Weston unveils more than $2 million in referendum questions

Residents in the Weston School District will have to decide whether or not to pass a referendum in this spring election.

On April 6, voters will be asked whether or not they approve of $975,000 in operational expenses for four years and $1.9 million in capital improvements.

The district has been in a referendum cycle for 12 to 15 years, according to Gary Syftestad, superintendent and principal of Weston High School. Every three to five years, the district seeks operational referendums to maintain personnel levels and continue offering programming. Referendums are necessary due to budget shortfalls from enrollment fluctuations and declining state aid.

There was no referendum in 2020 because the district discovered a clerical error in 2019. As a result of the mistake, taxpayers were over levied. The following year, they saw their mill rate fall from $11.76 per $1,000 of equalized property value to $6.25 per $1,000.

If the operational referendum passes, the mill rate will rise to a more typical $11.74. This is less than the rate in 2019, which was $13.27 per $1,000.

If both pass, the levy will be $12.41 per $1,000.

If the operational referendum fails, the district could dissolve within two years, Syftestad said.

Weston is also seeking $1.9 for capital improvements. Syftestad said the district conducted a community survey where respondents said they supported replacing the high school roof and flooring, elementary school boilers and gym floor.

Elementary school boilers are 30 years old, and much of the high school tile contains asbestos due to it being constructed in the 1950s. No one knows the age of the roof, but it is leaking.

“When I think about these items, it is much like owning a house. If you own a home for 40 years, you expect there will be systems that need to be replaced. That is where we are at with a lot of things in the building,” Syftestad said in a statement.

According to Syftestad, the operations referendum is more pressing since it keeps the district open, but repairs and replacements can only be delayed for so long, which is why the school board decided to try for both referendums this year.

For more details about the referendums, visit www.weston.k12.wi.us/referendum.