Arrowhead April referendum, lawsuit; voters to weigh new plan
Arrowhead Union HS referendum, lawsuit
For the second time in five months, voters will decide the future of Arrowhead Union High School.
HARTLAND, Wis. - For the second time in five months, voters will decide the future of Arrowhead Union High School.
But the latest plans to renovate the school are being challenged in court.
A cheaper referendum
What we know:
Superintendent Conrad Farner said Arrowhead is showing its age. But he said it’s not just the building that’s crumbling.
In November, the district proposed a $261 million plan to consolidate the school’s two campuses into one new building. Voters rejected the idea.
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In April, voters will weigh "Plan B." It's a $136 million proposal that would provide expansions to the north campus and level the other building.
Farner said the plan is cheaper than maintaining the two existing buildings for the next 20 years.
If the referendum fails, Arrowhead would have to wait until next April before proposing another option to voters.
What He's Saying:
"We’ve given tours to multiple families – and none of them are choosing Arrowhead. After they see our facilities and compare them to other districts – they’re choosing other districts," Farner said. "We went back to the drawing board and almost cut it in half and now have a very good plan."
Hartland Arrowhead operations, facilities referendums split decision
There were two referendums in Hartland this election day – and they ended with different results.
Lawsuit
Dig deeper:
It’s anything but smooth sailing into April: one man is suing the district ahead of the election.
John Marek said the district isn’t being transparent about the referendum’s price tag. He said it looks more like more than $230 million.
"This referendum should be shot down. They told us the buildings were falling down – as you can see, the buildings are not falling down," Marek said. "You have to add back in the interest and any defeasance payments if the loan is paid off early."
The other side:
Farner said the owner of a $300,000 home would pay $306 more per year. It’s money he said will be well-spent.
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He also guaranteed the $136 million price tag.
"That’s it – it’s the only dollar amount we can borrow," he said.
Farner said the lawsuit will not stop the issue from appearing on the April 1 ballot.
The Source: The information in this post was gathered and produced by FOX6 News.