The referendum funds the essential needs of the Waterford High School building.
1. New Classrooms for Engineering/Drafting and an adjacent robotics area.
2. Classroom improvements in art, graphic design, auto, metal, and woods shops. And
improving an outdated Life Skills Room.
3. Enhance security measures at building entrances including doors and the loading bay.
Replace obsolete fire bell with a new Voice Evacuation Speaker System for intruder alerts and fire safety. These heightened security and deterrence measures will provide
increased safety and protection for the students, teachers, and staff as well as structure, building both during and after school.
4. Replacing worn-out ventilation, heating, cooling, electrical, and mechanical systems that
have exceeded their useful life.
5. Repairs and replacements to leaking roofs, eroding piping, rusting doors, windows and
drainage.
6.  Complying with interior and exterior ADA accessibility and meeting state code requirements

Essential Needs List

In response to community feedback, the district has adjusted the project scope. The $24.9 million referendum focuses solely on essential needs – which cost more than what can be funded through the annual budget. The previous referendum aimed to address all identified needs, covering the entire building and athletic sites.

The Board chose February 18 th for two reasons.
1. One reason why the Board unanimously chose February was to begin the work this summer, so students will benefit in the fall. Improvements that begin as soon as
school lets out will be ready when school starts in the fall.
2. It saves taxpayers’ money. It’s less expensive when we lock in contractors and place orders early. Prices aren’t going down. Replacing worn out equipment that needs
continual repairs with new equipment saves maintenance and repair costs.
In sum, we chose February because the needs require immediate attention. Students can begin to benefit in the fall. It saves money. February is the earliest date.

While the annual budget covers expenses like maintenance, staff compensation, benefits, and educational materials, it does not provide sufficient funds for large-scale facility projects. Like most schools in Wisconsin, Waterford relies on community support through a referendum to address these significant needs.

Classroom needs, fire safety, ventilation, heating & cooling, and electrical and mechanical systems are the essential needs. Athletic facility improvements are identified as a lower priority. Although athletic facility challenges remain -- such as field flooding, unreliable scoreboard, and temporary restrooms -- the district will continue to maintain and repair them as needed.

Property tax increases through property reassessments or an increase in the tax rate do not impact school district revenues.  School district revenues are determined after developing an annual budget and subtracting the amount of state aid the district anticipates receiving. The district can then levy the difference - and no more -- in property taxes. That levy, called a mill rate, is set by the school board. The mill rate can go down, up, or stay the same, but it does not affect your total property taxes, your tax rate, or your property's assessment.  Voters must approve a referendum to receive additional funds above the state-imposed revenue limit.

Students will benefit from improved classrooms in CTE, engineering, art, graphic design, and special education. Students will also benefit from air quality improvements in technical education classrooms in wood, metals, and autos.  Fire safety and suppression systems benefit the safety and health of everyone. Investing in our school’s ventilation, cooling, electrical, and mechanical needs protects the facilities our community owns. 

Public education is a shared responsibility that impacts community safety, pride, and economic development. It results in opportunities for better careers, higher incomes, and better property values. An approved referendum will extend the life of our high school and continue providing quality teaching and learning environments that attract and retain students, staff, and families. 

The board listened to community feedback from the unsuccessful referendums, used input from key stakeholders, prioritized the needs and unanimously voted to place this referendum on the ballot. Current board members, who voted no on the previous referendums, now support this new solution before the community. The priorities addressed in this referendum are seen as essential and urgent needs by the board and a wide range of stakeholders.

Waterford Union High School has maintained strong financial stewardship in recent years. Thanks to strategic staffing adjustments and prepayment of debt, the District has saved over $1.1 million in interest payments on bonds.* Originally scheduled to be paid off by 2039, these bonds will be fully retired early (by 2026). As the bond levy decreases, the district can fund projects while still lowering the overall tax rate for constituents. Additionally, the reduced scope of the proposed referendum further offsets the tax impact. 

* It is important to note that state regulations prevent these funds from being used for annual building operations.