A newly formed Ad Hoc Committee tasked with looking at the next steps in forming an independent school district in Caledonia will meet Monday, June 15.
The committee is expected to talk about a feasibility study and next steps.
The Caledonia Village Board voted earlier this month to create the ad hoc committee with five members: village trustee Ed Willing, Brian Dey, village trustee Kathy Trentadue, Nikki Krause, and former village trustee Kathy Burton.
Read more about this issue: Caledonia Independent School District
Caledonia voted 2,481 to 2,372 in April to approve an advisory referendum to start pursuing an independent school district, some parents that are for the independent school district have voiced frustration that the village board has yet to move forward with a feasibility study.
Village president Bob Bradley suggested at a meeting held June 2 that Dey set up a committee to start negotiations with the Wisconsin Taxpayer Association to conduct the study, but without agreeing to spend any money at this time. That motion was passed unanimously. Once the committee finalizes the details on what will be included in the study, the committee will bring a recommendation to the village board.
But by no means is a potential divorce from the Racine Unified School District a done deal. As it stands now, Racine Unified would need to give its blessing to Caledonia to separate from the district. The group behind forming the independent school district wants state Legislators to change the law to allow communities to separate from unified school districts if they choose to through a referendum.
At the June 2 meeting, village trustee Jim Dobbs asked the board to not fund a feasibility study at this time, but asked that the village administrator draft a resolution asking state Legislators to craft a law that would allow village residents to vote on whether to form its own school district.
The motion carried 4 to 3 with village trustees Lee Wishau, Kevin Wanggaard, and Willing voting no.
The Ad Hoc Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, June 15 at the East Side Community Center, 6156 Douglas Ave.
Â