By Shereen Siewert
Voters in Wausau approved a School District a proposal that will raise $119.8 million to address district-wide facility needs by a large margin on Tuesday.
The Wausau School Board in January approved the referendum question, which reflects a roughly one-third reduction from the initial proposal considered.
The revised plan adds six classrooms at Stettin, seven at South Mountain and two at Riverview Elementary. Both Stettin and South Mountain, on the western side of the district, have seen an increase in students due to population shifts, officials said.
The plan calls for district-wide upgrades for safety and security, building infrastructure, capital maintenance and site improvements. Remodeling at both middle and high schools along with construction of a new School Forest Environmental Learning center are at the core of the plan.
According to figures from the Marathon County Clerk, the measure passed at roughly 60% to 40%, a 20 % margin. In all, 26,239 registered voters cast ballots in the spring election, a more than 32% turnout.
