Kenosha School District to seek $333,000 for design of seven controlled school entrances

Kenosha Unified School District officials said they will ask the school board on Oct. 28 to authorize $333,000 to complete design work for seven controlled building entrances recommended by the district safety committee.

The request, presented as an update at a special board meeting, covers the design phase only; staff said contractors and engineers will need about three months from the start of work to finish designs. The district plans to use the firm design estimate to identify a final financing route, including the options discussed previously: funding from reserves (general fund), seeking a referendum, or other financing mechanisms.

The safety-committee recommendation that underpins the design work comes from a committee meeting held Oct. 1, district staff said. Staff emphasized the $333,000 is not currently a budgeted line item and, if approved, would be a planned use of reserves. “That would just be from our general fund,” said Tarek, a district staff member who fielded board questions about funding.

Board members asked for clarification on timing and funding. Staff estimated a design timeline of roughly three months from contractor start, which would put a recommendation for next steps — including financing approach — before the board in February if contractors begin work in November or December.

No formal authorization was taken at the special meeting; staff said the formal request and recommended financing route will come back to the board on Oct. 28 for action.

District staff plan to return with a firm cost estimate once the design work is complete and to present financing alternatives at that time.