Farmington board hears 10-year facilities master plan and previews possible zero‑mill bond for November

Farmington Public School District trustees on April 21 heard a program-first presentation on a 10‑year facilities master plan and were told district leaders are exploring a zero‑mill bond request for the November 2026 ballot.

TMP Architecture presenters Gail Alivado and Carrie Cini summarized a district-wide program assessment and 12 guiding principles prioritized by a parent ambassador group, including creating hands-on STEAM and CTE spaces, improving acoustics and daylighting, expanding early‑childhood capacity, and reimagining commons and media centers into flexible collaboration hubs. “Create spaces for exploration to support hands‑on learning—STEAM, CTE, robotics,” Carrie Cini said, listing the core performance drivers the plan aims to support.

Acting on the consultants’ recommendation, district staff described a two‑track approach: finalize an aspirational master plan that establishes the long‑range vision, and develop a phased, vote‑ready scope targeted at November 2026 that would not raise the district’s current debt millage rate if placed before voters. As one presenter explained, a zero‑mill increase means the district would not increase the current debt millage rate collected to service bond debt; staff said historical voter success for zero‑mill packages is strong and that community polling is planned.

The board was shown conceptual site and building options, including potential reconfiguration at Farmington High to add or relocate athletic and high‑use spaces. TMP and district staff emphasized that concepts remain in development and would be refined by feedback from building administrators, staff, parent ambassadors and a planned Epic MRA community survey.

Board members pressed on implementation and sequencing: how phasing would work without disrupting school operations, how program needs and educational strategy are being aligned with facilities choices, and what measurable evidence supports proposed design changes. TMP said the team can provide outcome data (e.g., daylighting and learning environment studies) and will align construction phasing with operational constraints, summer work windows and staged renovations.

Next steps described to the board include additional parent ambassador review, a district survey in May, further concept vetting through mid‑June, and a possible formal resolution at the board’s second June meeting (June 19) if the administration recommends placing a zero‑mill bond on the November ballot. No binding decision or ballot question was adopted at the April 21 meeting.