Final Push: Activists on Both Sides of Bloomfield Bond Issue Plan to Finish Strong

With arguably the biggest decision Bloomfield Hills Schools district residents collectively have had to make looming just days away, activists on both sides of the high school bond issue aren't taking anything for granted. 

Members of One Bloomfield United — the grassroots community group formed last year that supports the Bloomfield Hills Schools' initiative to merge and high schools on one campus — will continue to canvass neighborhoods door-to-door, making sure residents are aware of the election and their reasons for supporting the plan at the polls on Tuesday.

"This is our highest concentration of volunteers going door-to-door as far as number of people that we've had," said OBU organizer Ellen Tener, who estimated about 100 residents offered to participate for one final push.

Their presence will also be felt Tuesday, organizers said, as they plan to be at polling locations, busy shopping centers and even high-traffic intersections reminding people to get out and vote.

Of interest: Learn more about this issue on the High School Consolidation Topic Page.

Opponents are also mobilizing their message to stop the $59 million tax proposal. It's familiar territory for many members of Bloomfield 20/20, which helped defeat two prior consolidation initiatives in 2010 and 2007.

With district officials vowing this will be the last vote, and the merger of both schools set for the fall of 2013 — whether on one or two campuses — the group has centered it's 'No' campaign on the alternative plan to renovate both existing buildings. They're also noting a Detroit News editorial published Friday that criticized the district and the proposal, and focusing on OBU's delay in filing campaign finance reports.

"Will dirty tricks win a stealth election?" Bloomfield 20/20 spokeswoman Jenny Greenwell said in an email raising the concern.

Brandon Kaufman, spokesman for OBU, said the filing report is massive and requires detailed documentation that will be complete within the next few days, in compliance with campaign finance rules.

Not to be outdone, the organization has also compiled its own impressive list of  endorsements from local officials, business owners and area publications in a large mailer sent out before the weekend.