Courtesy Photo Construction workers make repairs at Alpena High School last summer. Schools around Northeast Michigan are in need of repairs to facilities, according to a statewide report.

ALPENA — The cost per pupil of repairs needed to school facilities in Northeast Michigan is higher than in most other areas of the state, according to a recent report.

According to the Michigan Statewide School Facilities Study Final Report published in March, all districts in the area are in need of repairs costing $3,000 or more per pupil, with the exception of Alcona Community Schools. Alcona is in need of repairs that cost between $2,100 and $3,000 per pupil. Pupil headcounts are taken from 2023-2024 school year data.

The needs of districts statewide include repairs for HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), roofing, electrical, exterior closure, interior construction, fire protection, plumbing, site improvements, superstructure, and others.

HVAC repairs make up 33% of the cost of repairs statewide. The study found that $22.6 billion is needed to update school facilities across Michigan.

While the study does provide repair and new construction cost data to the state, it does not definitively determine the amount districts should invest, the report stated. The decision to invest in capital improvements or replace any building lies with each school district and should consider a variety of factors beyond what was included in this study, including pupil enrollment projections, ongoing operating and maintenance costs, and the size of the investment.

In the Onaway Area Community School District, funding for a new HVAC system is needed, which is why it hopes to pass a bond proposal on May 6.

Alpena Public Schools passed their Safe, Warm and Dry Bond in 2020, which provided them with funds to replace aging boilers and roofs across the district, according to the APS website. The bond also gave them funding for school safety updates, like adding key card systems and safety vestibules at the main entrances to schools.

Bond projects are still taking place, with the Alpena High School parking lot expected to be redone this summer.

Superintendent of Hillman Community Schools Pamela Rader said that they are currently working on safety projects in the district. They are hoping to revisit a bond proposal that did not pass a few years ago to work on other school facility improvement projects.

Rader said that the district is trying to be fiscally responsible with what they have. As a rural district, funding does not usually come easily

“We are trying to utilize what we have in the best way,” Rader said.

Rader said she personally writes a lot of grants as well.

Superintendent of Posen Consolidated School District Michelle Wesner said they are not working on any major projects right now. She said that they did a lot of security upgrades last year and are saving up for new roofing through their sinking fund.

Wesner echoed Rader’s thoughts on making sure that the district is fiscally responsible.

Superintendent of Alcona Community Schools, Dan O’Connor, spoke to the challenges of funding capital projects.

O’Connor said that 80 to 90% of the district’s budget is focused on people. Their priority is to make sure teachers are paid and students can thrive in quality academic programs. With most funding going towards those areas, capital projects and facility repairs can be difficult to save for.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.