Unfortunately, a technical issue occurred with the print company we used to develop the newsletter which resulted in a later mailing date. Since we had the capacity to record the meeting, we decided to proceed with holding the forum and uploaded the recording to the Referendum webpage for public viewing at a later time.

The company we use to put out the phone messages (canceling school, COVID messages etc.) previously did not allow emails or texts exceeding 160 characters. The District communicated with the company and are now able to expand characters. Moving forward communication in text and emails will closely mirror the phone message.

The survey showed the community favors a variety of communication from the Weston School District. Print materials ranked high, and the community can expect to see another newsletter, business flyer, and backpack flyer sent home with students. We will also continue to share information on the referendum webpage, Facebook page, and the Weston App. We encourage downloading the App for updates on all Weston School District information. The District will also use the Reedsburg Independent and the Richland Observer for print news while utilizing WRCO and WRDB for broadcast communication.

Weston School District has been working with Baird Financial, School Perceptions, and CESA 10 over the last nine months to determine a final amount to meet current programming and personnel. The $975,000 amount will raise taxes from the current rate, but not higher than the previous two years.

A four-year time period for a non-recurring referendum is standard throughout the state (as confirmed by our professional team mentioned above). A three-year referendum would be a quick turnaround to ask voters for another operational referendum. While Weston has traditionally proceeded with a five-year referendum, there are concerns about future state funding.

If the operational referendum question were to pass, the estimated mill rate would be $11.74. The mill rate would still be below the 2016- 2020 average, and taxpayers would not see an increase in their tax bill compared to the 2016- 2020 average. The 2021 tax bill and $6.25 mill rate was a unique incident and is not typical.

The simple answer is yes. Your 2022 taxes will increase from this last year, but they will not be higher than the previous two years. Below is a timeline of the District’s mill rate since 2013.

There was a clerical error on a DPI form from the last referendum. As a result, the 2020-21 school year utilized the fund balance to give taxpayers a break and offset over leveeing taxes. This led to a dramatic drop in the 2021 mill rate. The District is confident with Baird Financial’s and Johnson & Block’s oversight, systems and controls are in place to ensure this does not happen again.

There are rarely simple answers with school finances. Larger districts have more commerce and a significant tax base. As a result, the assessed value (properties, homes, factories, business, etc.) and overall tax value are greater, equating to a lower mill rate. A smaller district has less overall valuation because of limited business and homes in a rural community. Another example is the total value of a district. The Wisconsin Dells School District’s mill rate is less than $3.00 because of the billions of dollars in tourism generated from water parks and other entertainment. Wisconsin Dells has a lower mill rate but receives very little state aid. Weston School District has a higher mill rate but receives more state aid. A lower mill rate is workable when assessing the rate on billions of dollars instead of millions. The total property valuation within the Weston School District is around $170 million.

Conversations on this subject focused on previous facility assessments and estimates. A critical resource in this pursuit was the custodians, specifically Victor Hineman and John Sheahan, who have worked with the building’s maintenance every day over the last two decades. After gathering an itemized list of needs, we surveyed the community for feedback. Initially, this list estimated $3.35 million in facility projects. Based on the survey results, the community responded that repairing the high school roof, upgrading the elementary school boilers and installing direct digital controls, and replacing the high school flooring were top priorities. These items equated to $1.9 million. A dollar amount the survey conveyed the community would support.

If the capital improvement question passes, the estimated mill rate will be $12.41. This amount will be higher than the mill rate of the previous two years but will be under the 2016-2020 mill rate average of $12.83. Capital improvement projects are benefiting from historically lowinterest rates.

If approved, taxpayers with a home valued at $100,000 would pay an additional $67/year in 2022 or under $6/month. Mill rates will decrease in the second year following the referendum once the District receives state aid. The tax impact of the April 2021 referendum would still be below historical rates.

The District reached out to the company responsible for installing the high school boilers for a project estimate. The financial commitment to install an air conditioning system would cost over a million dollars. After reviewing this estimate, the District has decided to move forward without adding air conditioning in the building.

Within the last year, the District received contractors’ proposals for the high school roof, and the elementary school boilers and direct digital controls updates for budgetary purposes. If these projects were to proceed, there would be financial savings from using energy-efficient equipment.

CESA 10 provided the quote for removing and replacing asbestos flooring from the high school. Because of CESA 10’s environmental health and safety experience, they perform all of the District’s services, including sampling for asbestos, chemical disposal, and industrystandard checks.

Note: If the capital improvement referendum question were to pass, all projects would go through CESA 10’s bidding process. Once completed, proposals will be presented to the school board for final approval based on the quality, scope of work, and overall price.

The Weston School District has made major contributions over the last four years to improve school facilities. In the summer of 2020, over $400,000 helped pave a new parking lot and sidewalks. The building also underwent tuckpointing to ensure the structural integrity for decades to come. Finally, a small section of roof replacement occurred near the back of the building.

Before these projects, the District replaced significant sections of the elementary roof and upgraded the high school boilers.

In 2015, the Weston School District passed a referendum to upgrade the high school boilers. The high school boilers needed a significant upgrade because of the age and increasing need for additional maintenance.

It has been 30 years since the Weston School District has needed major capital improvements. The last capital improvement referendum passed in 1990 to build the Weston Elementary School for $2.5 million. This project was an addition to the existing school built in 1955.

Since 1993, school districts throughout Wisconsin have been restricted by revenue limits. These restrictions have made it difficult to address large capital projects within the current budget. Legislation requires districts go to referendum for large projects.

Additionally, there has been turnover occurring every two years that has made long-range planning a challenge. The District is on the right track, as the current administrators are local and committed to improvement.

The District has focused on building up a fund balance to carry out future projects. However, this is not sustainable, as the current market disrupts the opportunity to save. The District has been losing ground, and as a result, the fund balance dollars are insufficient to cover the increased cost in performing repairs and improvements.

Restrictions from COVID-19 has created frustrating experiences. The District would love to get back to normal and have all the fantastic events that make Weston a special place, such as Grandparents Night, Senior Citizens’ Breakfast, fitness groups, youth sports, and the list goes on. The District believes that the 2021-2022 school year will be a celebration and return to a more typical school year with a significant increase in events and building use. No matter when that time comes, the District will be here for the community. The Weston School District appreciates the local community and is proud of all the events put on at the school. Eagle Pride!!!

There is certainly some uncertainty when considering the current world situation and its effect on the economy. The school board voted unanimously to proceed with a referendum question for $1.9 million based on survey feedback. The board believes investing in the community’s youth now is imperative to our country’s future economy and well-being. If both referendums were to pass, the tax rate would be less than it has been in some years over the last decade.

Property owners understand that while owning a residence for 20 to 30 years, there will need to be upkeep and maintenance to ensure the property’s integrity. Roofing, flooring, temperature control, etc., are often issues that need to be addressed. Managing these issues is overdue in the District, as some of these concerns are original to the 1955 building. The increase in market costs and damage from current maintenance needs could lead to further problems that would be an even greater expense if not addressed in the next couple of years. For example, a leaky roof will cause moisture issues and other structural concerns if not assessed right away.

The Weston School District will continue to move forward, assuming the operational referendum passes. Critical maintenance issues would need to be addressed using funds that would typically support staff and student services. This action would not be the District’s first choice. The school board and administration would have to evaluate the essential priorities presented with this referendum. If voters do not support the capital improvements, the District would make the best use of the funds provided through taxes and other sources.