Bridgman Schools Seek $21M Bond, Millage Renewal

District aims to fund infrastructure upgrades and maintain operations funding.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:00am

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A repeating grid of stylized, high-contrast silkscreen images depicting the facade of a school building, rendered in bright, neon-like colors that capture the energy and importance of the upcoming school funding measures.A bold, colorful celebration of the community's investment in Bridgman's public schools through an upcoming bond and millage renewal vote.Bridgman Today

Voters in the Bridgman Public Schools district will decide on a $21.45 million bond request and a 10-year renewal of the district's operating millage in the upcoming May 5 election. The bond would pay for building improvements like new roofs, HVAC systems, security updates, and parking lot repairs, while the millage renewal would maintain critical funding for school operations.

Why it matters

Bridgman Public Schools relies heavily on local funding sources, as it is outside the state's school funding formula. The bond and millage renewal are essential to keeping the district's facilities functional and funding its day-to-day operations, which include staffing, programming, and building maintenance.

The details

The $21.45 million bond would address aging infrastructure across Bridgman's three school buildings, including new roofs, HVAC systems, security updates, and parking lot repairs. Superintendent Shane Peters says the bond would not raise taxes, as it would simply extend the current 0.88 mill rate to cover the new debt. Additionally, the district is seeking a 10-year renewal of its operating millage, which accounts for 75-80% of its total revenue and funds everything from staffing to programming.

  • The Bridgman Public Schools bond and millage renewal will be on the ballot for the May 5, 2026 election.
  • The district is hosting an informational forum on the ballot questions on April 30, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at Bridgman High School.

The players

Bridgman Public Schools

A public school district serving the city of Bridgman, Michigan. The district is seeking voter approval for a $21.45 million bond and a 10-year renewal of its operating millage.

Shane Peters

The superintendent of Bridgman Public Schools, who is urging voters to approve the bond and millage renewal to address aging infrastructure and maintain critical funding for district operations.

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What they’re saying

“We're talking at all three of our buildings. New roofs, new HVAC systems, some security updates at all three of our buildings. Our parking lots are in grave repair. And, really, it's just infrastructure.”

— Shane Peters, Superintendent, Bridgman Public Schools

“Really, what we're asking our residents in the Bridgman school district is to extend that .88 for an additional 12-14 years. And as that gets extended, that would give us that $21.4 million to work on really some infrastructure projects.”

— Shane Peters, Superintendent, Bridgman Public Schools

“With Bridgman's unique funding structure, this is like 75 to 80% of our total revenue that the district receives. So this millage renewal is one that is of vital importance to the district in passage.”

— Shane Peters, Superintendent, Bridgman Public Schools

What’s next

Voters in the Bridgman Public Schools district will decide on the $21 million bond and 10-year millage renewal on May 5, 2026.

The takeaway

Bridgman Public Schools is relying on local funding sources to maintain its aging facilities and continue operations, highlighting the challenges facing many school districts outside of state funding formulas. The upcoming bond and millage renewal vote will be crucial in determining the district's ability to address infrastructure needs and sustain core educational programs.