NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Whether the Neenah School District gets a new middle school and sees improvements to other buildings is up to voters.
The school board approved a nearly $130 million referendum last year, and the question will be on the April 2nd ballot.
Residents got their first chance to hear exactly where their money would be going at an open house Wednesday.
On the outside, Shattuck Middle School doesn’t appear to be in dire straits, but on a short walkthrough inside, school leaders say otherwise.
More than half of the nearly $130 million Neenah District leaders want would go toward replacing the 91-year-old school.
Here’s how school leaders say the money breaks down:
$83.9 million to replace the 90-year-old Shattuck Middle School
$31.2 million for infrastructure upgrades in each district building
$5.4 million for upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
$4 million for safety and security enhancements such as entrances and additional video cameras
$5 million to renovate the technical education area at the high school
“I don’t believe they need to tear down Shattuck,” said Tom Beck, a resident against tearing down the middle school. “It’s a very strongly built building, it’s salvageable.”
Not everyone there agreed, though.
Neenah resident Molly Wilgreen tells FOX 11 she’s in favor of replacing the school.
“If you tried to repair it, it would be so costly and eventually you’d just need a new building anyway.”
The district says the referendum would increase taxes on a home valued at $100,000 by $167 per year.
A quick search online will show you that an average house in Neenah is worth about $185,000. That means a typical homeowner would see an increase of more than $300 dollars a year.
Wilgreen says it’s doable…
“When you look at the monthly increase and then break it down to the daily increase, we can all afford a few dollars to spend on our schools.”
“My fear is that it’s going to accelerate to $300 or $400 million by the time they get to the rest of the issues,” said Beck. “This isn’t the priority, the elementary is the priority.”
Tom Beck says he doesn’t mind spending the money, but if he had it his way, he says he would’ve done things a bit differently.
“I think a new 5-6 should’ve been built for $60 million. That would’ve solved overcrowding at the elementary school and gone a lot further for the amount of money that’s being asked of the community,” he said.
Neenah Superintendent Mary Pfeiffer says about 64 percent of people supported replacing the school in a recent survey.
“We’re really driven by that. We’re hopeful that many people will come out. We’re especially hopeful that people will vote on April 2nd.”
Neenah’s Superintendent says the district has not had a building referendum in more than 20 years.
The district is holding more informational meetings before April’s election. The next will be March 6th at Neenah High School, then March 20th at Shattuck Middle School.
