A referendum asking for $54.5 million to be borrowed for capital improvements and expansion of school facilities is officially on the April election ballot after the Shawano School Board voted 5-1 on Jan. 8 to approve resolutions authorizing the general obligation bonds and proceeding with the election.
Originally, the Shawano School District was looking at estimates totaling $53.7 million, but the price tag went up upon learning some added costs for work on the pool at Shawano Community High School and addressing parking lot concerns at all of the schools.
Jody Andres, K-12 consultant for Hoffman Design, noted that there was some difficulty finding vendors that would put a liner on the pool, which is expected to extend the facility’s life. The liner is expected to cost just shy of $500,000, according to Andres, and that would include fixing mechanical issues and replacing the deck around the pool.
“From what they tell us, it’s going to be a little bit tricky because of the system, but they felt they could do that,” Andres said without naming the company that would be doing the work.
There will also be some work recommended by Safe Routes to School to make it easier for traffic around all of the schools. The recommendations by the organization could quash plans to relocate the SCHS football field from its current location next to Martzke Park to the land facing County Road B.
“East-west configurations aren’t the best for football fields or soccer fields or whatever events are there,” Andres said. “There are some restrictions where a gas pipeline goes through and distances from the county highway, so it wasn’t really going to fit.”
In all, Andres is estimating that the pavement and improvements recommended by Safe Routes could total around $3 million.
Board member John Arens feels Safe Routes’ recommendations don’t go far enough, especially when it comes to Hillcrest Primary School and Olga Brener Intermediate School. He indicated as an example the warning lights at County B and Lincoln Street, which were installed in 2023 to address concerns with pedestrians and the traffic on the county road.
“It blows my mind that Safe Routes to School doesn’t think we need the same kind of treatment at Hillcrest, or all those kids and families that walk to Brener or any of those,” Arens said. “I can’t fathom the fact that it’s not really a safe route. Waukechon Street is not a safe route to school.”
Andres noted that 40% of the referendum funding is for maintenance of existing facilities. He added that just because the referendum is for $54.5 million does not mean the district has to spend that much.
Arens acknowledged the maintenance work is needed, in light of the age of most of the buildings.
“The majority of this referendum is for maintenance that has been deferred for 20 years,” Arens said. “It’s very important.”
Board member Frank Kugel was the lone vote opposing both resolutions, and board members David Cullen, Mike Musolff and Jeana Winslow were absent from the meeting.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
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