MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Manitowoc Public Schools is asking to borrow $25 million for school building repairs.
- The district is asking to borrow $25 million for urgent repairs at the school buildings
- NBC 26 visited Washington Middle, where water damage has hit the auditorium and the gym is sinking into the ground
- The public will be repaid over 20 years of the school's operational savings
- Click through the player above to watch the full video
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Election Day is less than a week away and the Manitowoc Public School District has a $25 million question on the ballot. I had the chance to go inside Washington Middle School to see why the district wants so much money for this school and others.
Interim superintendent Lee Thennes calls the referendum a must have for the district.
"We have about $47 million in urgent need and we're going to borrow $25 (million), so obviously it's about prioritization,” Thennes said.
He pointed out some of the spots in 89-year-old Washington Middle School that he's trying to prioritize.
"Up here on the ceiling, we've got some major water damage,” said Thennes. “We're safe standing here but little pieces of paint and plaster and things will fall."
And yes, there is caution tape blocking off that part of the auditorium.
Concrete repairs are on the schools list of immediate projects. At Washington there is just under $1 million in critical need.
If the referendum were to pass, property taxes in the district would go up 16¢ per $1,000 of value. So, a $200,000 property would pay $32 more in property tax on July 1st.
The city would pay that back to citizens over the next 20 years in operational savings.
"Frankly, I'm tired of the band-aid fixes,” said Thennes. “We have to come in and fix these things permanently."
This referendum comes as the district is forming a long range plan for how to handle a need of more than $160 million in facility repairs. These consist of larger projects which can also be seen at Washington.
"The actual building and this gym area is actually sinking,” Thennes said in the gym. "That is a real big concern that we have when part of your school building is actually sinking into the ground."
If you want the chance to see inside some of the schools before the vote next week, the district is hosting an open house Saturday at 9 am, the tour will start at Lincoln High School. More information on the referendum can be found here.
Click here for information on school district referendums across Wisconsin.
