Walled Lake board hears bond-program progress as Wixom breaks ground and dashboards go online
Summary
District and Plante Moran update the community on winding down 2019 bond projects, surplus funds for discretionary uses, and early mobilization of 2024 projects including Wixom; public dashboards and a new project-management system are scheduled to increase transparency.
Kevin Donnelly, a representative of Plante Moran, told the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools Board on Nov. 6 that most major projects from the 2019 bond are closing and that a surplus from that series will be available for the district to reallocate. "There is a surplus that we're gonna be utilizing for miscellaneous projects and at the district's discretion," Donnelly said.
Donnelly said Plante Moran completed project-management contracts and launched E-Builder to support 2024 bond work. He described a new quarterly public dashboard that will publish high-level financial updates, timelines and project status online so residents can track work moving forward. "We're going to start issuing that, bid and award recommendations are going to continue to move forward over the next few months," he said.
The first major 2024 project is at Wixom, which Donnelly said is ramping up to mobilization with a forthcoming groundbreaking. He added that Geisler was bid the day of the meeting and will come to the board for awards in December, and that Northern and Western high school improvements are in design and scheduled for future board consideration.
Board members asked for clarity on the size of the 2019 surplus and how unused 2019 projects might be restored. Dr. Lanz said precise figures await the final closeout of a few remaining 2019 projects but promised a public update when the books are closed. Board members also asked about the district's plan to replace and own fiber optics before decommissioning central offices; staff said fiber cutover timing could delay selling or repurposing buildings until replacement work is finished.
The presentation noted recent completions — interior finishes at Walled Lake Northern, athletic turf and fencing, transportation and mechanical upgrades, Meadowbrook repairs and new furniture and equipment — and described several 2024 athletic and site projects planned for phases of the bond. The board was told that some projects previously removed from 2019 due to inflation may be re-added as savings allow.
The board did not take action on bond financing at this meeting; staff committed to returning with budget closeouts, dashboard access, and formal agenda items for upcoming project awards.
