Wisconsin school district pushes for proactive referendum

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Jun 20, 2008 by Paul Snyder

The Clinton Community School District doesn't need $10 million this year, but it's going to ask for it this fall anyway.

"We looked at (a referendum) and said we could wait," said School Board President Randy Gracyalny. "But the needs aren't going to change, and the costs won't go down."

In many ways, the Clinton's School District is like many others in Wisconsin fighting for a referendum this year. The economy is in the tank, gas and commodity prices are high, and it's an uphill battle asking residents to shell out more money.

But while other districts, like that in La Crosse, now need referendum approval just to keep schools open, Clinton is trying to ensure long-term viability of its three schools. The district doesn't want to be in a position of one day choosing between new pipes and new textbooks.

"These aren't luxury items," said School Board member Carol Wickersham of the items included in the proposed referendum. "We're trying to be as fiscally responsible as we can."

The items in the "fiscally responsible" referendum cover a range of options for the district's elementary, middle and high schools, and those options aren't cheap. They include new gyms, heating and cooling systems, and expanded hallways and classrooms.

The district wants for the elementary school a geothermal heating system that will run almost $180,000 more than a standard hot water system. Business Manager Katherine Zwirgzdas said it will pay itself off in 11 years and ultimately be less costly over time.

But when the School Board president concedes the projects aren't immediately necessary, the referendum becomes a tougher sell.

Gracyalny said work on the referendum package began in February 2007 with involvement from the community, and the district tried to keep residents up to date on what the district wanted so no one would be surprised this fall.

In some cases, it worked.

"(The referendum) is needed," said resident Michelle Dennis. "I'm frequently in the elementary school, and it's too small. You almost feel claustrophobic, especially when all the kids are in the hall going from point A to point B."

In other cases, the district still has work to do.

"Right now, it'd be difficult for me to say whether I'd vote for it or not because I'm not familiar with what they're looking for exactly," said David Snow, who owns National Band, an instrument repair shop in the village. "If they're smart, and the money is being spent wisely, I don't think there'd be a problem."

But Snow said he won't fall for the district's claims it doesn't have any money.

"They always seem to think they're operating on a shoestring budget, and I'm not so convinced of that," he said, adding sarcastically, "School districts around Wisconsin all kind of work the same way -- kids are going to die in the halls unless something's done."

Snow also said it will be tough to convince residents the money is a must, considering Clinton is one of the highest-taxed districts in the state.

Patrick Gasper, media contact for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, said tax districts are measured different ways around the state. While Clinton ranks high, he said, it isn't among the 10 highest-taxed districts.

Residents shouldn't expect to hear about how cash-strapped the district is in the days leading up to the referendum, Gracyalny said. Both he and Wickersham said the School Board understands the tough economic times in Clinton and the rest of the state, but that is not reason enough to do nothing.

The district could wait to ask residents to pay for new projects, but Gracyalny said gambling on the economy improving and prices going down isn't a move he wants to make.

"Where will we be three years from now?" he asked. "I don't know. No one knows. We know where we are now.

"Yeah, we might not absolutely need this, this year. But if we put it off too long, it's going to get to that point of making some tough cuts."