Wisconsin Heights 2020 Facilities Referendum: A closer look
The Wisconsin Heights School District is less than two weeks away from knowing whether residents will agree to a $27 million facilities referendum--including a centralized campus, new elementary school and expanded middle and high school facilities. The Star News presents a final (virtual) interview with District Administrator Jordan Sinz. In addition, the next few pages feature photos of some of the facilities currently at the District.
How long has the District been thinking and planning for a facilities referendum?
a. While I cannot be certain when the conversation first started, I have reviewed documents from the 2014-15 school year, including renderings of an elementary school addition at the middle/high school site. The school board and administration at the time had gone through facility planning work similar to what we have done since the 2017-18 school year (my first year in the WHSD). Since I started working with the district, our facility planning process has been ongoing because it is a critical part of the budget process. As for specifically discussing a referendum – that topic became more approachable after the April of 2020 community survey. Ultimately, the board approval of the referendum resolution in August of 2020 signaled it was officially going to make it on the November 3, 2020, ballot.
When did it become apparent that there was an acute need for a referendum?
a. The district worked with Performance Services in 2017-18 to conduct a comprehensive facilities study. This study indicated we had significant needs at the elementary schools that would necessitate the district to either invest in remodeling work or construct a new elementary school. In an effort to get a second opinion, we brought in Bray Architects and Miron Construction to complete a second facility study in the fall of 2019. Their study reinforced what was articulated by the first study. Black Earth and Mazomanie have significant infrastructure needs that should be addressed in a timely fashion to ensure we do not have a disruption in learning that is caused by a systems failure.
Are there facilities issues now that, if there’s no referendum, will take up a significant portion of the budget in the next year? What are they?
a. If the referendum does not pass, the School Board will have to tackle some challenging issues in short order. The facility studies have indicated we have some large ticket items that need to be addressed in the next two years.
i. Black Earth Elementary roof – needs a full replacement at approximately $1,000,000.
ii. Mazomaznie Elementary roof – needs sections replaced at approximately $700,000.
iii. Mazomanie Elementary boiler – needs replacement at approximately $100,000.
iv. Middle School/High School HVAC – modernization – adding air conditioning at approximately $3,000,000.
b. This list is merely a condensed outline of immediate priority items. This does not include many other pieces of equipment/finishes that need updating. The plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems at both elementary schools also have significant needs.
Let’s go a bit further with that: explain why simply repairing them without updating them isn’t a good idea.
a. Most of the priority projects identified as a part of the facility studies are beyond the point of repair. They are aging systems that need to be replaced because they have reached the end of their useful life. In some instances, replacement parts are nearly impossible to locate because the system is so old.
Is it possible to estimate how much you spend--generally speaking--each year in repairs to aging equipment?
a. We presently carry a large line item in our annual operating budget to repair or update items in our facilities. The following amounts of operational budget dollars have been used on facility repairs/projects in the last five years:
b. 2015-16 - $1,249,325.67
c. 2016-17 - $498,587.15
d. 2017-18 - $449,191.09
e. 2018-19 - $653,262.20
f. 2019-20 - $579,342.84
g. Average amount = $685,942 of yearly operating dollars that have gone towards facility repairs/projects in the last five years.
How much do general facilities costs make up right now as a percentage of the budget?
a. It accounts for approximately 6% of our yearly budget.
What would that number--general facilities costs--be if the referendum goes through and you can make upgrades?
a. It is estimated we would then be allocating approximately 3.75% of our budget in this area.
Will some funds from the operating referendum last year (and every year) go to facilities instead?
a. Funds from the operating referendum contribute to pay for facilities every year. When you are spending, on average, $685,000 of operating dollars each year towards facility repairs/projects, you are inevitably using some of your operational referendum dollars to support the completion of this work.
b. If the November 3, 2020 referendum passes, those dollars will not mix with our operating budget because they will need to be used for the purposes outlined in the referendum question. The question reads:
Shall the Wisconsin Heights School District, Dane and Iowa Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $27,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: construction of an elementary school addition at the existing Middle/High School; renovations, building infrastructure and capital maintenance improvements at the Middle/High School, including roof replacement, HVAC improvements and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) updates; site improvements; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?
c. This would allow us to reallocate operational dollars to support student learning, other programs, etc. rather than putting these funds towards facility repairs.
Anything else you’d like to add?
The WHSD has done an excellent job of maintaining their facilities without the support of a capital referendum for the past 26 years. However, there comes a time when yearly operational budgets can no longer support the acute need to update critical systems and pieces of equipment. Our school district is at this point, and an investment in our facilities’ long-term vitality is crucial.
