Dearest reader,

Oh, Grand Ledge. Just when Lady B thought she was finished following one breadcrumb, another appeared.

And this time, it leads to a swimming pool.

As readers know, I've been examining Grand Ledge Public Schools' Bond Supervisor position, which carries approximately $175,299 in annual total compensation.

But a reader recently raised another interesting question about the district's previous bond projects.

What happened with the Beagle Middle School competition pool?

Well, I went looking.

The pool was constructed as part of the district's previous bond program. Yet after construction, changes were needed.

The diving well was originally 11.5 feet deep. The district subsequently arranged to deepen it to 12 feet.

The original two-diving-board configuration was also reduced to one board.

According to the district, its architects and construction partners covered the costs of these corrections.

That's important context. I'm not suggesting taxpayers paid for the corrections or that any particular company was responsible for the original design decisions.

But there's more to the story.

Clark Construction served as construction manager for the previous bond program, while GMB Architects provided architectural services.

And here's where the history becomes particularly interesting.

Former Grand Ledge Board President Sara Clark Pierson had a documented family connection to individuals associated with Clark Construction.

Board minutes show that she abstained from certain bond-related votes, including the October 2020 pool construction bid approvals.

Those abstentions deserve to be acknowledged. I'm not suggesting she acted improperly.

Now, fast-forward to 2026.

Grand Ledge is proposing another $123.5 million bond.

The architectural firm has changed to TMP Architecture.

But Clark Construction was again recommended to provide construction management services, according to the district's January 12, 2026 board packet.

Which brings me back to a few questions.

What did the district learn from the Beagle pool modifications?

How were the previous construction projects evaluated before selecting firms for future work?

What role did the district's Bond Supervisor play in identifying, overseeing, and resolving construction issues?

And speaking of that position, was it originally publicly advertised when former Assistant Superintendent Mike Johnson retired and subsequently became Bond Supervisor?

I've searched publicly accessible records and haven't located that original advertisement. That doesn't establish that one never existed.

These are separate questions, but they all concern the same thing: how Grand Ledge manages major taxpayer-funded construction projects.

I'm not here to decide who was responsible for a diving well that needed modifications, or to suggest that a family relationship establishes wrongdoing.

I'm here to examine the records, connect the documented history, and ask questions that taxpayers may reasonably want answered.

Because with another $123.5 million proposal on the horizon, understanding what happened during the previous bond program seems like useful context.

And Lady B does love context.

Especially when it comes with receipts. 🪶

#LadyBudgetdown #GrandLedgePublicSchools #SchoolBonds #TaxpayerTransparency #FollowTheReceipts

Dearest reader,

Another interesting breadcrumb from Monroe County Intermediate School District.

On July 6, 2026, the district announced the hiring of Jason Miller as its new Director of Safety and Security, effective July 1.

Just days earlier, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office had announced Miller's retirement after nearly 26 years of service.

But here's where things get interesting.

According to the Sheriff's Office's own 2025 annual report, Miller was already assigned to Monroe County ISD, overseeing its school relationship program and assisting with emergency operations planning.

The ISD also already had an Office for Safe Schools operating under its Human Resources department.

So while the director position may be new, the responsibilities certainly aren't entirely new.

Lady B isn't questioning Miller's qualifications or his years of public service.

She's asking something much simpler.

Was this an entirely new administrative position, a restructuring of existing responsibilities, or simply a new title for work already being performed?

Sometimes the most interesting part of a new position is discovering what existed before it.

With receipts and respect,
Lady B 🕯�

#LadyBudgetdown #MonroeCountyISD #SchoolTransparency #MichiganEducation

Dearest reader,

A question has surfaced regarding Grand Ledge Public Schools and its Bond Supervisor position.

Was the position ever publicly advertised?

As Lady B previously reported, former Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mike Johnson retired in July 2019 and subsequently served as the district's Bond Supervisor. The position was later assumed by John Piper, who previously served as Maintenance Supervisor.

Naturally, Lady B went looking for the original job posting.

After an extensive search of publicly accessible district records, historical employment postings, and board documentation, Lady B has been unable to locate any public advertisement for the Bond Supervisor position during the 2019–2020 transition following Dr. Johnson's retirement.

Now, that does not establish that the position was never advertised. It simply means Lady B has been unable to find evidence that it was.

Which raises a few reasonable questions.

Was the position publicly advertised?

Were applications accepted from other qualified candidates?

Or was the position filled internally without an open recruitment process?

And when, exactly, was the position established?

Perhaps someone familiar with the district's hiring records can help fill in those missing pieces.

Lady B isn't asking anyone to speculate. She's asking whether documentation exists.

Because when a publicly funded position carries approximately $175,299 in annual total compensation, a little transparency about its origins doesn't seem unreasonable.

With receipts and respect. 🪶

#LadyBudgetdown #GrandLedgePublicSchools #SchoolTransparency #TaxpayerAccountability #FollowTheReceipts

Dearest readers,

Tomorrow, Lady B is heading to Grand Ledge! 🔎📚

We'll be breaking down the district's Treasury Form 3881 for its upcoming bond proposal.

Not just the advertised bond amount, but the bigger financial picture. Principal, interest, repayment schedules, and what the debt could mean for taxpayers over time.

Because the amount borrowed and the amount ultimately repaid are two very different numbers.

As always, Lady B will bring the receipts. You can draw your own conclusions.

Stay tuned! 🕯�

With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown

#LadyBudgetdown #GrandLedgePublicSchools #SchoolBonds #Transparency #FollowTheMoney

Dearest reader,

🔎 WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MAINKA? 🌎

Well, well, well. It seems Novi Community School District has found its way back into Lady B's ledger.

Six messages today, dear readers. SIX!

All about an August news article concerning teacher buyouts and possible layoffs.

Lady B had to check her calendar. Did we somehow travel backward in time?

For those who may have missed it, Lady B investigated Novi extensively back in August. We examined administrative spending, staffing, compensation, a projected $3.73 million budget deficit, and the district's proposal to offer eligible teachers $60,000 buyouts.

Then came the failed Oakland County enhancement millage, followed by additional financial adjustments.

So, what happened next?

According to information recently shared with Lady B:

📚 No teachers were ultimately laid off.

📚 Some educators were reassigned to classrooms.

📚 Some administrative positions were reportedly eliminated or left unfilled.

And the explanation for the changes?

Lady B was told it was simply a matter of "tightening some things up."

My goodness. That's quite a bit of tightening.

But there's another curious little development.

Before today's flood of messages about Novi, Lady B had already heard from multiple individuals that Superintendent Ben Mainka had been unavailable recently.

Now, Lady B has absolutely no idea whether Mr. Mainka is on vacation, attending to other business, or simply enjoying a little peace and quiet.

And frankly, everyone deserves time away from work.

But with so many questions circulating about Novi's finances, Lady B couldn't resist borrowing a little inspiration from an old childhood favorite.

Where in the world is Mainka? 🔎🌎

Perhaps that's a question for another day.

Because what Lady B would really like to locate is an updated financial accounting.

How many teachers accepted the buyouts?

What was the final cost?

Which administrative positions were eliminated or left vacant?

How much money did those changes save?

And how does Novi's current financial outlook compare with what taxpayers were told in August?

To be clear, Lady B is pleased to hear that involuntary teacher layoffs were avoided. That's an important outcome for educators and students.

But the financial questions remain.

Novi's October 15 board meeting includes a budget update, so perhaps some of those answers are coming.

Until then, Lady B will keep her magnifying glass pointed at the ledger.

Not anyone's vacation itinerary.

With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown 🖋�

#LadyBudgetdown #WheresMainka #NoviCommunitySchools #MichiganSchools #SchoolFunding #Transparency #Accountability #FollowTheMoney

Dearest reader,

Lady B is coming back to Kalamazoo. And this time, we're not just following the money.

We're listening to the people.

For the THIRD consecutive school year, Kalamazoo Public Schools teachers have started the year without a new contract.

Meanwhile, employees of the Kalamazoo Public Library are also working under expired contracts.

Two public institutions. Two ongoing labor disputes. And a whole lot of unanswered questions.

Lady B has spent months examining administrative compensation, school district spending, and how taxpayer dollars are being used.

But numbers only tell part of the story.

Behind those numbers are teachers, librarians, library aides, custodians, and support employees who show up every day to serve their communities.

And Lady B wants to hear from them.

If you work for Kalamazoo Public Schools or the Kalamazoo Public Library, I invite you to share your experiences.

What is being offered by KPS?

What are the teachers requesting?

What concerns you about the negotiations?

Are staffing shortages affecting your ability to do your job?

And what do you wish the public understood?

You may contact Lady B privately. Your identity will not be published without your permission.

Lady B will also be examining the financial records, compensation figures, and publicly available bargaining information for both institutions.

This isn't about attacking administrators or interfering with negotiations.

It's about transparency, accountability, and making sure the people doing the work have an opportunity to be heard.

Because a community deserves to understand what's happening inside the institutions its tax dollars support.

And the employees deserve to have their voices heard.

With receipts and respect,
Lady B 🪶

Michigan Education Association

Kalamazoo Public Library

Kalamazoo Public Schools

#LadyBudgetdown #KalamazooPublicSchools #KalamazooPublicLibrary #MichiganEducators #LibraryWorkers #PublicEducation #Transparency #EveryVoiceMatters

NEW DISTRICT INVESTIGATION DATABASE & MORE ALERT

Dearest reader,

Lady B has been busy behind the scenes! 📚🔎

What started as a little digging through Michigan school district finances has grown into something much bigger.

And today, Lady B would like to show you just how much information is now available in one place.

One of the biggest challenges with researching public education in Michigan isn't necessarily that the information doesn't exist. It's that the records are scattered across state agencies, financial reports, spreadsheets, district publications, and countless corners of the internet.

Finding the information is one thing. Understanding it, comparing it, and putting it to use is another.

So Lady B has been gathering those breadcrumbs, organizing the records, and building tools that make them easier for everyday taxpayers, educators, parents, and community members to explore.

Here's what you'll find in Lady B's growing collection. 👇

📍 THE DISTRICT TRACKER

This is one of Lady B's favorite additions!

Ever wondered whether Lady B has investigated your school district? Or wished you could request that your district be examined?

Now you can!

The District Tracker allows readers to search for their Michigan public school district and see where it stands.

You can see which districts have already been reviewed, which investigations are underway, and which districts have not yet been requested.

And here's the fun part.

If Lady B has completed a district workup, the Tracker connects you directly to that district's published investigation in The Ledger.

No scrolling through months of Facebook posts. No searching through old announcements. Just find your district and follow the breadcrumbs.

And if your district hasn't been reviewed yet, you can request it!

📊 SCHOOL DISTRICT FINANCIALS: BULLETIN 1011

Michigan school finances involve an enormous amount of information.

Revenue, expenditures, financial classifications, and reporting categories can make even a determined reader's head spin.

Lady B has brought school district financial records together in a searchable format, making it easier to explore how districts report their finances.

Instead of hunting through separate state files, readers have a place to begin examining the numbers themselves.

Because understanding where public education dollars come from, and where they go, should not require an accounting degree and three cups of coffee. ☕

🏫 SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND EXPLORER

Bonds are a major part of how Michigan school districts finance buildings, renovations, and other capital improvements.

But how often do taxpayers hear about a proposed bond without knowing what happened with previous proposals?

Lady B's School District Bond Explorer brings together historical Michigan school bond election information.

Readers can explore bond proposals that passed, proposals that failed, and the history of bond elections across districts.

It's an opportunity to look beyond a single election and better understand a district's history of asking voters to approve school debt.

Lady B has said it before. Bonds can be necessary. But understanding their history, purpose, and financial implications matters too.

And those are just three of the tools!

📚 MORE SCHOOL DISTRICT DATABASES

Lady B has also been building a growing collection of additional resources:

🍎 Early Childhood: Explore district-level early childhood information.

👩�🏫 REP Staffing: Examine reported school staffing, including teachers, administrators, and other educational personnel.

🏫 Shared Time: Explore Michigan's shared-time educational arrangements and related information.

📈 10-Year Financials: Compare district financial information across a decade and examine how spending and revenue have changed over time.

These resources allow readers to look at individual pieces of the education puzzle, rather than relying on a single number or headline.

And Lady B isn't finished adding databases. Not even close!

❤️ EDUCATORS AND CLASSROOMS

Of course, public education is about more than spreadsheets and bond proposals.

It's about the people inside those classrooms.

That's why Lady B has also created resources specifically for educators and school communities.

🎁 Teacher Wishlists

A growing collection of Michigan educators' classroom wishlists, giving readers an opportunity to help teachers obtain supplies for their students.

🗳� School Board Candidate Information

A directory of school board candidates who have shared information about themselves, their priorities, and their reasons for running.

Readers can explore candidate responses and learn more about the people seeking to serve their school communities.

📝 Report Classroom Wishlist Restrictions

This is one of our newest additions!

Lady B has heard concerns about school districts restricting Amazon Wishlists, DonorsChoose, and other ways teachers obtain classroom supplies.

Now educators and community members can privately report those restrictions, explain how they were communicated, and share information about annual classroom supply allowances.

Submissions are private. Lady B can use the information to research district policies while protecting the identities of those who submit reports.

🌟 Teacher of the Month Nominations

Know an educator who goes above and beyond?

Lady B wants to hear about the teachers and school employees making a difference.

Because while Lady B spends plenty of time examining the business side of education, recognizing the good happening inside Michigan schools matters just as much.

AND THERE'S MORE TO COME!

The goal isn't to tell readers what to think.

It's to give them more information so they can ask better questions, make their own comparisons, and understand the decisions affecting their schools.

Lady B is taking public records that have been scattered across the internet and bringing them together in one growing collection.

Some records are easy to understand. Others require a little explanation. And sometimes the numbers lead us down an entirely new rabbit hole. 🐇

But every new database, every district investigation, and every reader submission adds another piece to the puzzle.

Lady B believes public information should actually be accessible to the public.

Not just technically available somewhere in a 200-page document.

Accessible. Searchable. Understandable.

And perhaps most importantly, useful.

To everyone who has submitted a district request, shared a classroom wish list, provided information, nominated an educator, or simply followed along and asked questions, thank you.

You're helping build something that continues to grow beyond Lady B's original little ledger.

And we are just getting started. 💙

With receipts and respect,
Lady B 🖋�

#LadyBudgetdown #MichiganSchools #SchoolTransparency #PublicEducation #SchoolFinance #MichiganEducators #TaxpayerTransparency #PublicRecords #EveryVoiceMatters

Dearest reader,

Lady B has a question. Actually, several.

And they all started with a job title she hasn't encountered in her other district investigations.

Bond Supervisor.

Yes, dear reader. A Bond Supervisor.

While examining Grand Ledge Public Schools, Lady B discovered a position with $117,304.18 in reported wages and $175,299.08 in total annual compensation, including benefits and employer costs.

Now, Lady B understands that school construction bonds are necessary. Buildings need repairs, improvements, and sometimes complete replacements.

But here's where the ledger gets interesting.

When taxpayers approve multimillion-dollar school bonds, those projects generally include professional fees for architects, engineers, construction managers, and consultants.

Those professionals are paid to help design, coordinate, manage, and oversee the projects.

Grand Ledge already has a Chief Financial Officer.

The district also works with outside construction management and architectural firms, including Clark Construction and GMB.

And yet, Grand Ledge maintains an additional position dedicated to overseeing bond and capital improvement projects.

A position that costs approximately $175,000 annually in total compensation.

So Lady B has a few questions.

What responsibilities does this position perform that aren't already covered by the construction manager, architects, consultants, and district administration?

How much overlap exists between these responsibilities?

Which district funds pay for this position?

How long has Grand Ledge maintained it, and what has the cumulative cost been?

And how many other Michigan school districts maintain a comparable, separately compensated position?

To be clear, Lady B isn't questioning the employee's work ethic or qualifications. The district's own records show that this individual provides construction updates and coordinates projects.

The question is about the position itself, its cost, and whether this additional layer of oversight is necessary.

Michigan Treasury recognizes construction management and architectural fees as legitimate bond project costs. District employee salaries, however, cannot be paid from qualified bond proceeds.

So taxpayers may be paying for outside construction management through their bonds while also funding an internal capital projects position through other district resources.

And now Grand Ledge is asking voters to consider another bond this November.

Lady B isn't suggesting that construction projects should go unsupervised.

She's asking how many layers of supervision taxpayers should be expected to fund, and what each layer is responsible for.

Because accountability isn't just about whether the work gets done.

It's also about whether the public is getting good value for every dollar spent.

With receipts and respect,
Lady B 🪶

#LadyBudgetdown #GrandLedgePublicSchools #MichiganSchools #SchoolBonds #TaxpayerTransparency #FiscalAccountability #FollowTheMoney

Dearest reader,

Lady B has been examining the business surrounding Michigan's public education system.

And today, the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) provided a rather revealing receipt.

MASB is advertising its October 2026 Annual Leadership Conference to businesses interested in reaching Michigan school board members, superintendents, and education leaders.

The sales pitch?

**720+ attendees. 270+ school districts represented.**

And opportunities to meet district decision-makers and generate qualified sales leads.

Yes, dear reader. Sales leads.

Now, let's examine the price of admission.

• Exhibit booth: $2,000

• Two exhibit booths: $3,000

• General session sponsorship: $3,000

• Networking event sponsorship: $3,500

• Conference lanyard sponsorship: $5,500

• Conference bag sponsorship: $5,500

And exhibitors must participate at the Supporting Sponsor level or higher.

But here's where Lady B's ledger becomes particularly interesting.

MASB's own website features testimonials from three businesses:

**Thrun Law Firm.**

**TMP Architecture.**

**SSOE Group.**

Recognize those first two names?

They are among the companies Lady B has already been examining in the business ecosystem surrounding Michigan public schools.

Consider how this works.

School board members and administrators attend conferences for professional development.

Businesses pay for opportunities to meet those same officials, promote their services, and develop relationships.

The association receives sponsorship and exhibitor revenue.

The businesses gain access to potential customers.

And those potential customers make decisions involving public school dollars.

Lady B has no objection to businesses earning a profit. Nor is there anything inherently improper about a professional conference having sponsors.

**But public education is not supposed to exist as a customer acquisition program for private businesses.**

So here's Lady B's question:

When the organizations responsible for educating school decision-makers also sell businesses access to those decision-makers, who is ensuring that educational guidance and purchasing decisions remain independent of commercial interests?

Perhaps the most interesting part of this particular rabbit hole is that nobody had to uncover a secret document.

**MASB advertises the arrangement on its own website.**

With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown 🪶

#LadyBudgetdown #MichiganEducation #SchoolBoardTransparency #TaxpayerAccountability #FollowTheMoney #PublicEducation

Dearest reader, 🪶

Lady B has a confession.

She is NOT against school bonds. 😱

In fact, she considers them something of a necessary evil.

Michigan has relied on school bonds to finance major infrastructure projects for generations. The state's school bond financing system dates back to the 1963 Constitution.

And there's a reason for that.

Schools need roofs. Boilers fail. Plumbing deteriorates. Buildings age. Sometimes new facilities are necessary.

And unless someone has discovered a magical money tree growing behind the superintendent's office, those projects must be paid for somehow. 🌳💰

Yes, districts have sinking funds. But those funds generate limited annual revenue and cannot always cover multimillion-dollar construction projects.

That's where bonds come in.

A bond allows a district to borrow money for major capital improvements and repay that debt over time, generally through property taxes.

But here's where Lady B starts sharpening her quill. 🪶

Borrowing $30 million doesn't necessarily mean taxpayers will repay only $30 million.

There's interest. There are financing costs. And depending on the repayment structure, taxpayers could be paying for decades.

Lady B believes taxpayers deserve to know:

📜 What exactly are we building or repairing?

📜 What is the total cost, INCLUDING interest?

📜 How long will taxpayers be paying?

📜 What happens to existing debt?

📜 Why were these projects selected over other priorities?

And perhaps most importantly, why shouldn't the public be able to examine the repayment schedule BEFORE voting?

Schools need infrastructure. Children deserve safe, functional buildings. And taxpayers deserve transparency.

Those things are not mutually exclusive.

Perhaps the problem isn't always the bond itself.

Perhaps it's asking taxpayers to sign a decades-long financial commitment without showing them the entire ledger.

Lady B isn't asking districts to stop building.

She's asking them to start explaining.

With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown 🪶

#LadyBudgetdown #MichiganSchools #SchoolBonds #TaxpayerTransparency #FiscalResponsibility #SchoolFunding #PublicEducation #AccountabilityMatters #FollowTheMoney #WithReceiptsAndRespect