Bloomfield Hills board adopts FY 2025–26 budget, approves sinking-fund proposal for November ballot

The Bloomfield Hills Schools Board of Education on June 16 adopted the district's fiscal 2025—26 budget framework and approved asking voters to consider a 10-year, 1.5-mill sinking-fund replacement on the November ballot.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Candace Moynihan presented the required public hearing on tax rates and the budget. Moynihan said the district will levy 18 mills for general operating purposes on nonresidential property and a residential (hold-harmless) general operating millage of 4.3836; the board will also levy a 2.75-mill debt-service millage and a sinking-fund millage of 0.6907, the latter estimated to produce about $3.4 million for capital needs.

Moynihan summarized the district's fiscal position and projections: the FY24-25 year is now expected to close with an additional $780,000 added to an estimated fund balance of roughly $23.5 million (about 21% of expenditures). For FY25-26 she projected total revenue near $106.2 million against expenditures near $108 million, producing a structural deficit of about $1.9 million. "We are projecting that we will be adding 780,000," Moynihan said during the presentation, describing the changes that contributed to the revision.

To address the near-term shortfall, staff recommended a strategic use of fund balance while the district waits for final state funding decisions and October enrollment counts. Board members emphasized that the district carries a healthy fund balance and that the December amendment (after the state and enrollment data are known) will be used to align the budget to final figures.

Trustee Lindsay Baker expressed reservations about the sinking-fund timing given declining enrollment and an in-progress strategic plan, saying she was "still not comfortable with the sinking fund at this point given the information that we have." Other trustees and committee members argued that capital and maintenance needs remain and that asking voters now would better preserve the district's buildings and infrastructure. After discussion the board voted 5-1 to adopt the sinking-fund replacement resolution to place the question on the November ballot.

Separately, the board adopted the FY24-25 final budget revision and the FY25-26 original budgets and special-revenue budgets, each by roll-call motions recorded in the meeting. Board members noted that unsettled labor contracts (teacher, building administrator, early childhood teachers) and enrollment projections create some uncertainty in expenditure assumptions and that staff will present updates once state allocations and October counts are final.

What happens next: the board approved the budget framework and directed staff to bring formal amendments as required (a December amendment was specifically noted), and staff will coordinate community information and the sinking-fund ballot language prior to the November election.