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Greendale School District Board Supports TID#6 - Boston Store Development with Advisory Vote

The Greendale School District Board at Its November 8th Board meeting took an advisory vote to support the Tax Incremental financing District (TID#6 - Boston Store Development at Southridge) for the upcoming Joint Review Board on November 15th at 4pm at Village Hall.  The motion was made by Board Member Crapitto and Second by Board Member Grogan.  During the meeting the school district advised that they have projected 72 to 73 additional students from the 92 apartments that will be completed in phase 3 of the development. It was noted at the meeting that 4 of the 5 of the Villages TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) districts gained value as projected by the Village Boards consultant.  The School Board tends to believe that the projections provided by the Village Boards consultant for TIF#6 are accurate.  At the meeting it was also indicated there is a performance bond in place for TID#6.  For more information on the "Boston Store Development" at Southridge please see TID #6 Draft Project Plan.

Tax Incremental District (“TID”) No. 6 (“District”) is a proposed Blighted Area District comprising approximately 14.82 acres located in the Southridge Mall area. The District will be created to pay the costs of infrastructure needed to allow the property to be developed by Barrett Lo. In addition to the incremental property value that will be created, the Project will result in redevelopment of the former Boston Store property at Southridge Mall. The redevelopment will bring new apartment options, modern retail amenities and significant new tax base to the Village. The development will include a residential complex constructed in three phases with a total of up to 790 apartments including underground parking. The development will also include approximately 50,000 square feet of retail/commercial space with a public plaza.

The Village anticipates making total expenditures of approximately $10.6 million to undertake the projects listed in this Project Plan. Project Costs include an estimated $8.8 in infrastructure projects that the Village will be required to fund as part of the development agreement.

Greendale Board of Education Commissions Report on Community Change and Projections

The Greendale Board of Education commissioned MDRoffers Consulting to conduct a Community Change & Projections Report.


MDRoffers Consulting prepared this Community Change & Projections Report to assist the Greendale School District (GSD) in gaining an understanding of the impact of future residential development and demographic change on future student enrollment, where in the GSD that enrollment change is projected to occur, and how enrollment projections compare with the capacities of existing schools.


According to the report, the process to complete this Community Change & Projections Report included:

• Review of demographic and enrollment trends for different grade levels and geographic areas within the GSD.

• Review of recent, pending, and potential single-family, multiple-family, and mixed residential development proposals.

• Analysis of Village of Greendale land use plans and road and utility system capabilities.

• Engagement with municipal planning staff and residential real estate professionals in the GSD.

• Assessment of demographic, housing market, and economic trends affecting community growth and enrollment.

• Detailed review of student-per-housing unit generation for different types of housing and different parts of the GSD.

• Comparison of projected enrollment with the capacity of each existing school.

This Report features housing unit and GSD student enrollment projections in four periods: through 2024 (‘24-‘25 school year), from 2025 to 2027 (‘27-’28 school year), from 2028 to 2030 (’30-’31 school year), and from 2031 to 2035 (’35-’36 school year).

The projections are broken down by 37 different small areas, or “neighborhoods,” as depicted on Map 1. Enrollment projections through 2035 are then compared to the capacities of existing GSD schools, under three key assumptions:

• Projected students would attend the elementary school as represented by the attendance areas on Map 1, which do not yet include an elementary school assignment for most of the Southridge Mall property;

• There would be no changes from current school capacities or grade groupings; and

• All 4K students would continue to attend Highland View Elementary.


Highlights/Findings from the report are:

  • Births in the GSD remained relatively stable between 2010 and 2021, with around

120 to 130 births each year. Most other districts and municipalities in the State have had decreasing numbers of births.

  • The number of persons in the GSD between 25-44 years of age (i.e., those of reproductive age) increased by 21 percent from 2010 to 2020, or from 3,172 persons to 3,845 persons.

  • The average age in the GSD decreased from 45.3 years old in 2010 to 42.1 years old in 2020. This is unusual, particularly for a built-out area. From 2010 to 2020, the median age in Milwaukee County increased from 33.7 years old to 35.0 years old and the median age for Wisconsin increased from 38.1 years old to 39.6 years old. This further emphasizes the GSD’s attractiveness to younger families with small children, or those planning to have children, even though the GSD’s housing stock remains smaller and older than many other suburban school districts in the Milwaukee area.

  • Future multiple-family housing in the GSD will likely generate fewer than 0.28 students-per-unit, given that a significant number of projected multiple-family units will either be market-rate (i.e., fairly expensive) rental apartments with 1- or 2-bedrooms, condominiums, or senior-restricted units. Multiple-family housing that is designed to be affordable to low- to moderate-income households, or multiple-family housing that contains significant numbers of 3-bedroom units may, in contrast, generate student-per-unit ratios close to the current GSD average.

  • The Village of Greendale last updated its comprehensive plan in 2019. Through its comprehensive plan, the Village encourages mixed-use development in the Village Center to bring customers to new and existing businesses and reduce the strain on local transportation systems by co-locating residences and employment opportunities. The Village also encourages multiple-family residential development and redevelopment along major transportation corridors and in underutilized areas (like the Southridge Mall) to provide new housing opportunities for existing and future residents of Greendale, as well as to enhance the customer base for local business.

View the full Greendale School District Community Growth & Projections Report

Greendale Board of Education Approves 2022-23 Budget and 2022-23 Levy

The Greendale Board of Education at the October 24h meeting approved the upcoming years budget and tax levy.  The tax levy will be $15,336,850 down from $15,670,083 the proceeding year and the budget approved at $44,859,915.  The projected Mill Rate is $9.01 per $1000 of assessed property value down from $10.22 last year. The district noted that per pupil state revenue caps lag inflation by $3100 since 2009.  

The district identified the following as assumptions for operational costs for 2022-23:
  • Salary - 4% - $960,000    (*CPI 4.7%)

  • Benefits - 4% - $203,000

  • Utilities - 10% - $54,000

  • Transportation - 18% - $48,500

  • Special Education Staff Increase - $90,000

  • Behavior Support Specialist - $100,000

  • Youth Options Cost Increase - $100,000


The district also identified the following as budget savings measures:
  • Self Funding Health Insurance

  • Local, State and Federal Contract Savings

  • Shared Services - IT Director 

  • Open Enrollment As Class Size Allows


Nick Galusha Eagle Scout Project at Greendale High School

According to the October 24th minutes of the Greendale Board of Education, Greendale High School Student Nick Galusha presented his Eagle Scout project to benefit students, faculty and staff. The vision began in May 2022 when Mr. Galusha pitched J&J Contractors for construction planning and labor donations. After 60 years of being an empty, unused space, the reality of outdoor space is projected to be completed for the start of the 2023-24 school year. 


Mr. Galusha thanked J&J Construction, an electrician who is donating his time and labor to the project and for the $6,000 in donations received to date. Financial contributions are needed to complete the project as other additions include outdoor cameras, a sound system and electricity.


The Board thanked Mr. Galusha for taking on this admirable project and creating a legacy that will be left for years to come.


Greendale Schools Receives $228,000 in State Funding for Student Learning Needs and Special Needs

According to the October 24th minutes of the Greendale Board of Education Board member Hughes reported that there was $90 million in funding that came to our state with $228k coming to Greendale. These funds are to be used for staff retention, classroom support, learning loss and transportation cost increases. “Get Kids Ahead” is a mental health service and the district received $43k in funding for this service. The special needs burden continues to increase. In 2019-20 it was 1.25 billion. The current burden on our school district is$4.1 billion. WASB has resolution 2.31 asking for reimbursement rates to increase special education funding to 45% by 2023-24; 60% by 2024-25 and 90% after that.

Total number of revenue limit referendums in the state is at an all time high total of 92. These referendums are seeking additional funding to run their school districts.

It was also noted that the Wisconsin state tax burden is dropping again. Wisconsin ranks 48 in percentage o student spending in the country even though the share of our local, personal income tax is dropping. 


Greendale Marching Band Off to Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, IN

The Greendale Marching Band is off to the Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, In.  The Grand Nationals take place at Lucas Oil Stadium.  The Greendale Marching Band will be competing against over 100 bands from around the country.  Greendale is scheduled to perform in preliminary performance on Friday, November 11th at 2:45pm.  The performance(s) can be seen on streaming video for $18 on the BOA Grand Nationals Web Page. Best of luck Greendale High School Marching Band!

Upcoming Greendale Events


Ladies Night Out - Thursday, November 10th at 4pm - Historic Downtown Greendale
Holiday Tree Lighting - Friday, November 25th at 6PM on Broad Street
Sensory Santa Experience - Saturday, November 26th at 11am - at Hose Tower
Dickens of a Village - Friday, December 2nd at 5pm in Historic Downtown Greendale

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