Results of the Northside Elementary Referendum on April 6, 2021

• YES - 71.49% (2530 votes)
• NO - 28.51% (1009 votes)
• TOTAL VOTES - 3539

What is being proposed?
The Monroe School District is seeking approval for funding to help repair and update Northside Elementary School to address maintenance, HVAC, code compliance, and safety updates, as well as several general update / upgrade items, such as updating lighting to energy-efficient LED. These items were identified as high-priority facility needs by the District Facilities Committee following a facilities review by CG Schmidt Construction and Plunkett Raysich Architects (PRA) in 2018.

How is the referendum question worded?
“BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District of Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin that there shall be issued pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $5,600,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project at Northside Elementary School consisting of: HVAC, safety and site improvements; remodeling for ADA compliance; capital maintenance and building infrastructure improvements, including roof and water main replacement, and lighting and technology updates; and acquisition of related furnishings, fixtures and equipment.”

What exactly is being addressed by the referendum?

Didn’t the District recently pass a similar referendum?

Yes, in 2018 district voters approved a $3.35 million referendum question to address similar issues at Parkside Elementary and at the middle school. Now that these projects have been successfully completed, the District is continuing with the next step in their long-range facilities plan at Northside Elementary, with a future phase planned to address facility needs at the high school level. In total, the District seeks to address approximately $100 million in deferred maintenance needs over the course of their long-range master plan.

Historical Mill Rate Comparison
It is projected that the District tax levy rate with an approved referendum would not increase from the levels of the past two years. Levy rates would remain within the 2019-20 and 2020-21 rates that included the Parkside project, which will be completely paid for. The District levy rates have decreased each of the last four years and are currently at their lowest rate in over 30 years.