HOWARD-SUAMICO SCHOOL BOARD
Board adopts, doesn’t expect to use, DPI waiver
In a precautionary move, the School Board approved a Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Flexibility Waiver during its Feb. 14 meeting.
Superintendent Damian LaCroix said the waiver – which would allow school administrators to adjust the hours of direct pupil instruction provided during this school year, given the circumstances being brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic – was discussed at a Jan. 7 CESA-7 meeting.
He said at the time, the number of daily positive cases was skyrocketing due to the Omicron variant of the virus.
LaCroix said the flexibility waiver, similar to one passed in 2020 and was never implemented, is precautionary in nature, and gives the board latitude to take action if need be.
“Contrary to the opinions of some, the effort here is not to dumb down or water down our standards,” he said. “That’s not who we are. Anyone who has come to these meetings during the course of my tenure knows that we’ve got extremely high standards and the board has extremely high standards.”
One-act play recognized
Bay Port High’s one-act play, “I Hate Valentine’s Day,” performed at the 2021 State One-Act Play contest, has brought home some awards.
Held as part of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Theater Festival in November at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, “I Hate Valentine’s Day” received the festival’s All-State Award as a production.
The staff earned awards for directing and ensemble, while the lead of the show, Sylvia VanDenPlas, earned an Outstanding Acting Award.
The board took time to recognize the students and staff behind the production during its Feb. 14 meeting.
School dress code
The School Board adopted a new districtwide dress code policy, which allows headwear to be worn inside the classroom.
Under the updated policy, headwear – including hats, hoods, scarves, headwraps, durags and bandanas – must allow the face to be visible and not interfere with the line of sight to any student or staff, except clothing/headwear worn for religious or medical purposes.
Students cannot wear headwear to conceal items, such as earbuds, and students may be required to remove the headwear and/or be prohibited from wearing headwear by the building administrator.
The approval marks the end of a years-long discussion that started and stalled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoom phone hardware and installation
The board approved a recommendation from district leadership to purchase Zoom Phone licenses for the district with federal pandemic relief dollars.
Trustees approved paying $408,410 to CDW-G of Vernon Hills, Illinois for the hardware and $55,000 to Camera Corner Connecting Point of Green Bay for the installation services.
Joshua Patchak, chief operations officer, said since the onset of COVID-19, and a revolving shift to remote work, the district’s phone service proves to be inadequate.
“This does allow employees to access their work phone anywhere they have access to the internet,” Patchak said. “Something we’ve discussed over the course of remote learning is that our parents and our students are much more likely to respond to a text message communication, then they are to respond to an email, to answer a phone call or to return a voicemail. We see very high engagement with text messages, and that is not something that is possible with our current platform. So, if our teachers want to send text messages to their parents, they have to use their own cell phone numbers, and there are a number of reasons why you wouldn’t want to give out your personal cell phone number.”
HOWARD VILLAGE BOARD
Village Center pavilion project financing discussed
The village will need to borrow money to help finance the Village Center pavilion project, planned for east of the Howard Commons apartment complex, where construction is expected to beginthis spring, with completion next year.
Last May, the board approved a naming rights agreement with Dan Schmidt to name the pavilion after his parents, Arnold and Gloria Schmidt, the founders of Bay Industries.
In exchange for those rights, Dan Schmidt agreed to contribute $4.875 million to the village, with annual payments of $325,000 over 15 years.
However, with the overall facility cost now estimated at more than three times the naming rights revenue, the village is planning to borrow money to help finance the project.
The board heard a financing summary from Justin Fischer of Baird Monday, Feb. 14, on borrowing approximately $20 million in general obligation bonds, for which up to $17.5 million could be for the pavilion-related work and another $2.5 million for other infrastructure projects in Tax Incremental District (TID) No. 8, where the Village Center is located.
“This is kind of a guesstimate, based on the projects, but we wanted to get something in front of you to kind of see how the overall plan was coming together,” he said.
Though interest rates “have had a wild ride over the past couple of months,” Fischer said they still remain at historic lows over the past 30 years.
However, he said it’s still a couple of months before the village would lock in the interest rates.
He said the board would consider a financing plan and initial borrowing resolutions at its March 14 meeting, after which, preparations would be made to issue the bonds with an official statement and bond rating, prior to considering a resolution April 11 to award the bonds and lock in the interest rates.
BELLEVUE VILLAGE BOARD
One PDD approved, another denied
After holding two public hearings Feb. 9, the board amended one planned development district (PDD) and denied another on 3-2 voice votes.
The board approved a request by Victor Hoffman to amend the underlying zoning district boundaries to incorporate a Light Industry District area, and to deviate from the required setbacks on property at 3311 Monroe Road.
Village staff recommended denying the request, but recommended approving the amendment related to allowing the driveway to remain in its current location, deviating from the required setbacks.
Hoffman said what he did with his property was considered by the village’s comprehensive plan as a legal, nonconforming use for how the property was used before the plan took effect.
“I feel it’s time we finally get this back to light industrial, so it falls under what this business has been running for almost 40 years,” he said.
Hoffman said he wanted to expand the storage of motorhomes, boats and campers.
The board denied a request on behalf of Mark Denis to approve a PDD to deviate from the minimum setback requirement for hard surface on property he owns at 2421 Monroe Road.
Interim Village Administrator Andrew Vissers said the board approved a certified survey map last month for the 9.98-acre parcel, which currently contains McDonald’s, to create three smaller lots for future development.
Due to existing agreements between the property owner and McDonald’s, Vissers said a setback reduction from the necessary 5 feet to 3 feet was requested along the eastern property line of the future Lot 1.
“The applicant chose to submit a PDD request,” he said. “Staff has concerns in regards to this. Again, we’re not opposed to business, we’re not opposed to development coming here, but there is a process and a board that is set up to handle these types of requests, and that’s the Zoning Board of Appeals.”
Vissers said the purpose of a PDD is to provide flexibility for projects that don’t fit into the village’s standard zoning districts.
“(This request) is kind of asking for a pseudo variance through the PDD process, and that’s where staff has a concern,” he said.
School choice representative named
The School Board appointed Matthew Rotter Feb. 9 as its next non-voting, unpaid board member representing the interests of non-resident families whose children attend Ashwaubenon.
Superintendent Kurt Weyers said Rotter, who currently has two children attending Ashwaubenon under open enrollment, was the only person to apply for the two-year appointment.
In his application letter, Rotter said his “career in financial services, role as board president for a local professional organization and experience to lead a team of over 30 audit professionals has given me a strong background in leadership, teamwork, accountability, risk management and finance.”
Weyers said Rotter’s first meeting as the school choice representative will be March 9.
Ten-year maintenance plan
The School Board approved a 10-year facilities improvement plan to help prepare the 2022-23 district budget.
Facilities and Maintenance Coordinator Tom Schmitt said the plan doesn’t commit funds to the projects, “but the projects are here for (board) review to determine whether the merits of the projects are something that you think is worthwhile.”
Schmitt said the plan is put together with priority and non-priority projects.
The plan for 2022-23 includes $560,000 in facilities improvements, with $490,000 listed for Parkview Middle School, which include $250,000 to replace a section of roof and $240,000 toward non-priority items, such as remodeling the technical education area ($100,000), cabinets and tables for the science room ($70,000) and remodeling bathrooms in the cafeteria and band room hallways ($70.000).
Business Director Keith Lucius said facility improvement items could be added or subtracted in the plan leading up to final approval of the budget this fall.
SUAMICO VILLAGE BOARD
Public works projects awarded
The Village Board approved a series of public works items Feb. 7.
The board awarded a road reconstruction contract to Northeast Asphalt, the lower of two bidders, for $1,058,430.
Public Works Director Andy Smits said the village’s cost should end up being around $860,000, the amount the board approved for 2022 capital expenditures, when deducting the amounts for funded projects, such as those being paid for by a developer.
Village President Sky Van Rossum said the village is now budgeting to fix up roads, instead of borrowing money and adding to Suamico’s debt.
“We made a concerted decision (about seven years ago) where we started adding $100,000 (annually) to go ahead and build up our road fund, and it’s finally starting to pay off,” he said.
Other approved projects include:
• Well rehabilitation – $36,594 to CTW Corporation to rehabilitate Well No. 4.
• Test wells pending a legal review, the board approved a $79,015 contract with Ayres and Associates to start the test well project as phase one of constructing Well No. 5 in the village. If the analysis for the test well is positive this year, Smits said a permanent well could be drilled in the spring of 2023.
• Pond dredging – $39,744 to Best Enterprises, the lowest of five bidders, to dredge two stormwater ponds, the Pride Terrace Pond and Wynding Ridge Pond, with the condition there may be some costs for rip rap around the Wynding Ridge Pond.
• Roofing replacement – a contract with H and S Roofing to replace the Calavera Park shelter roofing with new asphalt shingles for a base price of $16,600, plus any unforeseen repairs.
Press Times Editor Heather Graves and Staff Writers Kevin Boneske and Josh Staloch contributed to these briefs.