Webberville Community Recreation Millage

 

By: Dr. William C. Skilling, Superintendent

 

The Webberville Community Schools will be asking voters to vote on a 1.5 ten year Community Recreation Millage. The Community Recreation Millage will support the operations of all indoor and outdoor athletic and recreation facilities. The operations will include all gyms, playgrounds, baseball, softball and football fields, and track and the maintenance, heating and cooling of indoor facilities.

 

What benefit does this have for the SCHOOL and COMMUNITY?

• Reduce the burden to the school’s operational budget

• Provide proper care of all indoor and outdoor athletic and recreation facilities

• Provide for a Recreation Director and support staff to better serve the community needs through recreational activities

• Expanded Adult recreation

• Expanded Senior Citizen recreation

• Expanded Youth recreation programs

• Provide FREE access and usage of recreation facilities for Webberville Community Schools’ residents - no individual or
family usage fees

• Due to no rental fees for the WCRA there will be REDUCED FEES for recreation programs

• Athletic and recreation programs will share new equipment expenses

• Provide supervision for the community when using the new facility from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday - Friday

• The WCRA will no longer pay a rental fee or pay for field preparation when they have games or tournaments

• Webberville Community Center will be staffed and open during the summer months to provide students the opportunity
to be involved in a supervised recreation environment

• Helps support the Community Health Clinic

 

Will the recreation millage go up in the future? No. The tax base is growing in Webberville. This growth is all that is required to provide more annual funding as our programs grow.

 

I thought we just passed a bond for the new Webberville CommunityCenter. Why is there no money to operate it and the other athletic/ recreation facilities? Bond money can ONLY be used to build and equip facilities. You cannot use bond money to operate or maintain any of our facilities. The Community Recreation Millage will provide the operational dollars needed for the community center, gyms, playgrounds, and all indoor and outdoor athletic and recreation facilities.

 

Will the Webberville Community Recreation Association lose control of the recreation programs? No. The recreation board will continue to provide oversight of community recreation programs. However, they will now have a Community Recreation Director with support staff to provide more opportunities for community recreation and wellness classes. District operational monies will be separate from recreation revenues. The school district is audited annually and has to give an account for every dollar spent and that it was spent appropriately. The school board will be appropriating and authorizing the recreation board to spend the recreation revenues for the recreation programs.

 

How does this Community Recreation Millage help the schools? It reduces the financial burden on the operational budget to provide maintenance, pay utilities, and provide upkeep on all gyms, playground, and outdoor athletic fields. Currently, the Webberville Recreation Association does cover our actual cost in providing the facilities for recreation program. The operational dollars freed up will be used for the education of our students. It will help us maintain and improve the current programs we offer and value.

 

I do not have children in the recreation programs or attending school, how will this recreation millage benefit me? The Webberville Community Center will be opened and supervised from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday to provide community fitness and exercise classes for adults and senior citizens. There will be no charge for use of the fitness center and track. When adult or senior citizen fitness or exercise classes are offered, there may be a nominal fee for these classes to cover the cost of the instructor. But, use of the facility will be FREE. Also, we have provided four family locker rooms for adults and senior citizens to use that are completely private with showers.