Adrian Public Schools won’t make a second attempt at passing a bond proposal in November, as district leaders continue evaluating why voters rejected the measure in May.
“At this point, we are still assessing and analyzing the dynamics from (May),” Superintendent Nate Parker wrote in an email to The Daily Telegram on Aug. 10. “Once we have finished this analysis, we will determine what the next steps are, but there will not be anything (in November).”
The initial proposal sought voter approval for a 0.65-mill bond to fund construction of a new community recreation center near Adrian High School and upgrades to the Julianne and George Argyros Performing Arts Center.
The APS Board of Education approved placing the proposal on the ballot in January, saying the project would provide expanded recreation, wellness and athletic opportunities for students and residents. It was a tight race, with an unofficial tally of 2,322 votes against and 2,011 votes in favor.
The proposal’s planned features included an indoor track; pickleball, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts; space for tournaments and community programming; and additional practice and training areas for school activities and sports.
Officials spent more than a year evaluating the measure using a facilities assessment and community input gathered in 2023 and 2024.
The proposal’s future became less certain after Siena Heights University announced it would close at the end of the 2025-26. Some residents suggested APS could simply repurpose the university’s fieldhouse instead of building something new, but district officials previously said the option didn’t appear feasible.
APS also explored whether a new community pool should be included after ongoing maintenance problems and an uncertain future at Bohn Pool — but subsequent polling indicated limited support for increasing the size of the proposal.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Schools won’t make second attempt at bond approval in November
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram | USA TODAY Network
