Marshfield School District seeks $71.5M in facility improvement referendum. Here's why.

MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield School Board approved a referendum Aug. 6 asking residents to support a $71.5 million facility improvement referendum in the November election.

The approved dollars would go toward building improvements at Marshfield High School and Grant Elementary School worth about $55 million and $13 million respectively. The referendum includes about $3.4 million for anticipated increases in cost due to inflation in construction costs.

Major improvements at the high school would include a secure entrance, a replacement of the school’s indoor chiller and cooling tower, upgraded ventilation, an expanded wrestling room and updates to the school's technical and agricultural education facilities.

Major improvements at Grant Elementary would include the addition of air conditioning, a secure entrance and a kitchen remodel.

“If we don’t (approve the referendum to appear on the ballot), we’re doing an injustice to this community,” Mark Konrardy, school board president, said in the board’s meeting. “I have a question at this dollar amount whether we’re really doing justice to the schools.”

Taxpayer impact if the referendum is approved

The district estimates an increase in annual property taxes of $142 for every $100,000 in property value through the duration of the general obligation bonds the district would issue to fund the work. General obligation bonds are typically set up to be repaid between 15 and 20 years, according to the district website. Specific terms of the bond would be determined in negotiations with lenders following the referendum's approval.

District property taxpayers paid $511 per $100,000 in property value to support the schools in the 2023-24 school year. Taxpayers have paid an average of $838 per $100,000 in value per year over the last 10 years but saw a major decrease after the district paid off much of its previous debt in the 2022-23 school year.

Annual tax payments per $100,000 in value in nearby district include Wausau at $883, Spencer at $803, D.C. Everest at $741, Wisconsin Rapids at $720, Stevens Point at $670, Merrill Area at $584 and Pittsville at $518. The state average is $722, according to Wisconsin Department of Instruction data.

If approved, Marshfield’s November referendum would raise school district property taxpayers’ obligation to $653 annually for a $100,000 property.

'These are things that need to be taken care of'

District voters turned down a $99.5 million facilities improvement referendum in April 2023 that would have remodeled the high school, middle school and more than one elementary school. Since then, the district engaged in a prioritization process to narrow the scope of the project list. The primary feedback the district received from the community was the requested amount was too high and would result in too large of a property tax increase.

The district has been involved in a full facility improvement planning process since 2016, according to the district’s referendum information website. In that process, it has identified $157 million in facility needs. These needs include roof repairs, classroom remodels, technology updates, kitchen improvements, athletic space expansion and more.

“There are things that need to be taken care of,” Konrardy said. “We have make up air units in the high school that have been there since the high school was built. Our staff has done a hell of a job keeping that equipment. We need to help our staff also to maintain the schools.”

A make up air unit is an air handler that heats or cools outdoor air and pushes it into a building to circulate fresh air.

The district last approved a facility improvement referendum in 2005. This resulted in the construction of Madison and Washington elementary schools and remodeling at Lincoln Elementary and the high school, according to a 2020-21 district budget report.

The district has approved several other referenda since 2005, including a $3.5 million recurring referendum in 2020. The district’s voters also approved three non-recurring referenda in 2008, 2012 and 2016. The 2008 referendum levied $13.5 million from taxpayers over five school years, the 2012 referendum brought $10 million over four years and the 2016 provided $12 million over four years. These dollars largely went toward continuing to provide educational programming and teachers’ salaries in the district.

“If we maintain the schools, we are going to be able to give a higher education,” Konrardy said. “But if we don’t maintain them, throw the education out the window.”

Several information sessions planned

The district will hold referendum information sessions at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 and Oct. 29 in Grant Elementary’s cafeteria and Sept. 24 and Oct. 28 in the high school’s library. These sessions will include brief presentations and tours.

Additional information and video showing the conditions of the two buildings can be found on the district’s referendum website, marshfield.referendumfacts.org.

Referendum language that will appear on the November ballot

The question that will appear on November ballots is: “Shall the Unified School District of Marshfield, Wood, Marathon and Clark Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $71,575,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: construction of additions, renovations, and capital maintenance, safety, security, physical education, building infrastructure, systems and site improvements at the High School and Grant Elementary School; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?”

Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: Marshfield School District seeks $71.5M in referendum