Novi residents can question the candidates running for school board seats at a free public forum on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Novi Community School District office, 25425 Taft Road.
The League of Women Voters-Oakland Area is hosting the non-partisan event. Attendees can submit questions and hear candidates' responses, according to the LWVOA's forum schedule.
The forum covers the contested Novi school board race on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. The LWVOA only schedules forums for races with more than one candidate, confirming the seats are contested. The specific candidates and number of open seats have not been publicly listed by the county as of Aug. 31.
The filing deadline for Novi school board candidates was 4 p.m. on July 21, according to Oakland County Elections Division records. Candidates filed with the county office in Pontiac.
The LWVOA said it plans to post video of the forum within a few days of the event for voters who cannot attend in person.
What's at stake
The seven-member Novi school board oversees a district serving more than 6,720 students. Board members as of the May 14 meeting included President Ruskin, Vice President Beaudoin, Secretary Cook, Treasurer Kliebert and Trustees Mena, Michener and Roney.
Superintendent Ben Mainka's district is implementing a $425 million bond program voters approved Nov. 4, 2025, by a roughly 63%-37% margin, according to unofficial results. Construction projects already underway include elementary playground replacements and turf, track and wellness-facility work planned for Novi High School.
Oakland County voters rejected a regional school enhancement millage on Aug. 4, with 51% voting no. That measure would have raised nearly $126 million in its first year and distributed funds on a per-pupil basis to 28 districts, including Novi, the Detroit Free Press reported.
How to attend
The forum is free. Doors open at the district office on Taft Road in Novi. The LWVOA is also hosting school board forums across Oakland County this fall, including events for Royal Oak and Southfield on Tuesday, Sept. 15, Waterford on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and Clawson on Monday, Sept. 28. The full schedule is available on the LWVOA website.
