Slinger School District gets its wish in two-question referendum success

Voters in the Slinger School District gave their seal of approval to two construction and renovation proposals expected to cost about $42 million in total.

The school district pursued two referendums: One was for district-wide improvements, calling for the installation of secure entryways, roof repairs and work to existing heating-and-cooling and electrical systems. The other called for a new auditorium and gym renovations at the Slinger High School.

The first project carried an estimated cost of $32.4 million and the second one of just under $9.9 million. Of those who cast ballots in Tuesday’s referendum, 62 percent voted in favor of the first proposal. The new auditorium  and gym renovations, meanwhile, received the support of 52 percent of voters.

On Monday, Slinger School District superintendent Daren Sievers said the two projects were kept separate on ballots because a previous community survey had suggested that public support might be stronger for the $32.4 million project.

Tuesday’s results showed that the survey’s predictions had  been accurate.

The high school now has a temporary “soft wall” that can be used to convert its gym – which is big enough to contain three basketball courts – into a make-shift auditorium. Athletic events, though, have recently begun taking up more time.

“We’re so maxed out for gym space, we want that to be a full-time gym,” Sievers said Monday.

Beyond Slinger, school districts in other parts of Wisconsin fared well in Tuesday’s referendums. Here is a summary of the results:

• voters in the Oostburg School District approved, 885-779, a $9.6 million proposal calling for renovation work;
• the New Glarus School District saw its $5.8 million request for roof replacements, heating-and-cooling improvements and additional classroom space pass with 885 yes votes and 778 no votes;
• Voters in the Northland Pines School District approved, 1,875-1,029, a $3.9 million referendum proposal calling for the installation of better security camera

Not every school district saw success, though. Voters in the Hayward School District rejected, 1,267-1,060, a referendum proposal calling for nearly $4.4 million worth of improvements and repairs.