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(262) 673-3155District Office
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(262) 673-3155District Office
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Yes! The School District of Hartford Jt. #1 (HJT1) is separate from Hartford Union High School (HUHS) - they are two different school districts. This district, HJT1, educates early childhood through eighth grades, and HUHS educates ninth through twelfth grades.
There are 421 individual school district in Wisconsin. Each of these districts is open to all students, must meet state and federal laws and is accountable to community members through a locally elected school board. Most school districts in Wisconsin educate students from grades pre-kindergarten or kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12). However, there are some school districts that only educate students in grades pre-kindergarten or kindergarten through grade eight (K-8), while union high school districts only serve high school levels. In these cases, after students complete the 8th grade in a K-8 district, they attend a union high school for grades 9-12.
Hartford is one of ten Union High School Districts in the state of Wisconsin and is home to both the Hartford Union High School District (9-12) and the School District of Hartford Jt. #1 (K-8).
The November referendum will ask voters to authorize the issuance of up to $8.2 million in general obligation bonds for a comprehensive school facility improvement plan that will:
Remember to flip your ballot, as this question will be on the BACK! It will be listed above the HUHS referendum question. The official ballot language will appear as follows:
Shall the School District of Hartford Joint No. 1, City of Hartford, Towns of Addison, Ashippun, Erin, Hartford, and Rubicon, Washington and Dodge Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $8,200,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project consisting of: capital maintenance at Rossman Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School and Central Middle School, including remodeling, building infrastructure and systems improvements; construction of a kitchen and related storage addition at Lincoln Elementary School; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?”
The total cost for the proposed referendum projects is $15,350,757. Thanks to the District’s careful financial planning, the Board of Education has committed to contribute more than 46% of the total project cost from the District’s Fund 46 savings, which is equal to $7,150,757.
The Board of Education is asking community members to vote on the issuance of up to $8,200,000 in general obligation bonds for the remaining cost of the referendum projects. This amount can be approved without increasing the annual tax burden for debt repayment.
The $8.2 million referendum can be approved without increasing the annual tax burden for debt repayment.
The District chooses what to levy for making debt payments every year. Sometimes the District levies more than its required payments and sometimes it levies less, based on where the overall levy is planned to be. When there is an accumulated balance and the District feels it is the right time to make a prepayment (known as a defeasance), it escrows the funds with a third party agent and the bonds are considered paid. $2.4 Million of debt was defeased in June 2024.
Funds are allotted within the referendum value for both inflation and contingency. Both are evaluated throughout the design process and adjusted as needed based on bid and market conditions. Detailed logs are kept during design which track changes in budget and scope. The District is then able to make decisions and scope adjustments as needed to remain within budget. Both cost control methods occur within the same timeline to ensure that budget is managed efficiently ahead of construction.
We constantly update our budget models based on current pricing of materials such as lumber and steel, to keep budgets as accurate as possible. We also factor inflation, soft costs and contingency into all estimates.
On August 20, 2024 the Board of Education unanimously supported placing a referendum question on the November 5, 2024 ballot. You can read the press release about the adoption here; and find the Board Meeting Minutes for August 20, 2024 here.
Light renovation is classified as areas where updates are needed to interior finishes like flooring, ceilings, and paint in poor/worn condition. Heavy renovation is classified as areas where building reconfiguration like moving walls or extensive systems updates occurs.
Yes. A furnishings and equipment allowance is included in the budget for these projects.
We aim to create learning environments that are conducive to both student success and staff satisfaction. It is rare that full architectural design is started before a school district referendum is passed. Like most school districts, the School District of Hartford Joint No. 1 will further invest the staff or financial resources once/if the community has given their approval, through a referendum vote, to move forward with the project. It would be irresponsible of us to invest hundreds of hours of staff time and other District resources before a referendum is passed and the funding is secure.
However, since this process is what almost all school districts follow, we are comfortable with the plan to manage scope and budget moving forward. The estimating process is very similar, the District has been working closely with our construction manager for cost estimating, which includes helping establish the total project cost based on current cost data and forecasting future costing trends. Once a referendum is approved by voters and the project moves into design, potential costs are evaluated consistently throughout the design process. Detailed logs are kept during design which track changes in budget and scope. The District is then able to make decisions and scope adjustments as needed to remain within budget. Both cost control methods occur within the same timeline to ensure that budget is managed efficiently ahead of construction.
Our construction manager, Miron Construction, Inc., was hired to assist the District with preconstruction work including budgeting and capital maintenance planning. They will also manage any projects should the referendum be successful, and there will be opportunities for local businesses to be part of any projects. Miron has a long track record of using local companies, vendors, and subcontractors on their projects. They understand the value local businesses who employ local people would bring to any projects.
All aspects of the project will be competitively bid.
Yes, we plan to publicly bid the projects so any contractor who can meet the bid requirements can submit a bid. When the time comes, Miron Construction will reach out to local companies, vendors, and subcontractors to invite them to submit bids on the project.
The District has an annual custodial and maintenance budget for supplies, equipment and services to address routine operational needs and small, unexpected mechanical emergencies. This budget keeps the schools operating safely and efficiently day-to-day. However, the current State school funding formula does not allow districts to keep up with the increasing costs associated with large-scale maintenance or replacement projects. In fact, because of existing state school finance laws, in particular Wisconsin Act 16 which implemented per-pupil revenue limits beginning with the 1993-94 school year, it is lawmakers’ general intent to allow local district taxpayers to have a say in these types of school funding decisions by way of holding a referendum.
The District does use a saving mechanism for long-term capital improvement projects known as Fund 46, the Long-Term Capital Improvement Trust Fund. This trust fund was created to transfer operational resources if and when they are available into a fund for future capital planning. If the District realizes savings in a given year due to changes in the initial budget (e.g. a position isn’t filled and we have unspent resources for one year), it can transfer those funds to Fund 46 and set them aside for future capital needs while also making those savings eligible for state aid reimbursement. Since 2016, the District has made year-end contributions to Fund 46 to help fund large-scale facility projects. As part of this proposed project, the District plans to use $7.1 million already earmarked for these types of projects in order to reduce the overall impact on local taxpayers.
There are two main sources of school funding: property taxes from local property owners and general school aid from the state. Schools use a combination of these main revenue sources to maintain facilities and operations. A combination of property taxes and general school aid cannot exceed the District’s revenue limit as determined by the state.
Revenue limits are legally enforced ceilings that cap how much funding schools can take in from their biggest revenue sources. A successful referendum is the only way school districts can change their revenue limit. It’s an opportunity for community members to have a direct say in the way their tax dollars are spent inside their local schools, affecting local families and the community as a whole.
Wisconsin districts are funded at different levels based on different factors, but all need to adhere to the revenue limits that were established by the state in 1993. Therefore, if a district was low spending or much smaller/more rural in 1993 than it is today, its revenue limit is based on existing circumstances at that time that may no longer be adequate today.
Even though approval of this referendum would result in no increase to the annual tax burden for debt repayment on the school tax mill rate, unless certain, narrow conditions are met, school district borrowing requires elector approval.
The tax levy is the portion of the budget that is funded through local property taxes. Local property taxes and state aid are the two most significant sources of revenue for the school district. Federal aid and local fees are other revenue sources.
The tax base is the total value of all property in the district that is subject to local property taxes.
The tax levy divided by the tax base is the tax rate. It is expressed in terms of dollars per thousand, or mill rate. With the current mill rate at $4.08, property owners pay $4.08 for each $1,000 of property to support the local school district.
The school is just one of five taxing entities on your tax bill: county, city/town, Hartford Jt 1 School District, Hartford Union High School District, and the technical college district. Hartford Jt. 1 can only control the K-8 school portion of your taxes.
In Wisconsin public school funding terms, assessed value and fair market value represent different ways to determine the value of property for taxation purposes, and they can have different impacts on the tax mill rate.
Assessed value refers to the value of a property as determined by the local assessor for tax purposes. This value is often based on factors such as the property's size, location, and condition.
Fair market value, on the other hand, is the price that a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would accept for the property in an open market transaction. It represents the current market value of the property.
The tax mill rate is the amount of tax imposed per dollar of assessed value. When it comes to funding public schools, the tax mill rate is based on the assessed value of properties within the school district.
Hartford Jt. 1 School District has no control over assessed or fair market value. It simply levies tax against all taxable property within the District at the same rate. Changes in school taxes assessed on a property tax bill may be the result of changes in the assessed value reported by the municipality in which you live.
We encourage community members to explore our website dedicated entirely to referendum information. Watch your mailbox for two referendum information mailers, which will be delivered to every community member in the school district. You are also encouraged to follow School District of Hartford Joint No. 1 on Facebook, as information will be shared there as well.
Call the District Office: 262-673-3155
Email: referendum[at]hjt1[dot]org
Not while on school property, during work time, or as a “representative” of the district. There are strict rules governing staff advocacy and discussions around referendum communications. Please reach out to your District Administrator with questions and for a copy of the advocacy guidelines.
Visit the myvote.wi.gov website to:
In-person absentee voting starts in the state of Wisconsin on October 22, 2024 and closes November 2, 2024. However, each municipality has different in-person voting hours so please contact your municipality directly to confirm your options.
Shanna Kreilkamp
City of Hartford - Multiple Counties
109 N. Main St., Hartford, WI 53027
Phone: 262-673-8200
Fax: 262-673-8218
skreilkamp[at]hartford.wi[dot]gov
Wendy Fairbanks
Town of Addison - Washington County
127 First St. Allenton, WI 53002
Phone: 262-629-5420 x1
Michelle Liesener
Town of Ashippun - Dodge County
W1266 County Road O, Ashippun, WI 53003
Phone: 920-474-4781
Carrie Bruha
Town of Erin - Washington County
1846 State Hwy 83, Hartford, WI 53027
Phone: 262-673-3682
Fax: 262-673-3755
Rebecca Schuster
Town of Hartford - Washington County
3360 County Road K, Hartford, WI 53027
Phone: 262-673-7214 x1
Fax: 262-673-7066
Cindy Whitbeck
Town of Rubicon - Dodge County
N3864 County Road P, Rubicon, WI 53078
Phone: 262-673-3413
Anyone who lives in the District, is 18 years of age, and is registered to vote can cast a ballot on November 5, 2024. A person who is not registered to vote can register at their polling place on the same day of the referendum by providing proof of age and residence.
Polling places are located throughout the district as we have 6 municipalities that are wholly or partially in the District. You need to vote at the polling place that is assigned to the village or town in which you live.
Please seek information at this site: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place
In Wisconsin, you need to have certain items with you to vote. Here's what you'll need:
Remember to check your polling place location and hours before heading out to vote. If you have any questions or concerns about voting requirements or procedures, you can contact your local municipal clerk's office or the Wisconsin Elections Commission for assistance.
Absentee and Early Voting Early voting begins on October 22, 2024. There are different deadlines to request an absentee ballot or vote in-person depending on where you live or if you are in the military, overseas, indefinitely confined, or in the hospital.
An absentee ballot must be returned by mail or delivered to your municipal clerk and must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024. Visit the My Vote Wisconsin Deadline page to learn more.
https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/
If you are unable to vote in person on November 5, 2024, you can vote early by using an absentee ballot. You need to request an absentee ballot by contacting the municipal clerk of the village or town in which you live. Please seek information at this site: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place
Each referendum question needs 50% plus 1 of the votes cast to be “yes” in order to pass. In recent years, many school referendums have been decided by less than 10 votes–this demonstrates that everyone’s vote is important!
Upon a successful referendum on November 5, 2024, the District would immediately enter a design phase with partners Plunkett Raysich Architects and Miron Construction, which would last from November 2024 through March 2025.
The projects would then be competitively bid out, with phased construction beginning in May 2025, continuing over the next 12 months, with as much of the renovation and addition work in academic spaces taking place through Summer 2025 to prevent any disruptions to student learning. We anticipate full completion of the referendum projects for the 2026-27 school year.
The District is committed to providing an environment conducive to teaching and learning.
No. The School Board has been working with Miron Construction and Plunkett Raysich Architects to develop a construction schedule. Renovations and additions will happen in a multiphase approach while maintaining safety standards to prevent any disruptions to student learning.
