Voters in the North Central Area School District will be asked Tuesday to approve borrowing $10.3 million to help consolidate the district’s schools into one facility.

The ballot language states the estimated millage needed for the proposed bonds in 2026 is 2.8 mills, or $2.80 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, for a 2.2 mills net increase over the prior year’s levy.

More than half the anticipated $26 million cost for the project is being covered by a state grant.

The Menominee County school district includes Meyer Township, Spalding Township and parts of Gourley and Harris Townships. This past spring, the district was awarded $15.4 million through the Michigan Department of Education to address school infrastructure issues.

The district has about 300 students enrolled from pre-K through 12th grade spread between two buildings: an elementary school in Hermansville that houses up to fifth grade, and a junior/senior high school that teaches sixth through 12th grades in Powers.

Both buildings are aging and need upgrading. The district plans to shift to one site by repairing and adding onto the existing junior/senior high school in Powers to house preK through 12th grade.

District taxpayers now pay about 1.7 mills, or $1.70 per $1,000 of taxable property value. If the 22-year bond passes, that rate would increase by about 2.2 mills to just less than 4 mills, with an average payment of about 3.56 mills over the two decades, according to Superintendent Travis Depuydt.

More information can be found at https://ncajets.org/ncabond25/.