Question: Why is the school district involved in the Senior Center and/or a community center?

Answer: Dexter Community Schools (DCS) includes the City of Dexter as well as portions of eight surrounding townships. None of those entities has the capacity or taxpayer base to run a senior/community center. DCS is the only local entity that has the taxpayer base and existing fiscal management to run a community center. This is a common arrangement in smaller communities.

At the April 8, DCS Board of Education meeting, a Multigenerational Community Center and Senior Center FAQ was presented during the information items portion of the meeting agenda. It’s a helpful resource in understanding the future community center and senior center proposal.

One portion of the document gives bulleted points of background information.

These include:

● From 1995 to 2020, Dexter Community Schools leased a portion of the Copeland building to the Dexter Senior Center for $1 annual lease plus the cost of their utilities (except internet).

● In 2020, DCS sold the Copeland Building because the construction of Beacon Elementary opened up more efficient space for administrative offices and Community Ed in Bates School. Sale negotiations included extension of the Senior Center lease through 2024.

● In 2022, DCS placed a recreation millage to build a multigenerational community center on the August ballot. This millage did not pass. The primary driver for the millage request was to provide a permanent home for the Dexter Senior Center.

● In 2023, DCS applied for federal and state grant funding to construct or remodel a multigenerational community center to be managed by DCS and was awarded a state appropriation for a senior and community center.

● The project was granted $8.5 million from the state. The Senior Center received $750k in funding from Washtenaw County for a senior center and furnishings, which must be spent by the end of 2024. The Senior Center continues to procure additional financial support from individual donors. Federal funding is still subject to the federal budget process.

Another question, which comes under the “Finances” section, says:

Question: Will this project impact taxes? If so, how?

Answer: The current project does not increase taxes. Once DCS acquires or builds any facility, it becomes part of the district’s ongoing responsibility to maintain it. In Michigan, this type of work is typically funded by bond millages. The district is doing due diligence on the value and state of the current wellness center and believes it is a good value. The purchase price is aligned with independent appraisals, per the law. Major repairs and renovations to the Wellness Center and Senior Center would be included in costs covered by standard construction bond proposals, to be voted on by the stakeholder communities.

Under the “Community Impact” section, one question and answer is:

Question: Will the wellness center continue to be open to the community? Will fees change?

Answer: Yes, the wellness center will remain open. Financial analysis of their historical operations data shows that the facility can cover the costs for their current functionality with their current membership fees once they do not have the mortgage.

These are just some of the questions and answers presented. There are much more, so to see the entire FAQ, go to https://www.dexterschools.org/district/board-of-education/meetings
and look in the April 8, 2024 meeting packet.