Summer Business & Budget UPdate

One area of pride that I often convey to people in our community is how talent-rich WLPS is. In particular, our teachers are highly sought after by other districts. We work hard to retain this talent. Having a pipeline for those teachers who want to be involved in building leadership is an important part of retaining talent. With that in mind, I was pleased to know Jennifer Petzke, a widely respected teacher of middle and elementary school for years, was interested in succeeding Heidi Roy-Borland as WLES principal.

After 15 years as a classroom teacher at WLPS, Ms. Petzke has been assisting the development of learning enrichment programs within WLPS for the past five years. She has been working closely with all administrators on curriculum development, delivery, and assessment, and coaching of teachers in math and writing/reading. Most recently, she took over as Montessori principal to finish the 2024-25 school year. She managed teacher evaluations, student discipline, and communications brilliantly. I’m confident she will continue the level of care our community has come to expect.

As an introduction, I prepared an interview so parents can start to see why I am so confident in her ability to be the next principal of WLES.

At WLPS, we know our most important investment is in people–our teachers, our staff, and the programs that directly support our students. That’s the philosophy driving how we use our general fund. It funds what directly impacts students every day.

I’m proud to report that the 2024-2025 budget reflects our continued commitment to delivering a high-quality education while remaining fiscally responsible. Thanks to a respectful and productive negotiation process with the Whitmore Lake Education Association, we completed a new teacher contract that makes us more competitive and strengthens our ability to retain and attract top talent. We also made strategic investments in our K-5 reading curriculum. This includes not only data-driven curriculum proven to support our young readers but also built-in science and social studies connections aligned with state standards–maximizing the impact of both state grants and a General Fund investment. Our team is already preparing for a full rollout this fall.

We know trust in how we manage taxpayer dollars is critical–especially following the failure of our recent bond proposal. While much of the criticism we received was based on misinformation, we take seriously the responsibility to be transparent, accountable, and efficient.

When I took over as superintendent a little over 11 years ago, WLPS had approximately $20,000 in General Fund fund balance. No sinking fund. A rec millage that barely covered the pool electrical bill. Things were looking grim.

Now, thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of our staff, our administrative team, and our Board, coupled with essential community support, we’ve ended each of the past 10 years with a healthy General Fund balance of over $1 million.

In August 2018, the Whitmore Lake community supported the renewal of the 2016, three-year 1.0 mill, Sinking Fund and extended it for 10 more years. It was approved to allow WLPS to address technology, safety, and building and site needs.

Reminder, there are restrictions on what Sinking Fund dollars can be used for. A good rule of thumb is if you flipped our facilities upside down, anything that doesn’t fall out, could be replaced, not repaired, with a Sinking Fund. In our case, that is true, plus we got approval to use it on technology and buses.

Over the next year, the district plans to address the following needs, knowing the plan will need to adjust as things unexpectedly break or higher needs emerge.

• LED conversion of all classroom lights. This investment will have significantly lower energy bills.

• HVAC control replacement in all buildings. Many A/C, dehumidification, and heating units are no longer responding to the existing control systems, which in some cases date back to 1997.

• Classroom security and emergency notification repairs and maintenance.

• Replace critically damaged sidewalks and driving areas.

Due to the Headlee rollback, the mill rate has rolled back to 0.9428 from 1 mill. Essentially, every year, Headlee says “you can’t collect more just because property values go up.” So even if homes are worth more, we collect less unless voters renew or restore the rate. This year alone, thanks to Headlee rollback, we lost nearly $31,000 in Sinking Fund money. In our terms, that would be enough to purchase 122 student devices.

The Sinking Fund expires in 2027, and we will be going to the community to ask for a renewal to continue meeting technology and safety needs, as well as completing repairs to sidewalks and parking lots.

Whitmore Lake Community Recreation is committed to providing residents of all ages in Whitmore Lake, and the surrounding areas with affordable opportunities to get active, learn new skills, make new friends, and have fun. They are also committed to operating at no loss, ensuring the department and its facilities are not a burden to the school district.

The Community Recreation millage was at a rate of 0.6200 mills when originally passed in 2003. It had eroded to 0.5883 mills in 2018/2019. The erosion of the millage rate and aging facilities made the “no loss” commitment extremely challenging. For reference, in 2019, more than $160,000, 80% of the original millage, was spent on utility and chemical costs for the pool alone. The Board of Education approved proposing to the community an increase to 1.0 mill for 10 years to focus on the following:

• Reduce energy use

• Increase community access and use

• Repair and maintain facilities

The voters supported it on August 6, 2019. It has since eroded to 0.9571 mills.

WLCR has expanded its reach while staying true to its promise: offering affordable, enriching opportunities for all ages–without being a financial burden on the school district.

• More swim access for more families. New open swim hours—including preschool time—mean families can stay active and connected year-round.
  

• Lower utility costs = more community opportunities. Energy upgrades have cut pool utility costs by 27%, freeing up funds to reinvest in the facilities and programs.

• Safer, better-maintained parks. Annual road grading, fence repairs, and field upgrades at Red & White Park make our outdoor spaces more usable, safer, and more fun.

• Stronger financial footing. This year, the rec department added $177,500 to its fund balance, strengthening its ability to serve the community and continue to make facility improvements long-term without impacting the school’s General Fund.

This millage continues to be essential to maintaining recreation facilities and helping our community stay active, connected, and improve the quality of life for those who call Whitmore Lake and the surrounding area home.

We only have a few projects left on the original plan, which is exciting. But we know there is much more we can do to continue to maintain and improve our current facilities and expand what is offered to the Whitmore Lake community. We are aiming to tackle the following projects over the next year or two, while adjusting to community feedback and needs to make improvements that get the biggest bang for the buck. They include:

Due to Headlee rollback, since the mill rate has rolled back to 0.9571 from 1 mill, the district lost nearly $23,000 in potential revenue this year. That would cover two years of road maintenance at the Red & White Park.

The Recreation Millage expires in 2028, and we will be going to the community to ask for a renewal to continue to maintain and expand recreation facilities and opportunities in Whitmore Lake.

Have ideas for community recreation? Reach out to WLCR at wlcrinfo@wlps.net. They'd love hearing from you!