It’s less costly than previous options and it still includes new middle school
By Alex Johnson
Corresponent
Burlington Area School District voters will likely get a chance to vote Nov. 6 on a $43.6 million referendum seeking approval to build a new middle school and complete a sweeping list of repairs and upgrades to other district buildings.
The latest referendum question is $26 million less than the most expensive options proposed earlier this year and is significantly different than a three-question referendum that voters soundly defeated in April 2017.
On Monday the School Board voted to select a new, sixth- through eighth-grade configuration middle school, in addition to maintenance and repairs to the elementary schools, other district buildings, and safety upgrades.
A motion to accept what had been labeled Option 1A was made by board member Peter Turke and seconded by Taylor Wishau. The measure passed on 4-3 vote, with board members Susan Kessler, Turke, Wishau, and Rosanne Hahn voting in favor, and Barry Schmaling, Kevin Bird, and Phil Ketterhagen voting against.
Lisa Voisin, of Baird Financial Advisors, said the estimated mill rate tax impact per $1,000 of property valuation for that option would be 33 cents.
“Put that into perspective” Voisin said. “I’ve been through 72 referendums for Wisconsin school facilities and most of them fall under a $1 mill rate increase so you’re half of that. You’re under 50 cents.”
For comparison, the $68.3 million proposal to replace the middle school and repair other district buildings in the 2017 referendum would have added $1.23 to the mill rate.
To read the full story, including the debate over the grade configuration for the new school, see the July 19 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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