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Mineral Point board lays out $1.3 million referendum ask to shore up district finances
Summary
Superintendent presented Baird forecasts showing a multi-year structural deficit; the board will ask voters to authorize up to $1.3 million in recurring operational revenue but said it will levy only what is needed, likely about $700,000 next year under current assumptions.
The Mineral Point Unified School District board on Monday reviewed financial forecasts and approved outreach for an operational referendum that would authorize the district to exceed its revenue limit by up to $1.3 million on a recurring basis.
The superintendent told the board that without additional revenue the district projects steady deficits that could reach roughly $1.3 million in cumulative shortfall several years out. "If there is no successful referendum, we get out to the fiscal year of '28-'29 and we're looking at that being right around a $1,300,000 deficit," the superintendent said, summarizing the Baird modeling.
Why it matters: the board emphasized the ballot is an authorization cap, not an immediate levy of the full amount. Under the district's current assumptions the superintendent said the district would likely levy about $700,000 next year, with smaller levies in subsequent years until the authorized ceiling is reached — rather than a single $1.3 million jump in one year. "We're not asking for $1,300,000 a year," a board member said in the meeting, urging accurate public messaging.
Board members discussed how levy decisions would be made year to year, how the revenue base would grow if amounts are levied, and the limits on using an operational referendum for building projects. The superintendent clarified that an operational referendum would not fund new construction or stadium work and that any levy would be tailored to budget needs.
The board set a public forum for voter information at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the high school cafeteria and pointed the public to the district referendum webpage for more details. The superintendent encouraged residents to call the district with questions and said administrators are preparing concise handouts and a slideshow for public meetings.
Next steps: the board will proceed with community outreach and public information sessions ahead of the referendum vote; any levy amount will be proposed in the annual budget process and is subject to the board's stated policy of levying only what is needed to balance the budget.
Provenance: Topic introduced in the superintendent's forecast presentation and discussion (first mentioned SEG 2539) and concluded with the forum scheduling and public outreach comments (SEG 2771).
