Novi taxpayers got a progress update on how the school district's $425 million bond is taking shape, as the Capital Projects Committee reviewed a land purchase agreement with the City of Novi and four construction project updates at its Tuesday, Aug. 4 working session.

The headline item: a purchase agreement transferring a stormwater retention basin at the Civic Center Complex from the city to the Novi Community School District. The Novi City Council already approved the deal 7-0 on June 22, and the school board reviewed it as an action item at its June 25 regular meeting. The committee took it up again Tuesday on the district side.

The council's approval was conditioned on final language review by the city manager and city attorney before signing.

Under the agreement, the district will expand the basin by 20,000 cubic feet to handle increased runoff from planned high school campus improvements and take over all maintenance costs. The city keeps a stormwater easement protecting its drainage use. The deal also grants the district a driveway access and utility easement onto Novi Way for construction traffic reaching the new activity center site. In exchange, the district agreed to rebuild the road to a higher specification.

"The collaboration between the school district and City has never been better," Mayor John Fischer said at the June 22 council meeting after the vote. "This collaboration is saving residents money on the district project while the City gets rid of a retention pond that the district will beautify."

The basin expansion was sized by the city's engineering department to account for potential future development on the current police station site.

Beyond the land deal, the committee heard updates on projects already in motion. The school board approved $3,095,650 in subcontracts for elementary playground upgrades and Novi High School turf and track replacement on May 14, with work underway at schools including Novi Woods. The Wellness Center and Meadows Practice Field packages received board approval on June 25. Plante Moran Realpoint manages the overall bond construction program.

A new item on Tuesday's agenda was a Novi High School restroom concept review. No prior details on scope or cost have been released.

Voters approved the $425 million bond in November 2025, structured as a zero net tax rate increase. The district kept total debt millage steady at 6.75 mills by retiring old bonds as new debt is added. The estimated millage levied in 2026 is 2.04 mills, with an average of 3.52 mills over the 30-year repayment period.

As we reported July 24, the activity center near Novi High School is set to break ground this fall. Superintendent Ben Mainka told WXYZ in July that the district is "reimagining Novi High School into something that I think is going to be a model for schools all over."

No formal votes were taken. Tuesday's session was a Committee of the Whole working session. The next regular Novi Board of Education meeting date has not been announced.