Dwight Brass, the treasurer of Citizens Allied for Responsible Education, is leading the group, which is against a Brodhead school referendum. The group hopes to recall Susan Welch, Jim Wahl and Chris Searles from the school board because the board voted Feb. 19 to seek a referendum for a second time.

Brass said at a CARE meeting Thursday, March 4, at the Cardinal Lounge that Brodhead School District Superintendent Chuck Deery referred to a state board of elections law in rejecting Brass’ request for the recall. The law says that a qualified Brodhead elector would have to demand the recall.

The law, though, does not prevent the Beloit resident from participating in or organizing a political group that is against the referendum. He also is allowed to seek signatures on a petition for a recall.

“I’m sure I can go through with it,” Brass said after the meeting, referring to the recall. “The idea that you can circulate the petition but can’t participate in the recall is ridiculous.” About 20 people with varied views on the referendum and a potential recall attended the CARE meeting. Many of them brought tape recorders and took notes, and nearly all of them shared their opinions. Brass brought in neon green signs that said, “What part of no don’t you understand?”

One of the attendees asked Brass twice why he cares about a Brodhead school referendum when he lives in Beloit. Other attendees interrupted both times when Brass offered responses. “I don’t know that I agree that money spent for Brodhead schools doesn’t affect my state taxes,” Brass said after the meeting. “The problem that we have here is the same problem we have in Beloit. Unfortunately, I believe they spend money on things that they don’t need. I think it’s a society and a community issue. Every district affects every other district.”

The CARE meeting itself often strayed from the referendum and the recall. However, despite diverse views among attendees, those who spoke up generally were cordial and often found common concerns for Brodhead, its children, its schools and how schools are funded. “My concern is everything we’ve taken away,” one resident said. “Are we going to give that back?”

“I think those who voted (for the referendum) should stop looking down their noses at those of us who voted no,” another resident said. “But I don’t think anyone wants to see teachers get laid off.” “I have a real problem with a school district that can’t budget with what they’re given,” a third resident said. Others got frustrated when the meeting didn’t stay focused on the referendum.

“We came because we thought this was on the referendum,” an attendee said. “I’m a taxpayer. I want to know about the referendum.” Brass admitted that the meeting didn’t turn out exactly how he expected especially because he was hoping more people would show up. But he emphasized how pleased he was that many opinions and views were well-represented. “The diversity and the energy behind the conversation went beyond my expectations,” Brass said.

Brass hopes the school district will allow him to look at its budget and help them determine what is necessary and what could be cut. Brass said he served the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point as a budget analyst, and he also could help Brodhead’s schools. “I’m sure there’s money that’s basically being thrown away,” Brass said. “What’s missing is the ‘why the money is spent.’ ”

Brass also hopes he can help guide the district toward concentrating on two goals instead of the referendum: reaching a 100 percent graduation rate without reducing graduation requirements, and giving the district’s students as broad an array of experiences as possible that would give them as many options as possible after high school. “We don’t just want to say no to the referendum,” Brass said. “We also want to say how we can go on from here.”

The formation of the group was announced in an email on Monday. The email said that:   The stated goals of this group are: To pass the referendum favorably with a unified community spirit based on the pride we have in our schools, our community, and our kids.

To provide accurate and timely information to voters for the new Brodhead School District Referendum, allowing residents to vote with informed, independent, and locally-based decisions. 

“It’s clear to our committee that we as a community love our school.  And we all want what’s best for our kids.  Unfortunately, the economic and political climate of our nation is not helping anyone right now.  We have a local problem with our school budget due the State spending cap.  We all agree that state and federal school funding needs to be fixed, but these are not problems we can solve in time to help our school today.  We can not punish the students while we work these long-term problems out,” said PRIDE member, Trish Hoesly. The committee was formed as a political action committee after an out-of-town resident formed a formal committee against the referendum.  “We didn’t want to be rendered defenseless against his political agenda. But we also don’t want to create a negative, war-like atmosphere around this important vote, adds Mike Millard the group’s treasurer. “Our goal is to inform and let everyone reach their own decision, but with more information this time.  We want people to vote yes with pride.”

P.R.I.D.E. will incur limited expenses to get the information in the hands of voters and is accepting donations at the Sugar River Bank.  All donations must be accounted for carefully, no anonymous donations can be accepted.

“We do need the community’s help to raise funds to help us mail flyers and do some other communication activities.  We would appreciate help from people who understand how critical our school’s situation is right now,” said Millard. “And, we will also need more volunteers in the coming weeks.”

The boxes, called Knox boxes, would hold a key to a particular establishment after hours. The Fire Department would have a master key to access the Knox boxes, which the businesses would pay for. Currently, the fire department has to wait for the police department to gain access to a particular building in order to enter without using force. The police department has keys to a number of businesses, reports Police Chief Tom Moczynski.

Bohan said the boxes cost around $500 but he feels they are worth it to a business if they save the fire department from having to pry open a door.

In an another matter, Bohan reported that two members of the volunteer department have applied for an EMS position in Footville. However, there is not a mass exodus to Footville, he said. In his report, Police Chief Tom Moczynski said they are still looking into having a 25 mile per hour speed limit on Highway 11 as it approaches County Road T. The speed limit increases from 25 to 45 miles per hour just prior to the intersection.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be putting in a four-way stop at that location when the weather permits. The city will receive some advance notice of when the work will be done but doesn’t know exactly how much notice will be given.

Everyone is getting split up just so they can play sports. What about what the elementary school has to look forward to in Middle School? They don’t even get a chance to play them. Also, the extra-curricular classes, like art, ag, band, chorus, show choir, and many others we all need. My friend needs art and music. She needs them for college. What’s the point of going to a school that doesn’t have classes you need for college? Sure, you need English, social studies, math, and science in every day life, but what about foods for people who want to be chefs? What about FACE (or sewing) for people who want to be stylists? Even better, what about Fame (or a business class) to study how to be a success in business?

Just because you’re not in school, and you don’t need these classes anymore, doesn’t mean we don’t. So why vote “no” and take that away from us? Because of it, Brodhead is going to lose at least $6,800 for every student moving. There are at least ten students for sure moving. That’s at least $68,000 lost. So why cut these classes and make Brodhead go down the hole?

Shannon Wittmann

Eighth grade student

With the failing of the referendum on Feb. 16 and the re-submission of a revised referendum proposal for the April 6 election, there has been a lot of activity preparing the new proposal, and also laying the ground work for cuts in case the new proposal is voted down.

On behalf of the School Board, I would like to give you an overview of what we are working on and what the new referendum entails. The new referendum is a three-year, non-recurring plan, as opposed to a four- year plan on the previous proposal. We have been able to lessen the tax impact to the public due to concessions proposed by the teachers and the administration. We will be meeting with the teachers union to negotiate a freeze on their wages for the 2010-2011 school years. Also, the administrative staff has agreed to freeze their wages for the same time period. We have also chosen to take a ten-year, no interest loan for replacement of the roof on the high school. In our previous proposal, we had planned on paying off the roof in two years, which was a large portion of the funds needed for 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. With the new proposal we are asking to exceed revenue caps as follows:

• $393,000 in 2010-11

• $567,000 in 2011-12

• $797,100 in 2012-13

Mill Rates would be:

• $8.27 in 2011-12

• $9.52 in 2012-13

• $10.16 in 2013-14

I invite you to compare these numbers to those of the previous proposal. (We will have more detailed information available).

With that said, I would like to address potential cuts. There has been considerable concern regarding extra curriculars and the possibility of them being cut. The Board is very sensitive to these concerns and is well aware of the impact on the community should this occur. We are also very aware of the depth of the cuts that may be required on core educational, classes and teachers and their impact. The thought of having to make any of these cuts is deeply saddening.

At Monday night’s board meeting, we were required to lay the ground work for our first year of cuts should the second referendum fail.

Those cuts include:

• One guidance counselor position

• One bus route

• H.S. Adventures Class

• In addition, we gave direction to cut $260,000 in teaching positions and elective classes.

All totaled cuts of $400,000. These are the cuts for 2010-2011. We will be able to leave extra curriculars alone for next school year. That brings us to years two and three of the referendum. As you can see from above, our deficit increases drastically those years. This is the challenge we are looking at now. We know there are no quick answers and are going to take some time to look for solutions. As you do your research and formulate your decision on your vote, use the draft we had for the first referendum as the potential cuts we will have to make. We will need to be creative and work with the staff and the community to save the programs the community wants. We had a GREAT community input meeting after the first referendum, we need that same enthusiasm to move forward as a community for our kids.

As we move towards the Brodhead School District referendum vote on April 6, we on the Brodhead School Board invite you to strive to find out the facts concerning the financial challenges facing the School District.

We have debated on what was the proper amount of information to make available to the public, some people need more to make an informed decision, and other people just want the basics. Realizing this, we are going make available on the Brodhead School District website a large array of information so you have the option to take what you need. If there is something you are looking for and can’t find it there, please contact the district office and request it. There are copies of the annual report available for those who need to see the whole picture. Keep an eye on the newspaper, as additional opportunities to collect information will be posted as they become available. It is our intention to keep the community as informed as possible from here forward.

Please be aware, all documents we put out are public record, meaning they are fact. We respectfully ask you to vote based on facts. We will also be holding an open Community Meeting on Monday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditeria. Please plan on attending.

Let’s move forward in a positive manner Brodhead, our kids deserve it.

Two areas of concern, in addition to the obvious concern of rising operational costs, have to do with health insurance and an unfunded liability with the state retirement system. The district is obligated under the terms of the current contract to pay 100 percent of health insurance for teachers and for four years of retirement. We all know that health insurance and health care costs in general are a concern for everyone and that the cost continues to rise at a frightening pace. Continuing to pay for health insurance at 100 percent is no longer a reasonable cost to expect the taxpayers to bear. This is not even common practice. Many districts require the teacher to pay 10 percent of health insurance, and some districts do not pay for any health insurance after retirement.

The second area of concern is that the district has a debt with the Wisconsin Retirement System of 1.2 million dollars. We are currently paying interest on this at a rate of 7.8 percent with no plan on how to pay this off. I mention these things to make the point that it is not just as simple as paying $40 More next year on taxes. That $40 does nothing to address the issues outlined above.

The referendum is not the solution to our financial challenges, but just a short-term fix. What is the solution? CHANGE. I do not presume to have the answers, but 1 think it is possible to educate our children and have extracurriculars without asking for more taxpayer money every three or four years. Obviously, student learning is the priority so any expense that does not directly impact student learning is up for debate. 78 percent of the budget is used for salaries and benefits so we have to look here if we seriously want to reign in spending. Yes, it is nice to have a superintendent, business manager, three principals, curriculum coordinator, three counselors and a great benefit package for teachers and retirees, but times have changed, economically speaking, so our mindset regarding what is essential for successful learning needs to change as well. The superintendent and business manager could be combined into one position, the principals could take on the responsibilities of the curriculum coordinator, and teachers and retirees could pay part of their health insurance. All of these things would be a start to get our school district's financial house in order without sacrificing student learning or programs.

Dwight Brass, who led the meeting, commenced by expressing his concern for the education of children. He believes the country is heading back to the Stone Age as far as education is concerned. Brass, from Beloit, compared the situation at Brodhead, and other school districts, with the Harley-Davidson factory in the 1980s. The accountants did not know how much it cost to paint one motorcycle. Since the company was restructured, and showing a profit, they know exactly how much it costs to paint each and every piece. Brass compared that situation with the one at Brodhead where the school district, he said, was unable to inform him how much it cost to teach each student.

He explained his background working for the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Wisconsin and Honeywell in Freeport, Ill. He said that though he was not from Brodhead he was concerned about the situation because due to the system of reverse sharing people ended up paying for student’s education in school districts other than their own.

Brass expressed the opinion that too many classes are being offered by the district. Some of the classes are of questionable benefit to students, he said. The students should be prepared for the classes they will take when they go on to higher education. He pointed out studies show that the younger people are the better they learn. Therefore, it does not make good sense to cut teaching positions at elementary level. He cited a Janesville school that offered 200 different classes to students. The University of Wisconsin offers 25, he said.

Brass said that Blackhawk College and the army required 25 core classes for students.

Brass noted one school offering a class entitled “recreational animals” while some students did not have a sufficient grasp of the English language. Critical thinking is an important tool for students, he said.

Brass went on to discuss the importance of accurate financial figures and divulging the figures to the public. Towards the close of the meeting discussions broke out between a number of small groups.

At the school board meeting that night, board member Teresa Earleywine reported nine people attended the listening session held before the school board meeting. Among the suggestions put forward was the advantage of having a pitched roof as opposed the existing one on the school.

The board spent considerable time in discussion and planning following the failed referendum. On Friday it voted to hold another referendum on April 6. (See story on page 1).

The board voted on the first reading of changes to policy IJND1 (Internet, Network, & Email Acceptable Use). These changes have been accepted by the technology committee, which is working on the district’s tech plan update to bring the district into compliance with recent changes in the laws.

First, congratulations on participating in the democratic process; however, I have a few questions about your vote.

To begin, one thing that makes the United States great is the desire to give our children a better life than we had. We strive and sacrifice to make this happen. How does voting "No" increase the chances for our youth to improve their lives? "No" leads to eliminating programs, having larger class sizes, less individual help, and fewer teachers. Why make it harder for our children and grandchildren to work for a better

life?

Next, this is to the parents and grandparents who so enjoyed watching your kids in Brodhead sports and extra-curricular events. If your children were back in school participating in school events, would you still vote "No"? For you who would continue voting "No", at least you have strong convictions.

Finally, it is true that voting "Yes" would have meant a $40 increase next year in one's property tax. $40 would have meant maintaining high educational standards and continued extra-curricular opportunities. $40 is also, approximately, the price of a carton of cigarettes, two cases of beer, or a family night out for pizza. By voting "No", you sent Brodhead students quite a message, "You are not worth beer, cigarettes, or a few pizzas."

I think the community heard what they wanted to hear at the special meeting Thursday night . THANK YOU to the hardworking school board who has worked tirelessly for the past years to keep this current beast at bay. I think most of us agree that you have made many great efforts to try to avoid this. It is obvious (and clearly posted) that you’ve been working very hard.

To the students who think the community is turning their backs on you - the vast majority of folks were at the meeting last Thrusday night because we DO care about what’s happening and DON’T want to see anything cut! We just needed to make sure that indeed ALL options have been looked at. It’s simply a matter of being careful about where your money is going.

THANK YOU to our great teachers/staff who agreed to re-negotiate their pay increases! THANK YOU to the administrators for agreeing to freeze your wage increases. This goes a LONG way towards making the community believe that you’re willing to bear some of the brunt of this. No, it wouldn’t have been a huge burden on my family to pay the increase. But, when you hear that staff and administration, which must make up the huge majority of the budget, were still taking an increase in their own salaries -  while at the same time asking us to pay more???  I think it caused the community to put the brakes on and say, “Wait a minute, let’s have another look at this. Have we really done EVERYTHING we can before we go to the community for more money? Is a pay increase, albeit a small one, REALLY a prudent thing at this time?”

Surely, no one is accusing our teachers of getting rich or being over paid, at least I certainly am not. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t think teachers get paid enough for the unbelievably important job they do. But, even a small, seemingly insignificant raise, on that huge portion of the budget, it’s a significant number. It made it a little harder for us taxpayers to just say “sure, no problem take whatever you need.”

I’m sure that the gestures made by staff and administration are in no way going to solve the deficit. But, neither was cutting $159,000 extracurricular budget going to solve the whole problem. But by giving in a little and meeting the community part way, I truly hope the community will gladly go the rest of the distance and do what it takes to keep the things we value in our schools.

Lastly, to the taxpayers of this community, if you voted against this referendum the first time, PLEASE reconsider your stand. The staff and administration have agreed to meet us part way, assuming they will hold to their end of the bargain. Life is more than grade points and academics. If we want our kids to go forward and be successful in this world, they NEED a well-rounded education. They need opportunities to grow and mature as PEOPLE. Academics, team sports, student council, FFA, music, drama all play a vital role in building our kids into valuable contributors in society. I am TRUSTING our educational staff and administration to hold up THIER part in this agreement. I hope that we as a community will do the same.

Sincerely,

Then you match those dollars with money from your million-dollar-plus "emergency fund," which you refuse to touch, (as if this does not count as an emergency) and you fill your four-thousand-dollar hole. Now wasn't that hard? But you won't do it will you? Instead, you'll punish the kids and their parents, and in turn punish the people who voted no. Seems to me the solutions to this mess are right in front of you, but you refuse to see them or act on them. You seem more concerned about keeping everyone friends.

One of our freedoms is the right to vote. But along with this freedom, comes the obligation to make sure our government, at all levels, is doing what is best for the country. To the extent that we say no to funding local schools, while Washington budgets lopsided spending on our military, we are not doing our job. The United States led the rest of the world in developing universal education. We will not lead the world in anything if we do not continue to support education. The Brodhead vote is a great tragedy. A similar vote is coming in April for the Parkview school district. I urge everyone to choose wisely. Norm Aulabaugh 2541 S Tollefson Road Orfordville, WI 53576-9443 608 879-2841

Norman Aulabaugh

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