Board commits money to fields, but not indefinitely

The Port Washington-Saukville School Board voted 7-1 Monday to commit $725,000 in proceeds from the sale of land to the proposed $7.9 million overhaul of outdoor high school athletic facilities — but not indefinitely.

The board is relying on the recently formed PWSSD Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise money for the School District, to secure the balance of the money — roughly $7.3 million in donations — and if officials don’t see enough progress toward the first $2.2 million phase of the project, they may decide to reallocate the money.

The board voted to review its commitment when it holds its hearing on the 2019-20 budget next June.

“If after a year the foundation has $1 million, then we’re very close” to the $2.2 million needed for the first phase of the project, School Board member Brian McCutcheon, who is chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee, said. “But if they have only $200,000, then we’d have to rethink this.”

The decision to earmark proceeds from the sale of 54 acres of farmland on Port Washington’s west side, which the district purchased in 1969 as a future school site, comes at the same time officials are planning major renovations at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, where security concerns would be addressed with a new entrance on the east side of the school, office modifications and possibly a new parking lot.

Administrators have said there is sufficient money in fund balance, which is occasionally tapped to finance one-time expenses and for cash flow purposes, to pay for the middle school project.

But some school board members have questioned whether the district should commit money to athletic facility improvements at a time when school improvements are needed.

“Aren’t we looking at some large expenditures at Thomas Jefferson Middle School?” School Board member Doug Mueller asked.

Other officials said a contribution to the athletic facility improvements could kick-start the foundation’s fledgling fundraising campaign and signal to potential donors that the district considers the improvements important enough to invest in them.

“I think this might be a catalyst that tells people the district is serious about this project,” School Board President Brenda Fritsch said.

Director of Business Services Jim Froemming, who is a member of the PWSSD Foundation, said, “The foundation would appreciate as much of a commitment as possible from the board.”

But School Board member Aaron Paulin, who voted against earmarking the land sale proceeds for the athletic complex improvements, asked, “Could we show support without financial backing?”    

Foundation President Jennifer Clearwater said the School Board’s financial support is important to a new organization that has embarked upon a major fundraising campaign but does not have an established base of donors.

“It’s kind of a big thing to bite off for a new foundation,” said Clearwater, who has worked as a fundraiser for 20 years.

School officials, who did not include outdoor athletic facility improvements in the $49.4 million referendum approved in 2015 for fear it would undermine support for building improvements at the high school and Dunwiddie Elementary School, said the project has been designed to benefit the community.

In addition to providing low-maintenance fields that can be used by high school athletic teams and gym classes without fear of damaging the surfaces, the project would provide much-needed athletic venues for community teams that now compete for limited field space in the city.

And with new bleachers and an access road planned, Port High’s athletic facilities would be more accessible to older people and those with disabilities, officials said.

“It’s really an iconic setting down there,” Froemming said, referring to the hollow immediately west of the school where the fields are located, “and the foundation has taken the position that yes, this is for the kids but it’s really for the community.”

The first $2.2 million phase of the project would include the installation of artificial turf baseball and softball fields that would also be used as a general recreation area for gym classes at the north end of the complex.

New lighting is planned, as well as a new parking lot at the north end of the complex off Sauk Drive and a road that would run along the west end of the complex to provide access.

The second $5.7 million phase would include a new artificial turf football field that would be ringed by an eight-lane running track. The current track is too small for the school to host invitational, regional and sectional track and field meets.

The plan also calls for new bleachers, as well as restrooms and a concession stand between the football and baseball fields.

The baseball field portion of the project would be done first because, at less than half the cost of the football field phase, it is seen as being more manageable.

In addition, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association is eliminating the summer baseball season next year, and an artificial turf field would allow more games to be played during notoriously wet spring months, officials said.

“The important thing for people who donate is that they see something happening,” Supt. Michael Weber said. “We think by doing the baseball diamond phase first, that will inspire more donations.”