GPPSS Bond Update

Safe - Warm - Dry - Connected

Bond Passes to Keep Students Safe, Warm, Dry Connected

On the November 6, 2018 ballot, voters overwhelmingly approved the $111,040,000 GPPSS bond proposal to keep our students Safe, Warm, Dry and Connected. This investment in our beautiful buildings, many of which are nationally designated historic landmarks, helps attract and retain students and staff as we provide secure, updated and nurturing learning environments that reflect the importance our community places on education.

Presentations

Construction updates and presentations of completed work can be found on the left side of this page. 

Dashboards

Regular dashboard updates on the left side of this page provide quick snapshots as the projects unfold. Page one focuses on the financial. Page two shows photos of projects and lists the timeline of activities.

Building Plans

Each building has a plan that was shared before the bond passed, highlighting what was originally established within the scope of the bond. Presentations for each building can be found under the facilities town halls section on the left side of this page.

Timeline of Key Actions

Bond Oversight Committee Appointed

November 26, 2018, the Board of Education unanimously passed their Bond Oversight resolution and 24 highly qualified residents applied. Skill sets and backgrounds were varied and included architects, contract managers, senior IT architects, accountants and engineers. The five chosen for the committee are: George Bailey, Matthew Jewell, Wilson Moin, Garrett Myers, and David Walenga. The district thanks all who volunteered to serve in this important capacity.

Board Facilities Committee

Another layer of oversight for the bond, sinking fund and general funds projects is the Board of Education's Facilities Committee. Current members include Dr. Christopher Lee, Lisa Papas and Colleen Worden.

Professional Staff

Over the next few months, the Administration in conjunction with our Owner’s Representative, Plante Moran Cresa (PMC), worked to hire professional staff to implement the bond program.

Architect

The first professional firm to be hired was the Architect/Engineering firm. There was broad coverage to seek out firms interested in responding to the Request for Proposal. Six responded and based on the criteria established, four were selected for interviews. Administration and PMC recommended and the BOE approved hiring French-Ehresman Architects at a total cost of $4,002,000.

Selling of the First Series

January 14, 2019, the BOE approved a resolution prepared by our Bond attorney, Miller-Canfield authorizing the sale of bonds. The amount of the first series sale is not to exceed $68,000,000. The resolution also authorizes the refinancing of the 2007 Refunding Bonds ($8,170,000) for the purpose of taxpayer savings of approximately $300,000. The resolution also designates the authorized officers (underwriters) to negotiate the sale are J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC (Senior Manager) and Raymond James, & Associates Inc. (co-managing). The bonds were sold on February 6, 2019 and the final closing and proceeds were disbursed to the District the week of February 25, 2019.

Investment Advisor Firm

The next step taken by the BOE on February 11, was to secure the services of an Investment Firm to assist the District in managing bond proceeds. Administration’s focus in the hiring of an investment firm was their understanding of current Michigan legal requirements for investments of bond proceeds, security of the proceeds, and expertise in managing the optimum yield while providing liquidity for cash flow needs. Administration also reviewed the proposed fees for services provided. Administration interviewed three firms and recommended Umbauh Cash Advisory Services, LLC.

Construction Manager

Also on February 11, the Board approved Turner Construction with a fee of 2.85% for the scope of work described in the Request for Proposal plus preconstruction staffing of $452,766.  The other CM costs will be finalized in a future Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) amendment at each phase of the project when it is bid and awarded.

Technology Design Firm

The final professional firm to be hired was the Technology Design firm. There was broad coverage to seek out firms interested in responding to the Request for Proposal. Five firms responded and based on the criteria established, four were selected for interviews. District administration were on the interview committee including two members of our Technology staff, along with two members from the bond oversight committee. The proposal was reviewed by our attorney from Clark-Hill. Although Plante Moran is independent of Plante Moran Cresa (PMC), the District made the choice to not include PMC in the interview process. In addition, administration provided a letter from Plante Moran Cresa outlining the independence between PMC and PM as the Technology Designer. BOE approved hiring low bidder Plante Moran at a total cost of $671,000. Plante Moran has extensive K-12 experience and will be an integral partner as we plan for infrastructure upgrades, instructional classroom equipment, security, and communication across our school buildings.