended by about 100 peóple, was held last night. The bonding proposals are expected to be divided on the ballot into five separate issues which can be accepted or rejected separately. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. sáid passage of all five parts is estimated to cost about four) milis, or a tax increase of $4' per $1,000 of state equalized valuation (SEV). He stressed this was a preliminary estímate. Also expecteaijto face Ann Arbor School. District voters June 8 is an operational millage proposal of perhaps 3.10 milis. This would mean a tax increase of $3.10 per $1,000 of SEV, if it is approved. Thus, if both the millage issue and all five parts of the bonding issue are approved at the polls, taxes for Ann Arbor schools would be increased by approximately $7.10 per $1,000 of SEV. Presently, a total of 35.97 milis for operations and debt service is being levied on Ann Arbor School District voters. Westerman told the audience that the third senior high school is estimated to cost $16,150,000, including equipment and fees, but only $15,800,000 would be needed on this bonding issue because $350,000 for planning has already been appropriated from a 1965 bonding issue. Hurón High "SchöëTTconskT ered outlandishly expensive by many members of the community, cost about $12 million (including equipment and fees). The square foot cost for construction only was $31.04. II was built for 1,800 students. The third high school would be built for 2,400 students anc is estimated to cost $35 peí square foot for construction Westerman said building costs since 1966, when Huron High Ibids were taken, have increased by more than 30 per cent. He assured the audience that economies are being planned for the third high school and said the design will be square, not round as the controversial Huron High was. He added that the amount of square feet provided per pupil ir the third high school will be 146 square feet, which he called another economy. At Huron, pupils have 160 I square feet. Also revealed last night is the stimated cost of a sixth junior high school, to be located on the Pioneer High School site - $5,917,000. The cost of extensive renovations at Slauson Junior High School - including the building of a new wing and auxiliary gymnasium - also was revealed. That is expected to cost $2,993,000. All elementary school buildings and renovations are budgeted at $30 per square foot; junior high building and renovations also at $30 per square foot; the senior high at $35 per square foot; a library addition at $39 per square foot, and a service facility at $14.40 per square foot. The majority of the audience at the budget hearing was from Mack Elementary School. Some 70 Mack parents and Principal Leroy Cappaert attended, and many spoke; The building of a new Mack School at a total cost of $2,270,000 is part of the proposed bonding issue. - - - - ' The Mack parents urged "special treatment" for Mack School, saying Mack has been denied its fair share of Ann Arbor's wealth for many years. Citing Mack's "special problems" - such as the fact that a substantial percentage of Mack students are achieving below the grade level of their peers at other schools - the parents asked that Mack be given "first priority." "Give our school a break," one father urged the board. Several of the Mack parents stressed the necessity of building community facilities at the new school to help Mack parents become positively oriented toward school. Some of the parents expressed disappointment that not all of the recommendations for change by a citizens' committee at Mack were recommended by the administration. Two items not recommended are an instructional swimming pool and a larger gymnasium with shower facilities. After much discussion, most board members asked the administration to try to provide the new Mack with a larger gymnasium than most elementary schools have, for use by the children and the community. Torn . Walker, co-president of the Mack School Parent-Teacher Organization, told the board Mack parents have a stubborn pride in their school. But he said "this pride is close to being broken unless the community responds with the need-l ed facilities and educationall program. We are often regard-I ed as a special problem and wel require a special solution." Westerman again said thel building needs of the school dis-l trict are "critical," and he stressed that his program is based on a predicted pupil growth ra te of slightly more than 3 per cent per year until' 1980. He termed this predicted growth rate a "conservative" estímate. The cost of the five-part bonding issue is expected to be as follows: ELEMENTARY: $9;5GO,000. This includes $2,270,000 for a new Mack School, plus two new elementary schools and renovations and additions at 11 existing schools. JUNIOR HIGH: $9,190,000. This includes $5,917,000 for a sixth junior high, renovations at Tappan Junior High for $236,000, renovations at Forsythe Junior High for $44,000, and extensive renovations at Slauson Junior High for $2,993,000. SENIOR HIGH: $15,800,000. LIBRARY ADDITION: $900,000. This would be a 20,000square-foot additicn to the main library at 343 S. Fifth Ave. SERVICE FACILITY: $830,000. This is a 45,000-squarefoot building and grounds ■facility.