Edgar referendum proposal advances

Committee will review it

Members of a citizens advisory committee will be asked to endorse a compromise referendum proposal in January, Edgar School District administrator Dr. Cari Guden told school board members last week Wednesday.

The proposal calls for raising the school district revenue cap by $950,000 for the next five years.

Guden said that the plan was a hybrid between $903,000 “grow” and $1,284,000 “evolve” options already reviewed by the committee. Members of the committee cast five votes for the “grow” option and seven for the “evolve” option, Guden reported, and the proposal splits the difference between the two. Some committee members voted by secret ballot on the plans while others, who were not present at a November meeting, cast votes over the internet, she said. District bookkeeper Morgan Mueller presented the $950,000 plan in worst, better and best scenarios. The scenarios assume the state will not increase the per pupil spending cap, but it will increase categorical aid, such as transportation aid, by zero, modest and generous amounts. In all of the scenarios, school taxes will drop from the $2,428,833 budgeted and levied for the 2022-23 school year. The school tax rate for the coming tax year is $9.46 for each $1,000 of fair market property. Current categorical aid is $742 per pupil.

The scenarios are as follows:

n “Worst.” State categorical aids do not increase. District taxes will fall to $1,763,762 by the 2026-27 school year and the district tax rate will decrease from the current $9.46 to $6.87. By the 202627 school year, the district will have a negative fund balance of $436,175.

n “Better.” Categorial aids will gradually increase to $1,142 per pupil. Taxes will fall to $1,868,896 in the 202627 school year with a mil rate of $7.26. The district fund balance will be a positive $359,426.

n “ Best.” Categorical aids will increase to $1,542 per pupil. Taxes will fall to $1,967,823 by the 2026-27 school year with a mil rate of $7.66. The district will enjoy a $697,630 fund balance by the 2026-27 school year.

All three of the scenarios assume there will be a two percent annual increase in the school district tax base. The scenarios also assume that $670,000 out an $814,000 balance accumulated in the district’s debt service account can be used to help pay off the remaining two years of building remodeling debt, which, in effect, lowers the district total mil rate.

Mueller said that the district could use money accumulated in a capital projects fund to handle any negative fund balance, should that occur.

Board members supported showing the proposal to the citizens advisory committee for its review.

Guden told board members that she will likely recommend hiring Doreen Dembrowski, Fond du Lac, an elections consultant, to coordinate communications about the referendum to the Edgar public. She said she was impressed with the campaign Dembrowski organized in the East Troy School District. It is likely, Guden said, Dembrowski will sit in on the advisory committee’s January meeting.

Board member Corey Mueller said the key to the referendum was bringing a positive message to voters. He said the school district, having failed to pass a referendum twice, needed to be successful on a third try.

“We are on the canvas,” he said. “We have to try and get back up.”

In other school board business:

n Board members approved hiring Betty Urmanski to replace girls basketball coach the late Gary Brewster. Urmanski is a former long-time girls basketball coach.

n Board members agreed to spend $1,800 in staff time to put on a spring Edgar High School musical. Board member Gary Lewis objected, but did not vote no.

High school principal Tom McCarty said 21 high school students proposed putting on the musical. These are students, he said, that “are not necessarily in sports” and would benefit by being able to participate in an extra-curricular activity over the winter.

Lewis said the musical would cost the district “$1,800 that the district never spent before” and would overspend the district budget.

Principal McCarty, however, defended putting on the show. “I think that when we look at the benefit for the students and impact it would have, this is a high value way to spend $1,800,” he said.

District administrator Guden agreed with McCarty. “We talk about doing what’s best for kids,” she said. “I feel that this is doing what is best for kids.”

n Board members approved having an Edgar High School student take a college class in Asian art from UW-Stevens Point. The student plans to major in art in college.

Board member Lewis objected to the school district paying for the college credit, even though, as it was explained at the meeting, the school board has no choice under state law but to pay tuition for the course. Lewis commented that paying for college classes like this was an example of “spending like drunken sailors” and was a reason why people do not vote in favor of school referendums.

Administrator Guden said the school would never approve a student taking an accounting or calculus course out of district given that the courses are offered at Edgar High School, but she said that, as a small school, she supported giving students “opportunities” to pursue college and career goals.

n Administrator Guden announced recent special education hires: Emily Lepak, one-to-one kindergarten; Minda Mussel, long-term substitute; Dave Huss III, paraprofessional; Cameron Butt, emotionally disturbed.