November 9, 2022 

While deeply disappointed that both of the proposed referendum questions were not approved by voters last night, we sincerely thank the community of Lake Mills Area School District for their ongoing commitment to our schools. The failure of both questions indicates that we must not have presented the right plan to the public at this time. However, this doesn’t change the fact that Lake Mills Elementary School is over capacity today, and enrollment is projected to continue slowly increasing.

The School Board will reevaluate the proposed plan and its associated operational impact on our long-term budget and gather additional community feedback in the coming months. As the Board discusses its next steps, it will continue its long-standing commitment to informing and engaging its stakeholders. 

LMASD Board of Education Takes Action on Facilities Referendum Questions to Address Space Needs

The Lake Mills Area School District (LMASD) Board of Education took formal action on Monday, August 8th to finalize two referendum questions for the November 8, 2022, Fall General Election.  The Board voted unanimously (5-0) to present school district residents with two separate questions related to addressing continuing growth at the elementary level, including one to build a new intermediate school for grades 3-5 and one to support the ongoing costs associated with operating this building into the future.

“Lake Mills Elementary School is over capacity today, and enrollment is projected to continue to slowly increase,” said District Administrator Tonya Olson. “The need to add a fourth building to our district was anticipated 10 years ago when the elementary school was originally built, and this project is the next step in the District’s comprehensive Long-Range Facilities Plan.” 

Proposed Project Highlights

Question I: New Intermediate School Construction (Bond Issuance)

• Requests permission to borrow up to $44 million to fund the construction of a new Grade 3-5 Intermediate School on district-owned land off Highway 89 and Unzhaven Road.

• Not-to-exceed cost includes all construction, site improvements, furniture, fixtures and equipment, professional services, permitting, etc. 

• If approved by voters, the estimated tax increase (over the current mill rate for referendum debt payments) would be $0.25 per $1,000 of fair market property value or $25 per year for every $100,000 of property value for approximately 20-21 years. 

• If approved by voters, this increase would go into effect starting with the December 2023 tax bills.

Question II: Ongoing Operating Funds (Exceed Revenue Limit)

• Requests permission to exceed the existing revenue limit on a recurring basis for up to $950,000 each year.

• Funds to be used to support additional ongoing operational costs associated with operating a new (fourth) school in the district including staffing, utilities, maintenance, technology, etc.

• If approved by voters, the estimated maximum tax increase (over the current tax mill rate) would be $0.68 per $1,000 of fair market property value or $68 per year for every $100,000 of property value.

• If approved by voters, this increase would go into effect starting with the December 2024 tax bills and remain at this level to support annual operating costs.