SHEBOYGAN FALLS — The Sheboygan Falls School District was the only district in Sheboygan County that did not get a pass on its November referendum.
After sending out a community survey to figure out what went wrong, it took a hard look at the proposed items.
Watch: Voters in Sheboygan Falls weight $70 million school referendum:
Voters I spoke to in the fall said many of the original projects were valid but they had a hard time justifying the cost — the two 2024 questions totaled nearly $100 million.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City of Sheboygan and Sheboygan Falls vote oppositely on school referendums — Here's what voters had to say
Falls residents are still paying off the new middle school from 2016.
“I think everybody right now…we’re up to here with tax,” said long-time resident Paul Dalberto, bringing his hand near the top of his forehead.
He and his wife attended one of the listening sessions explaining the revised referendum that will be on the April ballot.
The 2025 version was cut by nearly $30 million. The total will not exceed $70 million.
“All three of our kids went through the school system, were in band, played sports,” Dalberto said. “It was a really good school system.”
But Dalberto voted no in the November election.
The district is trying to get residents like him back on board.
“There are things that need to be done…security, safety issues, maintenance issues..there’s no question they need to be done,” Dalberto noted.
The district removed projects like a new auxiliary gym, a new multi-sport field, a new track, and a space for childcare.
The priorities now are urgent building maintenance, updates to existing athletics areas, creating a 4K space, and renovating and creating additional learning environments.
“Education is more than just what happens inside the four walls of the classroom. It is a total experience for all of our kids,” remarked District Administrator Zach Pethan.
Even after the listening session, Dalberto isn’t confident he can approve this referendum. He said he needs more information and a reprioritization of projects.
“It’s just trying to determine what are the wants, the needs and the likes.”
If the referendum passes in April, the cost to residents would be $25 per year for every $100,000 of property value.
Dalberto encourages his fellow Sheboygan Falls citizens to come to the listening sessions.
“Don’t say home,” he said. “Take a little time, come out and take a look at it, and make sure an informed decision rather than knee-jerk.”
Upcoming information sessions:
- Wednesday, March 12 – 6:30 pm at SF High School
- Tuesday, March 18 – 6:30 pm at SF Elementary School
Town Hall meetings:
- Thursday, March 13 – 6:00 pm at Town of Lyndon
- Wednesday, March 19 – 6:00 pm at Town of Waldo
- Thursday, March 20 – 6:00 pm at Town of Sheboygan Falls
