Milford School District approved a request from Chief Operating Officer Tammy Smith to submit a Certificate of Necessity to the state for renovations to Milford High School as well as renovations to district elementary schools. The state requires that districts that may require significant renovations, additions or new construction submit the request by August 31 of each year. The board approved the request on August 14.
“There is a review and approval process,” Smith said. “They will take a look at that in concjunction with bond bill funding for the year and make recommendations on the approval of the request. If it is approved, the district has one year, I believe to pass a major capital improvement referendum to fund the project.”
According to Smith, the state did not approve a Certificate of Need submitted by any district due to funding issues and the word was that this would likely be the case again this year.
“However, we want to go ahead and get the certificate submitted and let the state know that this is needed for our schools, that we need these to help alleviate overcrowding in schools and make improvements like HVAC replacements and things like that in our schools,” Smith said. “The only updates I had is that at this time last year, our district was looking to make all four elementaries Kindergarten to four schools. With the reconfigurations, I have updated that language and updated enrollment numbers and things like that.”
The Certificate of Necessity was included in the board packet information. It read:
“Whereas, the Delaware Department of Education requires approval of the Milford Board of Education to submit a Certificate of Necessity request for Major Capital Construction funding that, upon successful referendum, would require the Board to issue bonds for the purpose of raising money to pay the local share set forth in such school construction bond authorization act for the purpose of school construction or renovation.”
The certificate continued”
“Now therefore, be it resolved that the Milford School District Board of Education authorizes the submission of a Certificate of Necessity for Major Renovation and Expansion of Milford Senior High School and Reconfiguration and Renovation of District Elementary Schools in the amount of $76,984,352 for consideration in Fiscal Year 2027. The total local share for this proposal, if approved, would be approximately $17,706,401.”
The last referendum to pass in Milford School District was for complete renovation of the Milford Middle School, a project that was completed in time for the start of the 2025-26 school year. That project was completed on time and under budget. In addition, although the passed referendum allowed the district to raise school taxes to repay bonds taken out to cover the cost of the construction, school taxes in Milford actually decreased during the construction phase due to the expiration of previous referendum bonds.
