The Moraine Park District Board is expected to vote at their meeting next month on language to place a $55 million building referendum on the November election ballot. Only one person from the public attended a public hearing this week on the referendum. MPTC president Bonnie Baerwald says the referendum would allow Moraine Park to borrow funds for four major projects including the renovation of the manufacturing and trade center at the Fond du Lac campus. “Part of that would be some infrastructure work, parking and some dollars related to our automation and robotics center. But primarily our capital campaign will fund that addition,” Baerwald told WFDL news. “The referendum would support over 30,000 square feet of remodeling.” A second project would remodel and expand the health services and nursing wing at the Fond du Lac campus. “Part of that remodel would implement a simulation lab for our nursing and health care students. “We’ve obviously experienced a high demand for that type of training during the COVID period.” A third project would involve remodeling manufacturing and trade spaces and the front entrance at the West Bend campus. “Our West Bend campus currently does not have welding and fabrication space that’s offered in a regional center,” Baerwald said. “That would allow us to terminate a lease that would save us about $60,000 a year in rent costs.” The final project would be a regional fire training center possibly in Beaver Dam. “That allows us to provide not only training, but also to certify all of the 40 to 50 fire departments that currently serve our district,” Baerwald said. “We’re looking to build an approximately 14,000 square foot center, adding a three story training tower.” Baerwald says the goal is to update programs and facilities to fuel the growing business and industry sector. Under the proposed referendum, annual property taxes would increase by $21 per $100,000 of property value for the next 20 years.
