Millage request

Superintendents from St. Joseph County’s nine school districts are being asked to consider the validity of a countywide school millage request.

During a meeting involving school board members from across the county last week at Burr Oak High School, the question was revisited after being originally raised during a countywide meeting in October.

While the amount potentially being sought has not been discussed, the cost to stage a countywide request was the focus of last week’s meeting.

Pete Bennett, a member of the Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education, said the cost to stage a campaign to promote such a request in a non-election year would range from $88,000 to $176,000. That includes $30,000 to conduct a special election in a non-election year, such as 2013.

A simple survey to gauge support from the public would cost about $16,000, a cost the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District offered to cover.

Superintendents have been asked to render their opinions by the end of the month on whether to continue to pursue the matter.