West Bend referendum: $119 million

West Bend lines up to vote

School district seeks $119.3 million to buff up old buildings,
reconfigure others and build new sites

By DON BEHM
dbehm@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Oct. 11, 2007

West Bend - A proposed $119.3 million school building and remodeling
plan that faces the verdict of voters on Nov. 6 would be implemented
over four years beginning in 2009 to ease the impact on property
taxpayers, school district officials said.

The district's current debt of $15 million will be paid off by 2010,
Superintendent Patricia Herdrich said.

Should district voters approve the school building referendum next
month, the property tax rate would rise $1.65 per $1,000 of equalized
valuation between 2009 and 2012, to $8.01, before slowly falling in
subsequent years as the debt is repaid, Herdrich said.

The spending plan, assembled by administrators and the school board
over the past two years, will address something for each school in the
105-square-mile district, which extends from the village and town of
Jackson north to Barton and Newburg west to Big Cedar Lake.

Facilities would be replaced or improved to address current
overcrowding and future growth, entrance safety concerns and a variety
of problems that come with aging buildings, such as energy
inefficiency and poor interior air quality, according to Herdrich.

Schools now are full as overall enrollment grows by 100 students each year.

One trailer already serves as a classroom at McLane Elementary School
where 648 children spend the day in a space designed for 500, Herdrich
said.

Should the referendum fail, a second trailer would be parked at
McLane. Green Tree and Fair Park elementary schools would get a
trailer, too.

The district also would impose split shifts at the high schools by
2010 if no additional classrooms are built there to accommodate a
surge of expected students.

Largest in state

The plan's $119.3 million price tag would be the state's largest-ever
school referendum if it passes.

Jackson Village Administrator Del Beaver said he has overheard at
public meetings a few criticisms of such a large total cost but no
complaints of individual building projects.

"There's a lot of deferred maintenance in schools because the district
put its money in programs for students," Beaver said.

But some funds invested in courses and programs would be diverted to
building repairs and maintenance - reducing language, art, music and
technology offerings - if the referendum fails, Herdrich has told
district residents attending recent public meetings on the plan.
Computer labs and classrooms for art and music might be eliminated to
provide general classroom space.

In promoting the referendum, school district officials have said it
would solve district crowding problems at least through the year 2015.
Enrollment growth likely will require the district to build and open a
seventh elementary school no later than 2020, Herdrich said.

A group of citizens has registered to campaign in support of the
referendum, urging voters to check "yes" on ballots. The group, known
as It's Time, has distributed lawn signs in the district.

No opposition group has registered to campaign in the election.

Major pieces of the facilities plan are as follows:

• Convert Silverbrook Middle School to a 600-student elementary
school; close Barton Elementary School: $6.7 million.

• Build twin middle schools - each with a capacity of 900 students -
south of the twin high schools; close Badger Middle School: $57.3
million.

• Add classrooms, secure entrances and renovate libraries at the twin
high schools to accommodate 400 more students coming up through the
grades: $18.2 million.

• Build a new Jackson Elementary School for up to 650 pupils; close
existing Jackson school: $16.7 million.

• Build gymnasium/cafeteria addition to Decorah Elementary School with
other major renovations: $6.8 million.

• Provide secure front entrances and safety features at Fair Park,
Green Tree, McLane and Decorah elementary schools: $4.9 million.

• Additional maintenance and renovation at Fair Park, Green Tree and
McLane: $8.7 million.

Maintenance deferred in recent years should not be put off any longer,
said Warren Schmidt, the district's director of facilities and
operations.

As one example, about 75% of windows in district schools are energy
inefficient with single panes that leak air and boost heating bills,
he said.

Heavy winds broke a few of those old panes this summer at Badger
Middle School. His crew scrambled to install safety catches on the
others before school resumed this fall, he said.

There are roofs in need of repair, and old heating and ventilation
systems must be replaced at some schools, Schmidt said. Asbestos
flooring must be removed at others.

On Oct. 22, the School Board likely will decide how to spend funds
generated by selling the three schools targeted for closing - Badger
Middle School and Barton and Jackson elementary schools - should the
referendum pass. One option is to use the revenue to pay a portion of
the facilities plan's total debt.

At a special meeting of school district voters also scheduled Oct. 22,
administrators will ask residents to approve the sale of Silver Maple
school on S. 18th Ave. The three-room building constructed in 1955 is
vacant.

Revenue from selling Silver Maple would be used to buy land for the
proposed new middle schools if the referendum is approved by voters,
Herdrich said.

At the district's annual meeting Sept. 24, voters approved buying 20
acres northwest of the intersection of Sand Drive and county Highway G
- south of the high schools. The property, now a cornfield, would be
the home of the proposed twin middle schools.

Construction of the middle schools would begin in the summer of 2008
with the goal of opening them for classes in the fall of 2009,
according to a tentative schedule.

Silverbrook could be closed for renovation and conversion to the new
Barton Elementary School with a fall 2010 opening.

Construction of the new Jackson Elementary School would start in the
summer of 2009 with a planned opening in the fall of 2010.

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