Do your homework before you decide on school vote
At the April 6 general election, the Medford School Board is asking voters to approve a $39.9 million referendum to overhaul Medford Area Senior High School.
The high school was built in 1968 and the school board has worked for the past three years with engineers and architects to identify the building’s shortfalls and what needs to be done to make the building viable for educational needs of current students as well as students in the future.
Last fall, in an election that saw record turnouts, school district voters rejected the referendum on a 174 vote margin out of more than 6,900 votes cast. In informal polling done by school officials after the election, the single biggest factor people gave for not voting for the referendum was that they did not know enough about it.
Since last fall’s election, board members and school officials have been making phone calls to constituents to discuss the proposed referendum and why they feel it is needed. This direct communication is a good thing. Whether you agree or disagree with what is being proposed, it is a good thing any time there is an opportunity for voters to connect with elected officials and share their views.
Given the number of potential voters in the district and the number of board members, it is unlikely that they will be able to place a call to every resident. This is why it is important for voters to educate themselves.
Over the next few weeks, The Star News will be running a series of articles about the referendum and why the school district believes this work is needed. Beyond the pages of The Star News, the district recently sent out a newsletter to every household in the district highlighting the referendum and information about what is being proposed.
The district’s website at https://www. medford.k12.wi.us/referendum includes a video about the proposed referendum as well as additional information and frequently asked questions about the projects and what is and isn’t included.
While COVID-19 has prevented many large in-person gatherings, the district will be hosting virtual presentations on March 15 and March 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Those sessions can be accessed at http://bit.ly/3pSGTIR.
The district has also set up a special email address for people to ask questions about the referendum at referendum@medford.k12.wi.us.
Beyond this district administrator Pat Sullivan invites residents to call him at 715-748-4620 Ext 523 to talk directly about the project or to arrange for a tour of the high school facility.
It is up to the voters to decide if they will vote yes or no on the upcoming referendum. What is important is for that vote to be based on accurate information about the needs, opportunities and costs. It is likewise important to not only look at these in light of today, but in ensuring Medford’s school facilities meet the community’s needs for decades to come.
