MARINETTE — Seven citizens spoke during the public comment portion of the Marinette School Board meeting Tuesday — all in favor of the district selling the former Garfield Elementary School property to St. Thomas Aquinas Academy High School.
Superintendent Corry Lambie spoke about 20 minutes later, and in his monthly report, explained that the district is being fiscally responsible by not selling to another educational entity. He said that students have educational options that all impact state-funded dollars to the district.
“Students selecting options other than Marinette School District negatively impacts the amount of state aid our district receives, as the funds are redirected to wherever that student may go,” he said, while referring to a PowerPoint presentation.
Lambie said other options for students include the private school voucher system, where students elect to attend a private school entity, resulting in a transfer of public state aid dollars to the private entity. Examples include a private school or an independent charter school (there is one in Green Bay, but they are more common in the Milwaukee area, he said).
Another option, Lambie said, is public school open enrollment, where students elect to attend another public school entity, resulting in a transfer of state aid dollars to the public entity. Examples include neighboring districts and virtual academy.
Lambie showed a chart outlining current payment per pupil in each category.
• For the private school voucher system, the payments are as follows: Special Needs Scholarship Program, $15,065 annual payment amount per pupil; Voucher (grades 9-12), $12,387; Voucher (grades K-8), $10,237; Independent Charter Schools, $11,385.
• For Open Enrollment IEP (individualized education program or student with a disability) $13,470 and Open Enrollment Non-IEP, $8,618.
Lambie, using grades K-8 as an example, said if three students utilize the voucher system in kindergarten through eighth grade (nine years), those three students will pay for the listing price of Garfield (about $300,0000).
“Those were some of the decisions that were discussed when the board was working through this process,” Lambie said. He added the situation would be just about the same if the district sold to a virtual academy. The school would be paid for with three students going to that school in 10 years.
“So that’s the big part of the reason why the board is looking at non-school entities in this sale,” he said.
Lambie also provided a chart showing how voucher payments have skyrocketed in the last eight years. In 2016-17, voucher payments totaled $32,954. For 2023-24, the voucher payment total is $932,544 — more than $260,000 higher than 2022-23.
“Those $930,000 that has left the Marine School District then must come back to us in the form of property taxes and increase to our taxpayers,” he said.
Lambie again stressed the importance of being fiscally responsible. He pointed out the Marinette School District is one of the 18% of public school districts in the state that has not asked taxpayers for an operational levy since 1994 when revenue limits were imposed. There was a levy in 2020 for the rightsizing effort, but that was not operational.
“In order to maintain quality programming to best meet our students’ needs with the school funding we are provided, we must consider financial impacts of all decisions,” he said. “Selling the property to a non-educational entity will help keep the district away from an operational deficit.”
He also answered some who believe the district must sell to any potential buyer who makes a full-price offer.
“In consideration of the best interest of the district and of the residents and taxpayers, the board reserves the right to reject any and all offers at its sole discretion, regardless of price and terms,” Lambie said.
Earlier in the meeting, several residents gave their opinions.
Martin Shaw said he believes board members are hiding behind the administration.
“Why would you as a board restrict another school from purchasing the building for educational purposes?” he asked. “It’s a school building. It’s set up for that function. Do you not understand how absurd it sounds that we restricted a school from buying a school building?”
Shaw said the board is costing taxpayers money by paying holding costs on the building, such as utilities.
“I don’t care who ultimately purchases the building,” he said. “But how dare this board not accept a full asking price offer. You shouldn’t try to limit competition. The citizens of this district deserve, better, the kids deserve better.”
Bob Juul, a member of the STAA board of trustees, also talked about competition.
“Competition is something no one should shy away from,” he said. “We all have the same goal — to serve and teach kids to become responsible adults. I, and I’m sure many others, feel that Marinette’s refusal to sell to Saint Thomas is a very short-sighted decision that may come to haunt them in the long run.”
Juul said the schools have a long history of working together, adding that a private Catholic school in a community is a great selling point.
Tom Baribeau said there already is existing competition as most of the students at STAA are from the Marinette district. He said it’s not like a new entity is coming in to take away students.
Baribeau said he was employed with the Marinette district for more than 30 years, and his wife was employed with Marinette Catholic Central (later STAA). “So I have a unique perspective,” he said.
Rob Sexsmith said the district needs more than just financial help. He encourages community volunteers to step up and tutor students. He said if called upon, he would volunteer.
“Preventing the use of Garfield as a school for educational purpose does not help out the community, rather it points out to me my failure as a citizen to provide a proper education to children in my district to compete, win and prosper,” he said.
Jim Weirich said he attended Marinette public schools, as did his children and now three grandchildren.
“I am a Marine through and through,” he said. “I take pride in our school and I will gladly defend it against other school systems in the area. Today I would like to talk about competition. … I do believe that competition gives us better schools for everyone — private and public.”
Amy Beattie and Susan Abrams both live in the vicinity of Garfield, and they talked about how the crime rate has climbed since the school was closed. “I can guarantee the crime rate is going to rise even more if the school is sold to a private developer,” Beattie said.
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