Lake Orion Schools and the Orion Township Public Library could share an election ballot in 2007, as the library is hoping to bring a bond issue to voters, in order to expand the library’s current facility on Joslyn Road.
Superintendent Chris Lehman announced the possibility at the school board’s April 26 meeting.
?(The library) is looking at the potential of a bond issue,? she said. ‘So they would like to share the cost of the election (with Lake Orion Schools).?
Lehman said she wanted to continue the dialogue with the library, and would like to contact an attorney to see if the school board had to take action to have her do that.
‘You should touch base with (Orion Township Clerk) Jill Bastian right away, said Vice President Bob Gritzinger.
Executive Director of Business Services Jillynn Keppler said the library did not need the district’s approval to be on the ballot.
‘But they didn’t want to conflict with anything,? she said. ‘They want to work together as a community, and share the costs.?
Library Director Linda Sickles said the library has spent the past year doing focus groups and collecting surveys from the public, to assess what the area’s needs are.
‘As it was five years ago, we determined that to maintain the quality of our service, we must expand,? she said. ‘We’ve been waiting for the economy to pick up, but we can’t wait any longer.?
Sickles said use of the library is ‘skyrocketing,? while at the same time the current building is aging.
‘We will have major repairs, like the roof and carpeting, needed soon,? she said. ‘This is the time we need to ask voters to do an expansion.?
Sickles said she didn’t want to cause interference with the schools by going on the May 2007 ballot.
‘We are looking at cost factors, and we needed to know if the school district would have a conflict with us using that date,? she said.