Lansing Board approves survey questions for potential school bond after clarifying 'existing bond' language

The Lansing Board of Education voted 6–1 to approve a draft survey that will be used to gather public input on a potential school bond, adopting revised wording to clarify how an "existing bond" may be extended even when the ballot language promises "no tax rate increase."

The board considered the consultant's draft questionnaire during the meeting and focused debate on screening items and the phrasing of one tax‑impact question. The consultant, identified in the transcript as the presenter, described three screening questions — "Are you head of household? Do you live within the boundaries of the school district? And are you a registered voter? You have to answer all 3 yes in order to take the survey." The presenter added, "Head of household is the 1 who has the tax obligation," to explain why the survey filters respondents that way.

Several board members urged the survey team to avoid language that could mislead voters. One board member warned that respondents might interpret "no tax rate increase" to mean they would pay nothing more, even when extending the length of payments on an existing bond: "If they think it's no tax rate increase I know some constituents realize that that amount on their tax bill is gonna drop off after so many years, and if we extend it, it won't." The board discussed alternatives and the presenter noted legal ballot language will be drafted by a bond attorney and reviewed with the county.

After debate, a board member moved to approve the questionnaire with a change to question 31 to reference the "existing bond"/extension wording; another member seconded. The motion carried on roll call, 6–1, with Board Member Bergart recorded as the lone No vote. The board instructed the presenter to finalize the draft and deliver it to the calling company; the presenter said she expected the phone survey to be in the field on Friday.

The consultant walked the board through example project ideas the survey will test — grade reconfiguration, an early childhood facility at Olive Street, board office renovations or relocation, expanded CTE space (including a greenhouse and welding/advanced manufacturing labs), and athletic facility improvements (tennis courts, turf, lighting and a track). The presenter said the survey will ask concept‑level questions rather than list per‑item dollar amounts, and that geographic sampling targets supplied by "Marty and his team" are intended to achieve a roughly 5.6% margin of error.

Board members also discussed outreach and next steps: the presenter described an informational, non‑advocacy packet the district would publish and said community meetings and presentations would follow if the board moves toward a resolution and an April vote. The board did not adopt any bond resolution at the meeting; the approved action was limited to the survey instrument with the clarified wording.

What happens next: the presenter said a final survey draft would be circulated to board members and provided to the calling company the following Monday, with phone calls expected to begin on Friday.