West Allis-West Milwaukee School District asks voters to support two November referendums

For the second time in less than three years, West Allis-West Milwaukee School District voters will have referendum questions to decide upon.

The district's board voted July 22 to place two referendum questions on the November ballot. One will ask voters to allow the district to collect an additional $70 million for its facilities. The other will ask voters for an additional $5.8 million annually to support cost-of-living raises for staff. These questions come after voters rejected a $149.8 million facilities referendum in April 2022.

Here's what to know about the referendums.

What school district projects would the facilities referendum fund?

The district says the facilities referendum would fund districtwide facility improvements, including safety, security and accessibility updates.

Here is a list of some of the projects that will be covered, according to West Allis-West Milwaukee School District Director of Communications and Engagement Carolyn Hahn:

• 58 bathroom Americans with Disabilities Act updates across all schools

• 52 sections of roofing replacement across 11 schools

• HVAC Updates (boilers, air handling units) across 12 schools

• Window unit air conditioning installation at seven elementary schools and at James E. Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

• Air filtration work in the technical education classroom at West Allis Hale High School

• Tuckpointing to address a portion of needs district-wide

• Districtwide security camera replacement

• Districtwide fire alarm system panel replacement

• Replace outdated public announcement systems at the district's elementary schools and repair of non-functioning speakers and wiring districtwide

What projects would the facilities referendum fund at specific schools?

The facilities referendum would also fund additional school-specific projects:

• West Allis Central High School: $10.39 million for replacing the fieldhouse's gym flooring, bleachers, basketball hoops, metal doors and frames, divider curtains, acoustic panels and gym lighting; installing air conditioning in the fieldhouse and corridors; bathroom renovations; roof section replacement; and pool repairs

• West Milwaukee Intermediate School: $6.81 million for pool cleanup, renovations, equipment replacement and repairs; boiler replacement; bathroom renovations; roof section replacement; and elevator equipment installation

• Nathan Hale High School: $5.48 million for bathroom renovations; roof section replacement; air conditioning in the fieldhouse, auxiliary gym and corridors; pool repairs; main gym floor replacement; floor replacement in auxiliary gym

• Hoover Elementary School: $4.51 million for roof section replacement; air conditioning installation; bathroom renovations; boiler replacement and structural damage repair

• Wilson Elementary School: $4.45 million for boiler replacement, bathroom renovations and air conditioning installation

• Jefferson Elementary School: $4.42 million to replace air handling unit and associated ductwork; air conditioning installation; bathroom renovations and roof section replacement

• Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School: $4.34 million for bathroom renovations; boiler and air handling unit replacement; pool cleanup, repairs and equipment replacement; elevator renovations; flooring replacement, concrete removal and replacement

• Franklin Elementary School: $4.25 million for boiler replacement, bathroom renovations, air conditioning installation and roof section replacement

• Irving Elementary School: $4.23 million for bathroom renovations, air conditioning installation, boiler replacement, ramp installation for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and structural repairs for a school entrance and corresponding corridor

• Walker Elementary School: $4.18 million for bathroom renovations; roof section replacement; air conditioning installation; boiler replacement; gym door replacement; gym ceiling replacement; addition of acoustical wall panels to gym; blacktop repair; greenspace addition and driveway widening

• Horace Mann Elementary School: $4.12 million for bathroom renovations; air conditioning installation; roof section replacement; repair of air handling units; elevator maintenance; and auditorium ceiling replacement

• Dottke Project-Based Learning High School: $3.82 million for air conditioning installation; roof section replacement; classroom unit ventilator replacement; gym floor steam heating system replacement; bathroom renovations; parking lot repairs and storm water management plan installation

• Pershing Elementary School: $3.03 million for bathroom renovations; air handling unit, chiller and pump replacement; and roof section replacement

• General Mitchell Elementary School: $2.75 million for bathroom renovations; boiler and air handling unit replacement; gym ceiling tile removal and replacement; gym paint and wall repair; addition of acoustical wall panels to gym

The district's schools are an average of almost 80 years old and have "a capital need of nearly $275 million taking into account inflation from 2021 up through today," according to a document about the facilities referendum from the board's July 22 meeting.

What are the details of the operational referendum?

If the operational referendum is approved, the district could receive an additional $5.8 million each year on a recurring basis starting in the 2025-26 school year. The funds would support staff raises.

District officials said they need additional funding as state imposed revenue limits have not kept up with rising costs, according to a board document.

That same board document also said the district's staff salaries have fallen behind area school districts since the 2014-15 school year. Even with implementing a new compensation structure in the 2018-19 school year, district salaries are on average 5 to 7% behind the average salaries at other area school districts, saying that hurts the district's ability to attract and retain teachers and staff. The board document also says teacher turnover, especially in math and science areas, has increased and the turnover has affected students' ability to learn and negatively affects student achievement.

What's the estimated tax impact of the referendum questions?

If both the facilities and operational referendums pass, the estimated tax impact would be $1.08 per $1,000 of property value. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay an additional $324 annually in school taxes. The district's 2023-24 tax rate was $6.69 per $1,000 of property value.

When was the district's last referendum?

District voters last decided on a referendum in April 2022. At that time, voters rejected a proposed $149.8 million facilities referendum that would have closed the district's two high schools — Nathan Hale and West Allis Central — and created one new consolidated high school.

Voters also rejected a proposed $12.5 million non-recurring operational referendum in April 2017 that would have helped the district cover rising expenses, retain staff and develop new programming, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's referendum history database.

Prior to 2017, the last time district residents voted on a referendum was in April 2003, when they approved a $12 million facilities referendum to "maintain, repair, renovate, remodel, improve school facilities; purchase, upgrade, replace equipment, systems and technology," the DPI's referendum history database said.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: West Allis-West Milwaukee voters face November referendums for schools