Waunakee board unanimously approves referendum questions for Nov. 3, 2026, and adopts communications plan

The Waunakee Community School District board unanimously approved three referendum resolutions on Tuesday that will ask voters in November to approve an operational question (recurring funds for employee compensation) and a capital question for high-school renovations and district-wide improvements.

Steve Summers, the administrator leading the budget briefing, told the board the updated financial plan reduced the capital ask from $105,000,000 to $97,500,000 and estimated the tax-impact at roughly 42¢ per $1,000 of assessed value, down slightly from the 43¢ shown in the spring survey. "The major takeaway from the updated financial plan was that the impact for the community was 42¢ instead of 43¢," Summers said, noting interest-rate and timing adjustments accounted for the modest change.

Board members asked about safeguards to ensure funds are used as voters intend. Summers said the operational resolution converts $2.1 million of previously nonrecurring funds to recurring status and requests an additional $2.1 million annually for four years dedicated to ongoing operational and employee-compensation needs; he emphasized the board retains the annual tax-levy decision each October depending on state funding.

The board also approved a capital resolution describing the public purpose — removal and renovation work at the high school, additions, outdoor athletic facilities and district-wide capital maintenance — and the formal resolution calling the referendum election for Nov. 3, 2026. Joan, the board chair, made the motions that carried by roll call with each named member recorded as "Aye." The board also directed staff to draft a policy to memorialize how referendum funds would be applied if state funding reduced needs.

Administrators presented a communications plan prepared with outside consultants to keep community outreach factual and legal. Kit Daley of EUA described the plan as "a strategic, hopefully, a transparent, and community focused approach," laying out a weekly schedule of materials, fact sheets, FAQs and videos to be staged between now and election day. Legal guidance provided to the board emphasized that district-funded communications must remain neutral and factual and that board members and staff have distinct roles and limits under state law when speaking about the measure.

Next steps: the referendum materials and schedule will be published to the district website and communications will begin in line with the timeline presented to the board.