What is on the ballot?
As printed on the election ballot, the question is “Shall the School District of Mauston, Juneau County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,750,000 per year for four years, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and ending with the 2027-2028 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses?”
If approved, what is the maximum annual tax impact of the proposed referendum?
We have been diligent in ensuring that the tax impact is minimal for our community members. With the increase in state aid, which lowers the amount placed on property taxes, the mill rate is proposed to be $7.21 with an approved referendum. That results in a decrease of $65 per $100,000 of property value.
What is different from April’s referendum question?
After the referendum failed in April, the Board of Education sent out a survey to see what the Board and Administration had missed. In the results, 50.8% of respondents said the district did not communicate its needs effectively, 48.9% said the district has not shared enough about its budget, and 42.3% cited the tax impact of that proposed referendum being too high. In that survey, three options were presented for potential operational referenda. The option that received the highest level of support was exceeding the district’s revenue limit by $1.75 million a year for four years for a total of $7 million. The district will still need to cut in areas if the referendum were to pass.
Mauston just passed a referendum in 2020, why can’t you use those funds?
The short answer, state law. The long answer is when we passed a referendum in 2020, it was a capital referendum. We told the community that these funds would be used for capital measures, so we can only use those funds for capital improvements. In this operational referendum, we are asking for additional support to help with the operating costs of the district: utilities, routine maintenance, salaries and benefits of all staff, insurance, supplies, etc. It is illegal to use capital funds for operating.
What will the District and School Board of Education do if the referendum does not pass?
In the case that the referendum does not pass, the district will need to offset a $2 million deficit for the 25-26 school year. Proposed budget cuts include: Reducing 15-18 positions through attrition and reductions, closing Lyndon Station Elementary School, cutting extracurricular (athletics) programming, cutting co-curricular (clubs) programming, cutting all field trips, eliminating afternoon summer school for first and second sessions, eliminating one bus route for pickup and drop off, discontinuing JEDI as a virtual programming alternative, closing the OMS swimming pool during the winter months, eliminating elementary Family Fun Nights and eliminating the musical.
What has the district done to address these needs so far?
In the face of these challenges, district leaders and the Board of Education have worked extremely hard to make the most of every single dollar community members have invested into their community schools. For the 2024-2025 school year, the district paused hiring of teaching and support staff, placed a temporary freeze on Administrative salaries, did not renew contract for Student Analytics, Frontline Technologies, reduced curriculum and professional development, negotiated a lower rate increase than we had budgeted for our health insurance, reduce overall building budgets, and eliminated Navigate 360 online training for ALICE. The district has 29 unfilled positions.
The district has made significant expense reductions in recent years and we worry about harming our schools and students over the long term if this trend continues. A referendum is necessary to reduce class sizes, bring back programming that was downsized or eliminated to provide residents with the high-quality school district they have come to expect.
Where do I vote?
The School District of Mauston is comprised of the City of Mauston and all or part of the Towns of Germantown, Kildare, Lemonweir, Lindina, Lisbon, Lyndon, Marion, Plymouth, Seven Mile Creek, Summit, and the Village of Lyndon Station in Juneau County. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Polls are open from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM. You can find absentee ballot details and early in-person voting timing by going to My Vote Wisconsin found here: http://www.myvote.wi.gov/
If you wish to contact your municipal clerk, they are:
- City of Mauston - Nicole Lyddy, Deputy Clerk, 608-847-6676
- Village of Lyndon Station - Michelle Klein, Clerk, 608-666-2500
- Town of Germantown - Susan Ganther, Clerk, 608-562-5751
- Town of Kildare - Jennifer Masch, Clerk, 608-350-0698
- Town of Lemonweir - Carin Leach, Clerk, 608-847-4786
- Town of Lindina - Sharie Miles, Clerk, 608-847-4861
- Town of Lisbon - Andrea L. Hawkins, Clerk, 608-847-5432
- Town of Lyndon - Denise Giebel, Clerk, 608-548-2546
- Town of Marion - Nicole Clark, Clerk, 608-547-6734
- Town of Plymouth - Betty Manson, Clerk, 608-547-5283
- Town of Seven Mile Creek - Betsy Taylor-Hart, Clerk, 715-937-4376
- Town of Summit - Tammy Miller, Clerk, 608-985-7106
How did Mauston spend the federal grant dollars it received during COVID?
The district did receive federal COVID-19 relief funds (known as ESSER) to provide assistance during the pandemic. These funds provided some short-term help, but there were restrictions on how and where they could be used. We placed a focus on student safety and wellness, but were forced to utilize ESSER funds to operate our buildings. The ESSER funds expired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Has the school district created new programs that have caused this financial crisis?
Every program/opportunity that has been created for our students, has been made possible because of grant funding and donations. The district is very aggressive in applying for county, state, and federal grants and has been awarded grants that have allowed us to start the Montessori Charter School, iLEAD Charter School, Lemonweir Academy, Little Eagles Child Care Center, and Busy Bee. These programs are all sustainable without increasing any burden on the general budget.
How many schools does Mauston have?
Mauston has five buildings, four on the main campus and one elementary school at Lyndon Station. The School District of Mauston has eight schools/educational programs: Lyndon Station Elementary, West Side Elementary, Grayside Elementary, Olson Middle School, and Mauston High School. Charter Schools: Mauston Montessori Charter School, iLEAD Charter School, and Lemonweir Academy. The School District of Mauston also participates in a virtual learning program called JEDI.