Over the last few months, Moraine Park Technical College’s Referendum has received the following community endorsements:

Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce

“Our chamber board has endorsed this referendum due to its possible impact on the educational facilities and in turn the future workforce in our areas. The updates and improvements at Moraine Park would target programs in high demand that impact citizens across the region in the career areas of robotics/automation, public safety, manufacturing, technology, and health care.”

West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce

At the September meeting of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, the Board had an extended discussion regarding this referendum for Moraine Park Technical College. Following that discussion, the Board voted to publicly support the Moraine Park Technical College referendum.

The Chamber recognizes that this is not a light-hearted venture for Moraine Park Technical College to turn to its constituents and request their support in the way of a tax increase. The Chamber acknowledges the due diligence and expertise that Moraine Park Technical College has utilized to assess the needs of its district and the use of that data to determine the largest funding impact.

Why is the Chamber supporting this referendum?

To answer that question, we will begin with a recent manufacturing statistic and a quote from a health care report. According to the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, there are expected to be more than 14,000 manufacturing jobs open over the next 10 years. The Wisconsin Hospital Association’s 2022 Health Care Workforce Report shares early survey results stating “registered nurse (RN) vacancy rates in the double digits for the first time since 2005. The nursing shortage has arrived.”

Envision Greater Fond du Lac

In 2021, the Board of Directors approved the creation of an Advocacy Committee. As an organization, we actively pay attention to local, state, and federal policies and legislation that impact our ability to grow our local economy. At times, the Advocacy Committee will recommend positions on certain policy matters pertinent to Envision’s mission and vision to the Envision Board of Directors for review and ultimate decision.   

After review, the Advocacy Committee recommended the Envision Board support the following ballot items:

Moraine Park Technical College – Moraine Park Technical College has also done their due diligence. This referendum would fund necessary projects across their district. There are four proposed pillars as part of this project: Advanced Manufacturing & Trades, Manufacturing, Automation & Robotics Lab, Fire Training Facility, and Health & Human Services Facility.

Our vision is to drive greater economic opportunities within our engaged communities through talent led economic development. In general, strong schools are critical to growth in economic development and talent attraction. We know that educational attainment rates are important to site selectors, developers, and business attraction. Our higher-than-state average on high school graduation attainment puts us at an advantage for low-skilled, entry-level positions. About 38% of county residents achieved only a high school diploma compared to 32% state average.

Soon, Moraine Park district residents will vote on a referendum authorizing the College to expand facilities.

Each project has been identified by local businesses as industry critical and necessary to economic growth in our region.

Are all your questions answered to make you an informed voter?

Submit any remaining questions to us for direct responses.

Soon, you will be asked to vote on a referendum authorizing the College to borrow $55M to expand facilities. Be informed when you get to the polls. Visit morainepark.edu/future for full project details. A few commonly asked questions are answered below.

Why are the proposed projects necessary?

Moraine Park Technical College plays a critical role in training students for jobs in our area. We serve more than 12,000 students at campuses in Dodge, Fond du Lac, and Washington counties. Our students pursue degrees in many high-demand areas and will fill job vacancies in our district communities. 

While our focus will always be on educating our students, we also need to develop a plan to update our buildings. After carefully reviewing the college facility needs for the past several years, we have determined that: 

Aging Facilities 

• Our fire training facility was built 25 years ago at the Beaver Dam campus. This facility is worn out, and the site is landlocked, preventing expansion. Controlled burns pose wind and weather challenges because it is located near Highway 151, a major four-lane road. 
• Many employers in our region are using robots and automation to design, build, and deliver goods. However, our advanced manufacturing and trades spaces are too small, unconnected, and cannot meet current demand. 
• Many of our healthcare instructional areas are aged and lack the technology and equipment now common in hospitals. 

Our Communities Need Our Alumni and Resources
Each year, over 2,000 skilled Moraine Park alumni begin their careers in our community; our alumni are a vital part of many local businesses in our district and Moraine Park is an educational partner to many.  

• There are expected to be more than 14,000 manufacturing job openings in our region in the next 10 years.  
• The healthcare field is one of the fastest growing in our region with over 8,000 job openings expected in the next 10 years.

Why doesn’t the College increase tuition to cover the projects?

The Wisconsin Technical College System sets the tuition rate each year for all technical colleges in the state. Moraine Park does not have the ability to raise or lower tuition rates.

What is the projected tax impact on our district property owners?

After more than a year of research, planning and stakeholder engagement, Moraine Park’s district board authorized a referendum package for four proposed projects not to exceed $55 million.

The projected tax impact of the $55 million facilities enhancement plan is estimated to be $21 per year per $100,000 of property value ($1.75 per month) for the next 20 years.

This election season, residents of the Moraine Park Technical College District will vote on a referendum authorizing the College to expand facilities- targeting high-demand areas through the following projects:

• Advanced Manufacturing and Trades enhancements

• Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics Lab expansion

• Fire Training Facility (new construction)

• Health and Human Services Facility enhancement

It’s no secret, ballot language is complex. To help you be prepared for Nov. 8–here’s what you can expect to see and what it means for you.

What You’ll See:

Shall the Moraine Park Technical College District, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds or promissory notes in an amount not to exceed $55,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of capital expenditures for the purchase or construction of buildings, building additions, remodeling and improvements, site improvements, the acquisition of sites, and the purchase of fixed and other equipment at District locations, including, but not limited to, advanced manufacturing facilities at the Fond du Lac and West Bend Campuses, a health and human services facility at the Fond du Lac Campus, and a regional fire training facility?

What It Means:

Moraine Park is seeking taxpayer approval to borrow $55 million.

The total project costs cannot be more than $55M.

This translates to an estimated tax increase of $1.75 per month or $21 per year for every 100,000 of property value.

This increase is temporary and will last for no more than 20 years.

Why is a referendum necessary to fund the projects?

By state law, the amount of money Moraine Park can spend on new buildings, additions, or land acquisition without going to voters is limited to $1.5 million per campus every two years. Any new buildings, additions, or land acquisition beyond the cap (not funded through gifts, grants, or federal funds) must be approved by voters in a public referendum. 

Similar to your local school district, our funding is a combination of local property taxes, state aid, and some federal dollars. Also, like schools, technical colleges are required to seek voter approval through a referendum to pay for major building projects.  

Our mill rate (which is used to calculate a technical college’s portion of property tax bills) has been declining in recent years.

In addition, we have never used a referendum to pay for facility projects. Therefore, we do not have any referendum debt.  

Our proposed projects are too large to be funded from our annual capital budget. 

Have questions? We will respond directly at morainepark.edu/future.

This November will be a historic voting year for Moraine Park–it’s the first time in over 30 years that the College has held a referendum.

Beyond the referendum, this year is a Gubernatorial election, meaning the next Wisconsin State Governor will be elected to a 4-year term. Get to know the candidates in your state and district area at https://wisconsinvote.org/candidates-races/.

Read about Moraine Park’s referendum at morainepark.edu/future.

The Moraine Park Technical College District Board voted to approve the final ballot language Wednesday, allowing the College to move forward with a $55 million referendum in the November election. 

The referendum would allow Moraine Park to borrow funds to update and expand Moraine Park facilities to meet the needs of business and industry in the region through four major projects between 2022 and 2025. 

• Advanced Manufacturing and Trades – Fond du Lac County – Enhancement 
• Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics Lab – Washington County – Expansion 
• Fire Training Facility – Location TBD – New Construction 
• Health and Human Services Facility – Fond du Lac County – Enhancement 

“Education is the key to economic growth in any community,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “Workforce growth is what will change our community, and as a technical college, we are the change agents. This referendum is vital to making change and growth happen at a time when technology and automation are influencing industry so rapidly.”  

Moraine Park intends to update and expand facilities to: 

• Respond to the growing workforce shortages.  
• Accommodate evolving industry expectations.  

• Address evolving technology, including in the areas of automation and robotics.  
• Provide greater access to all district communities.  
• Align with community expectations and workforce training requirements.  
• Prepare students and workforces of the future.  

The funding request by MPTC is spread out across the four major district counties, making the financial impact per taxpayer minimal; the adjustments are not permanent, making the impact a temporary adjustment for taxpayers. Under the proposed $55 million facilities enhancement plan, annual property taxes would increase by .21 cents per $1,000 of property value or $21 per $100,000 of property value ($1.75 per month) for no more than 20 years.  

“We need to invest in this kind of growth either way,” Jim Eden, Moraine Park vice president of teaching and learning, said. “If a referendum passes, we will accelerate Moraine Park’s ability to grow by about 15 years. If it does not, it will take the College 15 years to catch up.”  

Under state law, technical colleges must hold referendums before completing capital projects with a cost of more than $1.5 million. The referendum must earn a majority vote across all four major district counties, which include Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Washington. 

For more information on this project, visit morainepark.edu/future. 

The Moraine Park Technical College District Board passed a resolution Wednesday stating an intent to borrow $55 million to enhance campus learning spaces to meet future student and regional workforce needs.

The resolution is the first formal step toward a potential referendum in the November election. Under state law, technical colleges must hold referendums before completing capital projects with a cost of more than $1.5 million.

If successful, the $55 million referendum will allow Moraine Park to borrow funds to enhance and grow Moraine Park facilities to meet the needs of business and industry in the region through four major projects. Additionally, this proposal will allow Moraine Park to:

• Respond to the growing workforce shortages.
• Accommodate evolving industry expectations.
• Address evolving technology, including in the areas of automation and robotics.
• Provide greater access to all district communities.
• Align with community expectations and workforce training requirements.
• Keep the region competitive by preparing students and workforces of the future.

“Many of our district employers are fueled by Moraine Park graduates. Our goal is to continue to meet the needs of our local business and industry partners by leveraging our updated and growing facilities and equipment to expand technical college opportunities,” Moraine Park’s President, Bonnie Baerwald, said. “It is our responsibility to continue planning for growth that aligns with our local needs—and investing $55 million into enhancements, expansions and new construction projects over the next few years will help us do just that.”

The district board supported a request to explore growth opportunities at a board workshop in November 2020. Since then, Moraine Park leaders and internal teams have gathered research, held partnership meetings, explored district opportunities, prioritized projects, and obtained cost information related to architecture and construction. In April, the College surveyed a random sampling of 10,000 district community members to gauge community support. The survey results indicated voter support for a $55 million referendum. Additionally, the Moraine Park Foundation has raised nearly $2 million in donation pledges to help offset the costs.

“In the coming months, our work at Moraine Park will revolve around informing our communities of the importance of technical education in our district and the impact this referendum will have on the future of our district,” Baerwald added.

Under the proposed $55 million facilities enhancement plan, annual property taxes would increase by $21 per $100,000 of property value ($1.75 per month) for the next 20 years. The next step for Moraine Park is a public hearing in which district community members are welcome; the public hearing will be held at 5:15 p.m. Monday, July 11, on Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac campus, 235 N. National Ave.

The Moraine Park District Board will vote in August on the final referendum question language, which will solidify a path forward to the November election. If approved, this will be the first time Moraine Park has financed projects using a referendum.

The Moraine Park district includes Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Washington counties and small portions of surrounding counties. The College, with campus locations in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and West Bend, plays a critical role in training more than 12,000 students each year for industry-critical jobs. Moraine Park students pursue degrees in many high-demand areas, including information technology, cybersecurity, accounting, nursing, respiratory therapy, advanced manufacturing, and website and graphic design.

For more information on this project, visit morainepark.edu/future.

Moraine Park Technical College awarded its annual business and industry partnership awards, recognizing valued partners of 2021. The College’s Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) recognizes five partnership awards each year: Excellence in Partnership, Employer of the Year, Innovation, New Partner of the Year, and Workforce Development Champion. 

The Excellence in Partnership award is given to an organization involved in several areas of the college including advisory committees, Foundation donations, Handshake, EWD contracts, and boot camp internships. The 2021 award recipient is J.F. Ahern. Ahern is actively involved in MPTC’s program advisory committees, contributing their industry knowledge to the growth of the College’s students and program curriculum. They are generous donors to the Foundation’s annual scholarship fund, the Forming Alliances to Cultivate Talent (FACT), and the Promise program scholarships. Ahern is also a major donor for Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac Automation, Innovation and Robotics (AIR) Center project efforts. They were collaborators with EWD in creating an online programming and sponsoring the Live2Lead professional development training. Finally, Ahern understands the importance of educating our youth on the vital careers needed in today’s manufacturing and trades industries. They achieve this by partnering with many K-12 schools throughout the state to support curriculum development and facilitation, offer job shadowing and facilities tours, and give presentations to high school classrooms on the benefits of joining the trades. 

The Employer of the Year award is given to an employer who has made a significant investment in their staff through a partnership with Moraine Park Technical College. The 2021 award recipient is the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, for being a valued and consistent partner with Moraine Park.  

The Innovation Award is given to an organization that implemented an innovative solution to a workforce challenge. The 2021 award recipient is The Boys and Girls Club of Fond du Lac, for their participation in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment. This partnership with Moraine Park provided opportunities to connect with the community and the youth through the development and growth of the Boys and Girls club team members. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work is imperative for community growth and development of all people, and the Boys and Girls Club took an impactful step with this partnership and the work they continue to do around DEI to better serve our youth and the community.  

The New Partner of the Year award is given to an organization that supports Moraine Park through contributions, sponsorships, or involvement for the first time. The 2021 award recipient is Whisker formerly known as AutoPets. Whisker has been a strong new partner with MPTC as a Workforce Advancement Training grant partner to run multiple Supervision courses in 2021. They were a major sponsor at the Dodge County SHRM DEI conference, and employee and MPTC alumnus, Tyler Soto, is a great advocate and ambassador for the college.  

The Workforce Development Champion award is given to an individual focused on improving the skills and retention of personnel in the region and has positively impacted workforce issues around recruitment, training, and career development. The 2021 award recipient is Jesse Zahn, head of maintenance at MSI Express. MSI’s facility is equipped with automated machinery for filling beverage containers that will eventually find their way to internationally known chain coffee shops and restaurants. To ensure his staff is fully skilled in reducing downtime, Zahn sends multiple associates to the Industrial Maintenance boot camp each year. He now has developed an educational pathway and established a plan of advancement with his employees who complete the boot camp. In addition, some of his associates have expressed interest in seeking an electromechanical degree from Moraine Park and Zahn is committed to helping them achieve this goal through a combination of tuition assistance and help in facilitating the enrollment process. 

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu. 

Moraine Park Technical College will host Tech Knowledge College, a summer camp for students entering grades 6 to 8. This event gives participants an interactive look at the skills and careers needed today and in the future. Registration is now open for this annual three-day camp, held August 9-11, at Moraine Park Technical College’s Fond du Lac campus.

The sessions for this year’s event are The Business of Drones, Rescue 9-1-1, Lego Sumo Robots, Respiratory Therapy, All About HealthCare, Courtroom is in Session, Inside the World of Law Enforcement, and Salon Techniques. The sessions are available on a first come, first served basis, and early registration is encouraged.

The cost of Tech Knowledge College is $115 and includes a choice of two sessions, a t-shirt, and a morning snack and lunch each day. The camp is held from 9 a.m. -3:15 p.m. each day.

For full details including session descriptions and registration information, visit morainepark.edu/tkc.