Fruitport board approves authorizing resolution for up to $20 million in 2026 school bonds

The Fruitport Community Schools Board of Education on Dec. 8 approved an authorizing resolution for the first series of 2026 School Building and Site Bonds that will aggregate principal not to exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) to pay project costs and costs of issuance. The vote was 5-0 with two members absent.

District Business Manager Mark Mesbergen presented key dates and financing steps for Series I, telling the board the bonds are set to be priced on March 11, 2026 with a closing date of March 31, 2026. Mesbergen outlined the preliminary official statement, the ratings call, bond rating and pricing, the bond purchase agreement and the ratification resolution.

The board approved the resolution on a motion by JB Meeuwenberg and a second from Josh Mueller. A roll-call vote recorded Burgess, Cole, Meeuwenberg, Mueller and Six as voting yes; Hazekamp and Kelly were absent at the time of the vote.

Board members asked about schedule milestones and next steps before pricing; Mesbergen replied with the series timeline and the sequence of page-turn and budget review meetings scheduled for the schematic and design-development phases of the Edgewood Elementary project. No public comment was raised specifically on the bond resolution during the discussion.

The authorizing resolution allows the district to issue the first series of bonds to fund the project and pay issuance costs. Pricing and final terms will be set at the March 11 pricing; the district will return to the board with final sale details and any required ratification actions ahead of the March 31 closing.