SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Sheboygan school officials are getting ready for their upcoming referendum to raise funds for school repairs by planning out a series of community meetings to talk about it.
Superintendent Joe Sheehan says these will be community discussions in order to help residents learn about what they can expect if the referendum passes. "There's plenty of time for any and all questions. And we will have that person out there ready to answer any questions financially, about the facilities themselves, or some of the history."
Current estimates on the cost of that referendum would raise taxes on the average household by about 4 dollars a year. "Even though, again, it's only four dollars on a hundred thousand dollar home, it's good to be an informed person of Sheboygan, saying 'Okay, I know what our schools are asking for.' And I think that the more informed everybody else is, the better we all are as a community."
School administrators want to repair a number of issues with the district's buildings. Projects include replacing 30-year-old temporary classrooms at Wilson, Cleveland and Lincoln-Erdman Elementary Schools, building a gym at Wilson Elementary, and adding classrooms and small group instruction space at Pigeon River, Sheridan and James Madison Elementary Schools. The district is also working to repair aging HVAC systems, patch up leaking roofs, and complete security upgrades.
The district sent out a survey to all of its residents earlier this year, asking questions on how much they'd support facilities improvements in the district, and 71 percent of respondents said they'd support the $29 million referendum.
Those meetings are scheduled at:
Tuesday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. - Pigeon River Elementary Campus, 3508 North 21st St.Tuesday, September 27 at 10:00 a.m. - Central Administration Building, 830 Virginia Ave in the Board RoomTuesday, October 4 at 6:00 p.m. - Wilson Elementary School, 1625 Wilson Ave. in the GymWednesday, October 12 at 6:00 p.m. - Lincoln-Erdman Elementary School, 4101 North 50th St in the CafeteriaWednesday, October 26 at 6:00 p.m. - Sheridan Elementary School, 1412 Maryland Ave in the Gym
You cna find out more online at www.sheboygan.k12.w.us/referendum