Green Bay School Board votes to put $183 million referendum on November ballot

GREEN BAY - Voters will decide the fate of a $183 million referendum for Green Bay Area Public schools in November, as the school board unanimously approved the measure Monday night.

The money would go toward maintenance and renovations at Green Bay schools, including remodels at elementary schools to accommodate for the new student sizes following boundary changes that will take effect in the next couple of years.

"We have to properly expand where we need to expand and make facilities a little bigger," said Andrew Becker, board member.

It will be up to voters now to approve or reject the large referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.

"It's arduous and unpredictable but we have that community history of supporting our schools," said Laura McCoy, board president.

The goal is to maintain the current tax rate of $8.26 per $1,000 valuation of property. The referendum includes $150 million that will go toward deferred maintenance to improve mechanical and electrical systems, accessibility to the buildings, and site surfaces. Other renovations to the schools would include:

• Beaumont Elementary would get a new gym and remodels of the cafeteria, individual bathrooms, more specialist spaces, and the nurse and reception area.
• Chappell Elementary would get a new kitchen, gym, bathrooms, and expanded 4K bathrooms, breakout areas for small group instruction, and improved student pickup and drop-off traffic patterns.
• Doty Elementary would get more extensive renovations including a new gym, more classrooms, art and music spaces, kitchen and library. Offices as well as student pickup and drop-off traffic would improve.
• Lincoln Elementary would get expanded community rooms, classrooms, individual bathrooms, an expanded special education area, and a new car loop.
• Red Smith School would get an auditorium and more parking.
• A new west-side elementary school would be built that would be similar to Baird Elementary with a larger gym.

About $33 million of the referendum would address more secure entrances at schools and include bathroom renovations at Edison, Franklin, Lombardi, Washington, Red Smith, East, Preble, Southwest and West schools. The bathroom renovations would also make sure the bathrooms are ADA-compliant.

Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@gannett.com.