Hudson school task force narrows building options
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By Meg Heaton
In a marathon six-hour session Monday night, the Hudson School District Facilities Planning Task Force narrowed its choices to three options to deal with growing enrollment.
The task force began with 30 proposals that have included everything from building new schools, to constructing additions to existing schools, to increasing campus sizes by use of eminent domain.
But the 23 group members reached consensus Monday on what they believe are the three best options to deal with future enrollment growth and current overcrowding at some schools.
Option 1
Convert the current high school to grades 10-12, which should provide sufficient space through 2013. Construct a grade 8-9 building for an estimated $53 million at the 100 acres on County UU with the option of converting that school into a 9-12 high school when enrollment warrants, at an additional cost of $65 million (figure reflects nine years of inflation.)
Construct a new elementary school somewhere south of I-94 at a cost of $13.4 million. Convert the current middle school to grades 6-7. If necessary, the current middle school, along with the old high school, could become two grade 6-8 middle schools to reflect the current school configuration.
Option 2
Build a new 10-12 high school on the 100 acres (on County UU), capacity to be decided by the board. The cost for a 1,600-student capacity is estimated at $59 million. Convert the current high school to grades 8-9, and the current middle school to grades 6-7.
This option also includes a new elementary on the south side of I-94 for $13.5 million. It also includes an addition to North Hudson Elementary if enrollment warrants it at an estimated cost of $5 million, and a possible addition to Houlton Elementary two years after North Hudson. This option allows space for district offices currently in the existing high school when converted to 8-9 building.
Option 3
Build a grade 9-12 high school at 100-acre site, capacity to be decided by the board. The board also can decide on whether to build for 2,200 capacity immediately or to build in phases. The cost for a 2,200-student school is estimated at $73 million. For 1,800 students the cost would be $62 million. An expansion in 2013 could expand the school to 2,200 for an additional $20 million. Building in phases would save the district $9 million for several years while waiting to see if enrollment holds or grows. Convert the current high school to grades 7-8, and the middle school to grades 5-6. Convert all district elementary schools to grades K-4. That means elementary schools would not require space additions. This option also includes a new elementary school, slightly smaller at a cost $12.5 million.
Task force co-chairman Dick Muenich said that one of the issues that led to the choice of these three options is that the group is convinced that the existing high school “cannot and will not stay a four-grade building.”
“It is over capacity now at 1,540, and the enrollment is only going to grow. We have to do something about that as soon as possible. Each of these options addresses that issue,” said Muenich in an interview the morning after the meeting.
Co-chairman Roy Sjoberg said he continues to be impressed with the people he works with on this project.
“We’ve had long, hard sessions but we have continued to stay a cohesive group and continued to make progress as arduous as it has been at times. These options represent what we believe are the best choices to meet the needs of the district now and in the future.” Sjoberg said that at the meeting Dec. 6, the group will be prioritizing the options and deciding on the “gold, silver and bronze” choices for their presentation to the School Board on Dec. 14.
For more information about these options, or to talk to a task force member, contact Lois Zezza at (715) 386-4908 or zezzalm@hudson.k12.wi.us.
Meg Heaton can be reached at mheaton@rivertowns.net
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So in the words of recent comment on these options, “ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR *#&@#^& MINDS!!”. Apparently they must be into S&M because they didn’t think they were spanked hard enough last effort.
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Like vultures over a road kill, all of the consultants have flocked to Hudson because that is where the “gold” is. Just ask Roy! Can you imagine what the commission on a $130 million referendum will be for the architects/used car salesmen? Let’s see 4.75% of $130 million = $6,175,000! JACKPOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What would $130 Million mean to my property taxes? And how much do they want? When is enough enough?
Its appearing to be time to have a huge change in certain elected positions. To expect the taxpayers to take on this kind of debt is unrealistic. It would strap the comminity with over double the present debt and force us to stare at a ballon payment that is staggering. If you think the interest is steep now, wait until the rates return more normal levels.
This school board has lost touch with the public and is out of control. Its time for a major overhaul, both on the board and the school administration.
Double!!! I can barely afford it now. This sucks. What can I do to stop this BS?
Reading the four comments above, I see a lot of complaining not not enough positive stuff. I can understand the high cost especially the property tax increase and this must be presented to the taxpayers as the referendum sales pitch moves forward. But as an outside the Hudson district observer, I feel the reason for the new schools is missing. Maybe attending some school board meetings would help. If the referendum is to be defeated some alternate plans will have to be proposed; no build, temporary structures, postpone and wait for more refined student enrollement projections, etc. Complaining about the hight cost is not going to do it if the taxpayers can be convinced that new school palaces are lneeded.
There is alot of complaining Ziller. And for a very good reason. The Hudson School District has never done a very good job of showing the need for new structures. Until there is a definite need, then there should be no discussion about building anything, period. Citizens came forward with a perfectly viable plan last year that was rejected by the administration. They then went forward with a huge referendum that got defeated 3 to 1. Keep abreast Ziller, because there is alot more to this story than meets the eye.
Ziller – I guess I don’t quite agree with your take on the comments added to this thread. It would look to me as if there was an alternate option given in comment #3. If a change of personnel on the board were done, there may be new ideas presented and discussed. My opinion is, it’s the same old retoric given to the voters every time and this approach simply can’t be sustained.
I’d like to know what amount of dollars this school district thinks it needs per student to provide a quality education. Somehow, either the quality level keeps changing, or there is no amount of dollars considered enough.
I agree with the comment that says to change the board and maybe then there will be a change in options presented to the taxpayers. In my view – that is a positive move.
I agree with kilowatt. Changing the board is a positive step in getting some accountability in this district. The thing that Ziller is missing is that all of the current costs needs to be justified and they haven’t been.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze? Sounds like the Spending Olympics!
Looking back over this thread, something has just dawned on me. Given this task force has now came out of their rem sleep of la-la land with these 3 options, how were these dollar figures determined for each of these options? I thought the task force was to come back with recommendations, who then authorized monies for an outside firm to put costs to these recommendations? Or are these just numbers that are grabbed out of thin air?
Something the taxpayers need to be mindful of, like last time, is just because a referendum was passed for x-amount of dollars, you don’t always get what you ordered with this bunch. Out of air numbers usually leaves you with just that – AIR !!