Rib Lake School board asks voters for $19.5 million referendum - Sending it to the voters
Rib Lake School board asks voters for $19.5 million referendum
The Rib Lake School Board on December 29 adopted a referendum resolution for the April 2, 2024, election authorizing general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $19.5 million to address outdated district-wide safety, security, and accessibility; inadequate academic and support areas; and aging buildings, systems, and equipment.
Portions of the School District of Rib Lake buildings, including the building systems, equipment, furniture, and finishes are original to the 1964, 1977, 1981, and 1999 construction and have exceeded life expectancy leading to costly repairs that exceed the annual operating budget. The Wisconsin school funding system does not allow school districts to keep up with the increasing costs associated with funding normal operations, requiring capital improvement referendums to maintain facilities on a larger scale.
“The Board’s adoption of the referendum resolution is in response to a thor- See RIB LAKE on page 4 ough facility study that assessed the physical spaces as well as the educational needs of our schools,” says Stacy Tlusty, Board President. “Over the past year, the District has taken time to fully understand the needs that exist within our facilities and have worked with professional consultants, with feedback from our community to develop a long-range plan to prioritize the maintenance items and program improvements needed. We are thankful that so many people took time to attend informational sessions, share their opinions when surveyed, and be a part of this important process.”
The resolution language as adopted by the Rib Lake School Board reads: Shall the School District of Rib Lake, Taylor and Price Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a facility improvement project consisting of: district-wide building maintenance, building infrastructure, systems and site improvements; construction of an addition to connect the Middle and High Schools, including a safe and secure entrance and replacement gymnasium; renovations at the Middle and High Schools, including for academics, band and choir spaces, a technical education area, kitchen and cafeteria, office and a fitness center; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?
If approved in April, the proposed plan would connect the middle school and high school to improve safety and more efficiently share resources. After reviewing several options to connect the buildings, the option that was most supported by the community and provided the best overall value includes renovating the existing high school gym space to create a larger band room and a multipurpose performance/cafeteria space to better serve our students. The replacement gym would be more appropriately sized for extracurricular opportunities and community use. The plan also addresses maintenance issues in each of our buildings, relocates and expands the fitness area for improved community access, updates and expands the kitchen to serve all middle and high school students, and relocates the woods shop to create an updated and efficient technical education area.
“I feel we have a great plan that will serve our students, staff, and community for many years,” shared Travis Grubbs, District Administrator. “Our staff does a phenomenal job maintaining our facilities with a limited budget. This plan will allow us to bring our buildings to today’s safety, educational, and efficiency standards.”
Over the next few months, the District will provide multiple opportunities to learn more about the proposed plan, including community informational sessions with Excel (architect and engineering partner) and Findorff (construction partner) to discuss the concepts for the improvements proposed.
