Oshkosh school board debates including South Park Middle School in $98.6 million April referendum after county airport zoning raises questions

Oshkosh Area School District leaders discussed whether to include a new South Park Middle School in a proposed $98,600,000 borrowing question on the April 2025 ballot, and they delayed any decision while administration seeks clarification from county and city officials about a Winnebago County airport overlay zoning restriction that lists schools among restricted uses.

The discussion matters because the countyadzoning change (Chapter 24, adopted in 2023) creates an "air" approach overlay around Wittman Regional Airport that, according to board members and staff, specifically lists schools as a land use of concern. If the overlay prevents construction at the South Park site, the district could face added costs, delays and an uncertain path for whether voters should be asked to approve borrowing that may not be buildable as proposed.

Dr. Marcus Davis, the district superintendent, presented three draft resolutions: (1) authorize the borrowing of $98,600,000, (2) approve placing the question on the April 2025 referendum, and (3) adopt draft ballot wording. Davis told the board he has been meeting with city and county officials and legal counsel to identify the appropriate path forward, and he expected further meetings in the days after the Dec. 18 board session. No formal vote was taken on any of the referendum resolutions at the meeting.

Board members repeatedly asked for more detail before any formal referral to voters. Dr. Chris Hess said the public needed clearer communications and some explanation of responsibility for the county zoning oversight; Hess pressed administration for a timeline and for answers to whether the district would seek a variance or request a change to county ordinance. "What happens if the referendum goes forward and the community says yes, but the county board says no?" Hess asked. He and others said that uncertainty could undermine voter support.

Board members also sought clarity about the draft ballot language. Trustee Robyn Milnick asked that legal counsel produce a bullet list version so voters can more easily parse long, semicolon-delimited ballot text; Trustee Mike Herzog asked whether the referendum languagewould commit funds to districtwide infrastructure beyond the schools named in the question. Administration said it would clarify whether "districtwide building infrastructure, capital maintenance and site improvements" referred only to the schools listed in the attachment or to other facilities as well.

The Facilities & Finance Committee earlier reported the district is collaborating with the city of Oshkosh and the town of Algoma on a BRIC grant (Building Resiliency Infrastructure and Communities). Committee materials said a BRIC award could fund up to 80% of certain building updates and that one projected use in the grant materials was a new South Park Middle School that could serve as refuge during emergencies; committee members said filing the BRIC application would need to align with project timetables. Board discussion noted the grant could affect overall funding strategy but would not remove the need to resolve zoning questions.

Public comment underscored neighborhood concern. David McKinney, who identified himself as a South Park neighbor, told the board he attended a county/city meeting in 2022 or 2023 about the airport overlay and received mailed notice; he said homeowners near South Park had reason to be alarmed that the overlay discourages "large congregations of people" near runway approach zones. McKinney also questioned the districts recent property purchases near South Park and called for the board to pause acquisitions until zoning is resolved. Dr. Davis acknowledged follow-up missteps: Bray Architects had checked zoning with the city rather than the county during earlier planning, and Davis said he accepted responsibility for the oversight and would seek resolution in the following days.

Board members repeatedly distinguished discussion from action: the meeting produced requests for staff to (a) report back with clarity about which governmental entity enforces the Chapter 24 overlay, (b) confirm the districts legal options (variance, ordinance amendment or alternate site), (c) clarify ballot wording and whether proceeds can be used districtwide beyond listed projects, and (d) update the board and community before any final vote. Several trustees said they would not support taking an uncertain South Park plan to voters until these questions were answered.

Background presented at committee meetings and by staff: the draft referendum scope posted for board review listed $98,600,000 in borrowing, described demolition and new construction for South Park (where applicable), and included a broad category for districtwide infrastructure, capital maintenance, site improvements and furnishings and equipment. Committee notes flagged that timetable and public outreach would need to align with planning and any county or city review processes.

The board scheduled follow-up discussions; Dr. Davis said he expected to meet with county and city officials and to return to the board with recommended next steps. No binding direction to place the question on the April ballot was made at the Dec. 18 meeting.

Votes at the Dec. 18 meeting unrelated to the referendum included routine consent business and approval of WASB (Wisconsin Association of School Boards) delegate instructions; those votes did not alter the districts decision point for the referendum and were procedural.

Clarifying details captured at the meeting: the draft referendum borrowing amount is $98,600,000; committee materials list demolition and construction of a new building at South Park and explicit language about removal of the current building; the BRIC grant collaboration was described as potentially funding up to 80% of certain building updates (committee text). The county zoning overlay was referenced repeatedly as "Chapter 24" and described by staff as adopted in 2023.

Whats next: district staff will report back after meetings with Winnebago County, the City of Oshkosh and legal counsel; the board requested clearer ballot wording and a timeline for any required county/city approvals before committing the South Park project in a referendum.