GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Area Public School District is proposing voters decide a $183 million capital referendum in November.
Most of that money will go toward adding spaces and remodeling schools to accommodate for new student numbers after the boundary changes and school consolidations. The district presented the total amount of the referendum to the school board during its meeting Monday night.
The board will vote on the final projects to be included in the referendum later this month, and voters will then choose to pass the referendum or not in the Nov. 5 election.
Here’s what to know about the referendum and how you can provide feedback on the included projects.
What would the referendum money go toward?
Under the proposed referendum, $33 million would go toward addressing safety and security concerns while $150 million will address school consolidations.
A majority of the money in the referendum would go toward remodeling some the district’s schools to accommodate newly consolidated students after the Green Bay School Board voted to close six elementary schools.
Those additions and deferred maintenance would be at Beaumont Elementary, Chappell Elementary, Doty Elementary, Lincoln Elementary and Red Smith School. The expansion and additions would include classrooms, better student drop-off and pickup spaces, and gym and breakout area remodels.
If the referendum passes, it would also create a new west-side elementary school at the site of Kennedy for 600 students from Kennedy, Keller and MacArthur.
A part of the referendum would address better secured entrances at schools and include bathroom renovations at Edison, Franklin, Lombardi, Washington, Red Smith, East, Preble, Southwest and West schools. The bathroom renovations would also work to make sure the bathrooms are ADA-compliant. The N.E.W. School of Innovation at NWTC would be renovated under the referendum.
What will be the referendum’s impact on Green Bay’s property taxes?
The rate at which the district will tax property owners should not go up, the district said.
The goal is to maintain the current tax rate of $8.26 per $1,000 valuation of property, said Interim Superintendent Vicki Bayer.
“The costs of the new debt would be offset by the drop in the district’s existing debt,” Bayer said.
What’s next for the proposed referendum?
The district will hold three community feedback sessions this week to get input on the projects proposed for the referendum.
The school board will vote on the final project list and question that will be on the November ballot in the July 22 meeting.
How can I share my thoughts on the referendum?
People can join three community sessions by the district this week. District leaders will provide a list of projects that will be part of the referendum and will have time for roundtable discussions about the project list.
- Tuesday, July 9: 12:15 and 6 p.m. at the Neville Public Museum, 210 Museum Place, Green Bay.
- Thursday, July 11: 6 p.m. at MacArthur Elementary School, 1331 Hobart Drive. A tour of MacArthur will begin at 5:30 p.m.
More:Green Bay School Board votes to close Langlade, Elmore and MacArthur Elementary schools
Contact Benita Mathew at [email protected].
