Marshfield School District voters narrowly approve $71.5M capital improvement referendum

MARSHFIELD - Marshfield School District voters chose to support the $71.5 million capital improvement referendum with a vote of 7,820 to 7,617.

The referendum aimed to address the most pressing needs in two of the district’s seven school buildings, Grant Elementary and Marshfield High School. Planning for the referendum took place over years and involved 238 staff members, over 40 students and close to 850 district residents, according to a news release from the district.

“This is truly a historic moment for the Marshfield School District, one that we are very proud to celebrate with the Marshfield community,” Ryan Christianson, district superintendent, said in the release. “We look forward to sharing more as design and other planning takes shape and the actual work on the referendum projects begins to unfold.”

School district staff and the School Board appreciate the support from the community and say the referendum will allow the district to maintain quality educational programs, safety and opportunities for students and the communities, according to the release.

The district rejected a $99.5 million referendum in April 2023 which would have addressed needs at all the district’s buildings. One member of the district’s facilities planning committee who had voted "no" on the previous referendum described the state of the buildings as a “ticking time bomb” after learning more about them through the referendum planning process.

“If we don’t address (the needs) now, they’re only going to be a more expensive problem to fix in the future,” John Franseen, committee member, told a Marshfield News-Herald reporter the week before the election.

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.

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.

District residents are encouraged to stay engaged and to visit the district’s website www.marshfieldschools.org for updates on referendum projects. Questions can be emailed to [email protected] or directed to the district office at 715-387-1101.

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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 voters approve $71.5M referendum