Rhinelander Schools to hold referendum information sessions
STAR JOURNAL REPORT
Four informational meetings are planned this month to give the Rhinelander community the opportunity ask questions and learn about the upcoming School District of Rhinelander referendum.
Taxpayers in the district will be asked in November to authorize the following:
“Shall the School District of Rhinelander, Oneida, Lincoln and Langlade Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $4,250,000 per year beginning with the 2019-2020 school year and ending with the 2022-2023 school year for nonrecurring purposes?”
The board of education voted to approve the timing and the amount of the referendum at a special meeting in July. The 2018-19 school year is the final year of the current three-year, $5 million per year referendum passed by voters in February 2016.
Meeting dates and locations are:
Monday, Oct. 8, 6 p.m. Rhinelander High School Library
Thursday, Oct. 18, 5 p.m., Pelican Elementary School Library
Monday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m., James Williams Middle School Library
Monday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m. at Crescent Elementary School Library
In a memo to staff Tuesday, Superintendent Kelli Jacobi outlined why the referendum is necessary. Jacobi pointed out that the state funding formula has not changed and the proposed referendum is to maintain current programming and staffing.
The district is limited on when it can hold a referendum which is why this referendum is four years rather than three. Though the average deficit is $5.4 million for each of the four years, Jacobi stated that the district is using savings from health insurance and additional per-student funding from the state to lower the referendum amount to $4.25 million per year.
For previous coverage of this referendum:
https://starjournalnow.wpengine.com/2018/07/10/sdr-board-of-education-votes-for-fall-referendum/
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