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Romulus superintendent urges community support for proposed bond, warns of staffing retirements; sale of Miraman property extended
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Edmondson urged community collaboration to pass a proposed bond in August, warned of many impending retirements in district leadership, and said a buyer requested an extension for the Miraman property sale in exchange for a $20,000 holding payment.
Superintendent Benjamin Edmondson used his report at the May 27 Romulus Community Schools board meeting to press for community support for a proposed bond, to flag an expected wave of retirements among district leaders, and to report a holding payment tied to the pending sale of the Miraman property.
Edmondson said the proposed bond is intended to fund facility improvements to help attract and retain families, and he asked board members to participate in outreach. He said staff will hold parent and community meetings, circulate information on the district website and marquees, and use mailers, but cautioned that state rules limit some campaign activities by district officials.
Edmondson urged urgency: he said the district is aiming for an early-August special election to capture a temporary millage reduction window and warned that special-election turnout typically favors organized opposition. He said passing the bond would fund three phases over six years to address infrastructure needs the superintendent said cannot be covered by sinking-fund money alone.
Edmondson also said several senior staff members — including multiple administrators and other long-tenured employees — are likely to retire within the next five to six years, which he described as a risk for loss of institutional knowledge and a workforce-planning challenge.
On a separate matter, Edmondson updated the board on the pending sale of the Miraman property: he said a prospective buyer requested a 30-day extension to complete the purchase; the buyer offered $2,010 to hold the property, and the superintendent countered that the district required $20,000 to hold the sale for an additional month. Edmondson said the district received the larger holding payment.
Edmondson also encouraged board members to attend end-of-year events, graduation and bond-committee meetings and said the district will post bond-committee materials on the district website and hold community outreach meetings.
