SHEBOYGAN FALLS, WI (WHBL) - For the second straight year, the Sheboygan Falls School District is asking residents to vote on a referendum this spring that if approved would build a new middle school and auditorium next to the elementary school.
A similar referendum failed last year, but School Board President John Mauer said a survey following the vote showed 70 percent of district residents wanted something done to address the district's facilities needs. The survey also showed those who voted "no" did so because of the cost of the project.
This result is a two question referendum to be asked this year. One question will be for the $27.6 million middle school that is slightly smaller than last year’s proposal. The other question is for the $2.6 million auditorium.
Mauer said the district has considered renovating the current 86 year old middle school building. However, given the work and cost that would need to be done to properly update the building, the district decided that this would not be the best use of taxpayer money and a long term solution for the district over the next five to six decades.
If the referenda are approved, the cost on district taxpayers would be 72 cents per thousand of property value for the middle school, and 14 cents per thousand for the auditorium.