Potential Ashwaubenon schools referendum discussed at forum

By Kevin Boneske

Staff Writer

ASHWAUBENON – Close to 50 people were on hand Tuesday, May 21, when a public forum lasting more than 90 minutes was held in the Performing Arts Center related to possible projects as part of a potential school referendum next year in Ashwaubenon.

Business Director Keith Lucius led the discussion, which also provided those in attendance the opportunity to ask questions and provide input about 11 projects being considered by the school board for possible inclusion in an April 2020 capital referendum.

The proposed projects and their costs estimates include:

• Cormier School safety improvements ($1.5 million).

• Pioneer School safety improvements ($500,000).

• High school track repair ($500,000).

• Asbestos abatement in schools ($200,000).

• Repair Pioneer gymnasium foundation ($150,000).

• Replace gym floors at Pioneer, Parkview and the high school ($450,000).

• Replace gym lighting with LED fixtures in all buildings ($80,000).

• Multi-use indoor practice facility at the high school ($6-8 million).

• Move district office into high school ($600,000).

• Replace windows and doors at Parkview ($200,000).

• Air conditioning at Pioneer, Valley View and the high school ($1 million at the high school, $1 million at Valley View, and $500,000 at Pioneer).

Lucius said the district has paid off its previous referenda debt, and by borrowing for the projects, the new debt could be paid off without increasing the school property tax rate.

“From these projects, we can keep it so that the debt service is almost the same as it’s been in the past,” he said. ”We’re confident we’ll just keep our mill rate where it is right now.”

Lucius said the length of the borrowing would depend upon the amount borrowed, though he noted changes to the state school funding formula could affect the district’s future tax rate.

“If something major changes at the state, our mill rate would change related to that,” he said.

Lucius said a community survey will be sent out to district residents this fall to get their input before the board would decide around November or December about whether to go ahead with a referendum and the amount sought for voter approval next April.

Under current state law, Lucius said school districts are allowed to submit up to two referendum questions before voters in a year.

Lucius noted only one referendum question would be needed for all the projects the board would want to present before voters.

But some in attendance at the forum suggested having two referendum questions to have the proposed new multi-purpose indoor facility separated from a referendum for school building improvements, so the latter could pass if both wouldn’t be supported by district voters.

This drawing, presented Tuesday, May 21, during a public forum about a possible referendum next year for the Ashwaubenon School Distric,t depicts what the outside of a proposed multi-purpose facility could look like.

Presented at the forum as a 44,000-square-foot structure located in the current parking lot area next to the Performing Arts Center, Lucius said it would be less expensive to build the facility there instead of the to the east of the fieldhouse, where there would be extra costs involved because of soil contamination in that area.

Lucius said the actual cost would depend upon the size of the facility, which is being proposed with a turf field as a practice area for many sports and non-sport activities to use with the weather limiting practice outside, particularly during the spring.

“I want to emphasize it’s not an athletic facility – it’s multi-use,” he said. “So the band, you’ve got other things that can happen in there that students can use this surface for.”

A sophomore on the Jaguars’ baseball team, Tim Dudyrev, spoke at the forum in favor of building a multi-purpose indoor practice facility.

“I play baseball in the spring, and as you know, in Wisconsin the weather’s terrible,” Dudyrev said.

Lucius said Ashwaubenon currently is not being used to host a high school track and field meet because of dips and bumps in the track, as well as fence being too close to the outside lane creating a safety issue.

He said contamination on the land the track is located increases the repair cost, estimated at $500,000.

Claudia Toonen, a sophomore on the Jaguar girls’ track and field team, spoke in favor of repairing the track.

“There’s lots of cracks and holes around the track, especially at the starting area, with cement coming through,” Toonen said. “It’s not all cushy.”

School nurse Mary Jo Beining and others at the forum expressed support to add air conditioning at Pioneer, Valley View and the high school.

The combined estimated price tag is $2.5 million for three buildings not designed originally for air conditioning.

Along with Beining noting the health benefits of air conditioning for those with breathing problems, others stated it would benefit the learning environment, and a new school would be built with air conditioning, Lucius said.

Following the forum, Lucius and Superintendent Kurt Weyers urged those in attendance to contact them with additional questions.

More information about the proposed 2020 referendum can be found on the district’s website at: ashwaubenon.k12.wi.us/community/2020-referendum.cfm