The Shawano School Board signed off on the necessary resolutions to ask for a $51.2 million capital referendum from voters on Nov. 5, but members also expressed interest in a proposal to get corporate sponsorships for some of the more controversial projects in the referendum.
Two of the projects that have generated negative buzz in the community are a synthetic turf field for the athletic field that would be home to Shawano Community High School’s football, soccer and track programs, as well as an orchestra pit in the high school auditorium. Between the two items, about $900,000 would be spent if the referendum passes.
The proposal presented by Superintendent Kurt Krizan and Jody Andres, with Hoffman Planning and Design, includes offering naming rights for the athletic field or auditorium for anyone contributing $500,000 to either project. The naming rights would be for a 10-year period.
“We’re still getting questions about the turf and the orchestra pit,” Andres said to the board during its Aug. 12 meeting. “The thought was we wanted to basically throw out an idea to the board about, is there an alternative way we can approach this?”
The naming rights are expected to give the sponsoring businesses much more exposure as sports fans and theater patrons would see the name whenever they attended a game or performance.
“With turf, you can paint logos and whatever you want,” Andres said.
Other sponsorship opportunities range from $300 for a seat in the auditorium to $100,000 to sponsor the athletic field scoreboard all the way up to $200,000 for auditorium lighting.
Andres noted that other sponsorship opportunities for the field and auditorium could be considered, but the district wanted to focus on more of the big-ticket items that could reduce the burden on taxpayers. Even with the orchestra pit and turf field listed as referendum projects, if they were funded by corporate gifts, then the district wouldn’t have to bond for the full $51.2 million.
Those who gave to the auditorium seating in 1997 when the high school was built would still have their names there even though the seating could be replaced, according to Andres.
“They paid for that plaque,” he said.
Andres added that offering the sponsorships is seen as a way to involve critics of the projects and showing that there’s an alternative to getting the money directly from property owners.
“There are some commitments that are involved in here, but I think it’s a great way of saying, at this point, to the community, ‘We heard you. We understand that these are two items that might be a little more out there for everyone, but we’re trying to figure out some alternative ways to maybe fund them that won’t necessarily come out of the referendum,” Andres said.
Bonds would be set in a two- or three-year period after the referendum is approved, so that would give the district time to find donors before determining how much to actually borrow below the $51.2 million, Andres said. He recommended the board set a deadline for the sponsorships.
The proposal is still in draft form and would need to be approved by the board before district officials could start seeking any of the sponsorships. Because the specific matter was not on the Aug. 12 agenda, the board could not take any action on the matter, but board members were indicating they would approve the proposal once it did come up for a vote.
Board member John Arens liked the naming rights for the field and auditorium being for 10 years, but he recommended the lower-cost items that won’t last 10 years should be sponsored for a shorter time frame, like five years.
“All of that stuff needs maintenance, so it all needs to be changed over,” Arens said. “A sound system’s going to last you eight years maybe, and then you’re looking at another $200,000.”
Board member Jeana Winslow said she believes the sponsorship plan will help to rebuild some of the lost trust from the community.
“I think it extends a hand or transparency with the district and with the community that we’re not trying to pull the wool over your eyes with any of this,” Winslow said. “All of this information is out here. Even though we did budget for it, we’re trying to save money.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
BY THE NUMBERS
A look at the sponsorship proposal from Shawano School District:
$500,000: Turf sponsorship, which would include naming rights of the athletic field and include sponsor’s name displayed on turf for 10 years (One available)
$500,000: Orchestra pit sponsorship, which would include naming rights of the auditorium and include sponsor’s name displayed on the entry to the auditorium for 10 years (One available)
$200,000: Auditorium lighting sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name and logo on the auditorium donor wall (One available)
$200,000: Auditorium sound system sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name and logo on the auditorium donor wall (One available)
$175,000: Acoustic shell sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name and logo on the auditorium donor wall (One available)
$100,000: Scoreboard sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name and logo on the scoreboard (One available)
$85,000: Stadium lighting sponsorship, which would include the sponsor’s name and logo on four lighting poles (One available)
$10,000: Grandstand sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name and logo displayed on top of grandstands (Two available)
$300: Auditorium seat sponsorship, which would include sponsor’s name on auditorium donor wall (100 available)
Board looks at referendum funding alternatives
