Wauzeka-Steuben School opens discussion on potential referendum
Interim District Administrator Gary Albrecht addressed about 50 members of the Wauzeka-Steuben School District community Monday night regarding building repair needs, facility and education plans, and a possible referendum come November. (Photos by Correne Martin)
Kevin Hickman, of J.P. Cullen, said he’s worked with 44 K-12 school districts in southern Wisconsin, seven of which are in the midst of referendums right now.
By Correne Martin
The Wauzeka-Steuben School District is considering a referendum, possibly as soon as November, to achieve facility repairs and some prospective renovation in spite of a declining general fund and stagnant enrollment.
At the first of potentially many community meetings Monday night, residents and stakeholders learned about issues affecting the 1950s building (Hornets’ Nest gym was built in 1991).
They include 1) leaks in the roof, 2) ongoing deterioration of exterior masonry and fascia, 3) disintegrating window sills, 4) sinking of parking lot pavement and 5) staff desire to reconfigure some of the educational spaces for improved utilization by particular age groups and classes. A further consideration may be 6) the condition of the mechanical systems, such as the boilers, which are not yet at the end of their life cycle but may need replacement in the near future. Doing so could improve efficiency, and with financial paybacks, might be the most fiscally responsible decision at this time.
To a crowd of about 50 sitting in the Doll Gym, Kevin Hickman, a southern Wisconsin school district consultant from J.P. Cullen, explained the timeline to meet a November referendum. That is, of course, only if the district board chooses to move forward after hearing input from the community. Interim District Administrator Gary Albrecht and Hickman addressed questions and discussed the next steps in the process.
“Planning doesn’t always result in a referendum,” Hickman stated. “If April 2019 or 2020 makes more sense, you can adjust the timeline. One of the first documents [the board puts] together is the top 10 questions about the project, and then we put that on the website, prepare handouts and get those answers to people in the district.”
Hickman said some of those may include questions like “What are the facility needs?” “Why haven’t these issues been addressed sooner?” or “What renovations would be considered?” He said those topics should be compiled by late March.
In addition to the board, administration and staff, Hickman noted that key community members—perhaps even a citizen committee—should also be equipped with pertinent referendum information. That helps divide the responsibility, but more importantly, it aids in taxpayer engagement.
Beginning in March, the board will assess facility conditions and educational adequacy of existing space. A staff survey will be done. From there, a “laundry list” of capital maintenance and renovations will be developed. Life and fire safety concerns, if any, will also be evaluated and viable solutions in that area may be added to the list.
“(After talking to the board), I don’t get a sense that additions are in the picture,” Hickman told the citizens gathered Monday.
“Our biggest concern (from the administration standpoint),” Albrecht said, “is the general condition of the building. There are certain things that need to be done and we need to prioritize them by bringing professionals in to look at those things and analyze them. The hope is to lay out some options in phases, put numbers to that and get board direction.”
In May, Hickman anticipates a community survey, so the district board can fully understand the public’s perspective and priorities regarding options. Financial costs will be incorporated into the plans once the school board gets a sense of “what the community supports and for how many dollars.”
“Seventy percent of the people in this district don’t have kids or grandkids in the school, so they don’t step foot in the school,” Hickman shared. “They would need to be educated about the importance of the referendum.”
In July, the board would review its final recommendations. Then, by late August, the board would conceivably approve a resolution placing the referendum on the November ballot. The last part of the timeline would involve a pre-election push to clearly communicate across the community “that sense of urgency, why the referendum is needed now,” Hickman said.
Though Monday’s meeting was informational only, if the board desires a referendum, Wauzeka-Steuben citizens can become more involved. More meetings are likely.
Though the facilities were at the heart of the discussion, one concerned taxpayer spoke up to ask if there is also an education plan for the district.
Albrecht said the school is continuously developing its programs and academic areas in an effort to draw more kids and families. An example the board and administration are considering includes the addition of a 3K program. They’re also exploring lessening the number of grade levels assigned to certain teachers, but drawing on other resources, such as video networks and collaborations with other districts, to complete instructional needs.
Albrecht said, currently, there are 34 students who open enroll out of the district, and 34 who open enroll into the district. In general, enrollment has been low in recent years, which affects state funding and, ultimately, the district budget. Board treasurer Tom Jazdzewski remarked that the district’s general fund has continued to decline over the last three years. Unfortunately, according to Hickman, the state of Wisconsin’s school funding is very similar to that which Wauzeka-Steuben faces.
