PESHTIGO (NBC 26) — With Midterm Elections just days away, voters part of the Peshtigo school district will be asked to approve a $39.95 million referendum.
If it passes, the money would go towards renovating the shared middle school and high school.
"It would add four classrooms, a gymnasium, a fitness center, it would expand our tech ed and locker room space as well. The interior of the building will be completely remodeled,” said Patrick Rau, Peshtigo Superintendent.
The school would also be able to address essential infrastructure needs. Everything from electrical work to HVAC.
Rau said there are parts of the building where they have no climate control.
“When you drive by the 1930s section of our building you'll notice that the upstairs classrooms have the windows open because we will heat the first floor. To get that up to a comfortable 68 to 70 degrees there. Unfortunately, all the heat rises because it’s such an old building. Those classrooms will reach 85 in January and February,” said Rau.
So what does this referendum mean for taxpayers in Peshtigo?
According to the superintendent, the district has actually lowered the tax rate for the building referendum.
"We were happy to see when we got our final numbers from DPI [Department of Public Instruction] as far as state aid that $65 reduced to a $29 increase on a $100,000 home,” Rau said.
For one Peshtigo woman, this referendum hits close to home as she's a mom of two boys in middle school and high school.
"Yes, I'm very in favor. I early voted yesterday,” said Lauren Williams. "We want for our students to have the best opportunities available. A huge piece of that is facilities. Both the access to the equipment, and the space that they need to learn. There are so many obstacles that our kids are facing these days. We want to provide the best environment we can."
Another piece in the referendum will be implementing better safe and more secure entrances.
"There is something as a parent when you're dropping off your kid, its a very vulnerable thing and to know that they are doing every single thing known and available to us to make sure our kids come home safely, that's very important, it's emotional,” said Williams.
The district has tried for a school referendum in the past but it did not pass.
To learn more about the referendum, click here.
