By Andre Brown and Nikki Thomas, staff writers
Kenosha Unified School District has proposed a $16.7 million plan to improve the dis-trict high schools’ athletic facilities which includes building a football stadium at Bradford High School.
KUSD voters will vote on April 7 whether or not to pass this referendum. The plans include expanding Indian Trail and Tremper’s football and track facilities while additionally adding the new football stadium for Bradford. The stadium will also include a nine lane track which would give Kenosha the ability to host sec- tional meets. In addition, all of the high schools’ baseball and softball fields will receive infield turf to limit lost games due to weather.
“The expansion will be great. The chance for Kenosha to host a sectional meet and to have a new football field will really help the city’s facilities,” said Indian Trail senior football player Manny Jones.
In total, this plan would cost $16.7 million. Bradford will receive $9.6 million, Tremper will obtain $6.5 million, Indian Trail will receive $670,000 and the remaining money will be distributed to the KUSD mid- dle schools. Voters will have to consider whether this is where some of their tax money should be going.
If the referendum passes, it would add about 10 cents per $1,000 of equalized value to taxes of property owners in the school district for 20 years. Under normal conditions, that would mean the owner of a $200,000 home would see his or her school taxes rise by about $20 annually. But in 2016-17, KUSD is expected to retire debt on some separate building projects that will decrease property tax bills by about 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $100 a year for that owner of a $200,000 home. So, even if the referendum passed, taxpayers would still see school taxes drop by about $80 on a home valued $200,000.
Eric Corbett, Indian Trail’s Athletic Director, likes this idea and hopes the voters will pass the referendum.
“Bradford does deserve their own football stadium and track facility,” Corbett said.
Bradford currently uses Jaskwhich stadium as their home field. Not only will Bradford benefit from their own stadium but this means that Indian Trial will now be able to use its own stadium for practice benefits more because Bradford does not need to consume valuable time on the turf.
“I think Kenosha needs to update their facilities. We are the only ones that have a nice one and the other schools need one too,” said Indian Trail teacher Carrie Zemke.
If approved, school officials hope to have the improvements finished by fall of 2016.