Residents OK with most of schools plan
Cost of consolidating buildings will only rise if district waits
Muskego — General approval of a plan to consolidate the Muskego-Norway elementary schools seemed to emerge from five community forums, but residents had worries, Superintendent Joe Schroeder reported to the School Board on Monday.
One of those concerns clearly was whether they can afford it with the economy in such rough shape, he said.
Some, although not the majority, were daunted by the estimated $58 million cost of option A and the $65 million cost of option B.
Indeed, School Board member Eric Schroeder said cost was clearly on the minds of people at the forum he attended.
"It seemed to be a recurring theme," he said.
Referendum would be needed
School officials need to know whether taxpayers feel they can shoulder the burden. A consolidation plan will need the support of voters in a referendum. But residents did not stage any kind of revolt over taxes at the forums.
However, to reduce the tax impact, some suggested phasing the project in. The board will look into that.
The proposed elementary reorganization arises for many reasons, including that the two oldest elementary schools, Tess Corners and Muskego elementary, are wearing out, their classrooms are not designed to accommodate current teaching methods and they are not secure from outsiders, a resident task force determined. In addition, Muskego's elementary schools are too close together.
To address these issues, the two proposed plans call for closing Tess Corners and Muskego Elementary thereby consolidating the five elementary schools into three; building a school on district-owned land on North Cape Road where growth is expected; and renovating Mill Valley and any other school that will remain an elementary school. A new Lakeview School might also be built.
Costs will escalate
While cost is a critical issue during hard economic times, waiting until the economy gets better would add millions to the project, officials estimate. Construction companies are lowering their prices just to get work now, they said.
Option A would likely go from $58 million if done in 2011 to $63 million to $77 million if the district were to wait until 2014, officials estimate. And option B, currently at $65 million, might go to $71 million to $86.5 million.
Schools not to exceed 600
Schroeder said feedback on other questions posed at the forums include majority support rather than strong disapproval of closing the two schools; support for elementary schools of 600 students, but not of 900 students; somewhat more support for a new elementary rather than for a new middle school; and support for closing Lakeview School in Wind Lake even though it is the only school in the town of Norway.
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