The town hall meeting scheduled for Monday to allow citizens to exchange thoughts on a School District referendum was canceled that morning after Mother Nature approved her own referendum for a fall snowstorm.
It has been rescheduled to Tuesday night, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
The School Board was hoping for a good turnout that would include plenty of suggestions to be considered in a community effort to prevent the School District from falling into a severe budget shortage that could lead to a reduced program of extracurricular programs for students.
The Board approved a cut in assistant coaches for athletic teams at its Nov. 10 meeting, along with funding for some special programs, student field trips, and Drivers Education courses.
After a closed session at that meeting, the Board also voted to discontinue band/choir relief for the second semester.
District Superintendent Curt Bisarek and members of the School Board had already presented a number of area-wide forums, including attendance at regular meetings of community service organizations in order to stress the importance of support for the referendum, but it failed in its first attempt at passage.
There were two questions on the first referendum request. The City of Hillsboro and four townships–Glendale, Whitestown, Wonewoc and Woodland–favored the first question. Glendale, Whitestown and Wonewoc townships, as well as the City of Hillsboro, also supported the second question, but Woodland opposed it.
Question 1 received 256 Yes votes as opposed to 226 No votes. Question 2 received 262 Yes votes as opposed to 214 No votes.
The total referendum vote was 607 Yes and 731 No on Question 1. The total vote on Question 2 was 606 Yes and 715 No.
The original town hall agenda for Monday night included a guest presentation by retiring State Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center). School Board member Brian Hora was scheduled to be the moderator.
Bisarek confirmed that Schultz, who did not seek re-election, will remain on the program for the Dec. 2 gathering.
The town hall forum’s goal is to provide the opportunity for residents to express their thoughts in a constructive and positive way to the Board of Education as the Board develops a referendum that is seen as fair to the students, residents, and the mission of the District.
Its ground rules are as follows:
• Each person wishing to speak to the Board shall complete and submit a registration sheet prior to the opening of the meeting.
• Speakers are asked to focus on the next steps of the District.
• Speakers may be limited in the number times (3) they can speak.
• Speakers will be limited to an amount of time determined by the Board President (3-5 minutes).
The Hillsboro School District Board of Education, Administration, and staff appreciate the interest expressed in the Town Hall meeting and look forward to a successful exchange of information on Dec. 2.
