This past Wednesday, we were joined by Moussa Hamka. Moussa has been Grosse Pointe South’s principal for over 10 years and has worked in education for over 20. He also teaches math classes at Henry Ford Community College. Through his presentation on behalf of the GPPSS district, we learned about the Sinking Fund Millage that will be on this November's ballot.
This past Wednesday, we were joined by Moussa Hamka. Moussa has been Grosse Pointe South’s principal for over 10 years and has worked in education for over 20. He also teaches math classes at Henry Ford Community College. Through his presentation on behalf of the GPPSS district, we learned about the Sinking Fund Millage that will be on this November's ballot.
In 2019, the community passed a mill sinking fund. Over the course of the past five years, the current millage has generated $17.5 million. The proposal asks for an increase from 1 mill to 3 mills for the Sinking Fund, a fund that helps with tech upgrades, security enhancements, transportation, facility improvements, and more. This millage would run through 2034 if passed and would generate an estimated $11 million annually for the district yearly.
The average school building in GPPSS is 81 years old. Just like old homes in Grosse Pointe, repairs are needed. There is an estimated $250 million in repairs needed across all of the district’s buildings. Since 2019, the sinking fund has helped with roofing repairs, air conditioning replacements, replaced North High School’s track, replaced playgrounds, and more.
According to Michigan law, sinking funds can only be used for specific items such as building repairs, technology, and transportation. If the millage does not pass, any costs associated with building upkeep, new technologies, and transportation will come out of the general fund.
Thank you Moussa for educating us on the topic!