KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – This spring, voters in Kaukauna will see a school referendum question on their ballot.
The Kaukauna Area School District Board of Education approved a $32.9 million facilities referendum question to appear on the April 2, 2019 election ballot.
The proposed referendum will focus on three areas: safety and security, elementary grade-level reconfiguration and instructional space improvements.
Safety and security upgrades at schools across the district will include renovating entrances, upgrading security technology and improving exterior traffic flow and parking at River View Middle School. These improvements will cost about $7.2 million.
At the elementary level, the district wants to realign all elementary schools to 4K-fourth grade to ease capacity concerns and balance student enrollment. This will cost about $7.3 million.
This will also lead to upgrades in space at the nearly century-old River View Middle School.
The proposed $18.4 million will create adequately-sized. accessible spaces and upgrade large-group classrooms such as physical education, music, multi-purpose areas, cafeteria, and the library media center.
If approved, taxes on a $100,000 home or property can expect to pay an extra $67 annually, or $5.58 monthly, for 15 years.
On Facebook, a community member wrote, “One of the nicest schools in the state with some of the best athletic fields. What else do they need?”
Another asks, “The 48 million they snuck through without referendum 2 years ago wasn’t enough?”
Kaukauna superintendent Mark Duerwaechter told FOX 11, that $48 million was part of Act 32, for energy efficiency improvements.
He said the legislation allowed school districts to borrow money without a referendum specifically on energy exemption.
“Had the district not utilized Act 32, this referendum would not be about academic needs, this referendum would be about boilers, and would be about roofs and windows and lights.”
If all projects are approved, the upgrades will be completed for the 2020-2021 school year.
