October 2, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Darling, Farrow, Vukmir, Lazich and
Grothman, cosponsored by Representatives Sanfelippo, Stone, Hutton,
Kooyenga, Craig, Kapenga, Kuglitsch, LeMahieu, Jagler, Ballweg,
Bernier, Knodl, Pridemore and Kleefisch. Referred to Committee on
Government Operations, Public Works, and Telecommunications.
SB318,1,3 1An Act to renumber and amend 119.12 (6); to amend 119.46, 119.60 (1) and
2119.60 (2); and to create 119.61 of the statutes; relating to: authorizing the
3city of Milwaukee to sell eligible school facilities to eligible purchasers.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the city of Milwaukee (city) owns the school buildings and
school grounds of the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) District. Generally,
city-owned property used for school purposes may be sold only upon the written
request of the MPS board and if the Milwaukee Common Council adopts a resolution
approving the sale. However, if the common council finds that city-owned property
used for school purposes has been unused or underutilized for at least 12 consecutive
months, or if the MPS board has determined by resolution prior to January 1, 2011,
that any city-owned property used for school purposes is surplus to the needs of the
district, the common council may sell or lease that property if it adopts a resolution
to do so. If the city sells or leases property identified as underutilized or surplus, the
net proceeds must be deposited into the school operations fund, which is used to pay
the principal, fees, and premiums due on bonds issued for school facilities.
This bill creates an additional mechanism for the sale of certain eligible,
city-owned school buildings. The bill defines an eligible school building as an MPS
school building that has been either 1) designated as surplus, underutilized, or
vacant on any resolution adopted by the MPS board within the previous five years,
provided the board is unable to demonstrate that the school building is no longer
surplus, underutilized, or vacant; or 2) unused or satisfies any condition qualifying

the building as underutilized for 12 consecutive months. The bill defines an
underutilized school building as a school building that satisfies any of the following:
a) less than 40 percent of the square footage of the school is used for the instruction
of pupils on a daily, school day basis; b) with limited exceptions, the school is not
staffed on a full-time basis by a principal and instructional staff assigned exclusively
to the school; or c) the number of hours of pupil instruction offered in the school
building in the previous school year was less than 80 percent of the number of hours
of pupil instruction required to be offered by MPS. The bill requires the MPS board
to annually prepare a detailed inventory of all school buildings in MPS and submit
that inventory to the city clerk, the Department of Public Instruction, and the Joint
Committee on Finance. The inventory must include the size and capacity of each
school building and whether the building has ever been designated as surplus. The
city clerk must publish information about eligible school buildings on the city's Web
page.
Under the bill, once a school building has qualified as an eligible school
building, only an education operator, with certain exceptions, may submit a letter of
interest to the common council to purchase the building. The bill defines an
education operator as any of the following: 1) the operator of a charter school
established by the common council of the city, the chancellor of the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, or
the Milwaukee Area Technical College district board; 2) the operator of a private
school; 3) the operator of a charter school that is not an instrumentality of MPS; 4)
an individual or group that is pursuing a contract with an entity under item 1 to
operate a school as a charter school; 5) a person that is pursuing a contract with MPS
to operate a school as a charter school that is not an instrumentality of the school
district; or 6) an entity or organization that has entered into a written agreement
with any of the education operators identified in items 1 to 5 to purchase or lease a
building within which that education operator will operate a school.
The bill requires the city to update its Web page when a letter of interest has
been submitted and to solicit additional letters of intent for a period of 28 days. If
more than one education operator submits a letter of interest, the common council
must initiate a request-for-proposal process and select a committee to select the
most suitable eligible buyer. If a building qualifies as an eligible school building for
48 consecutive months, any person may submit a letter of interest to the common
council. Under the bill, the common council must, in a timely manner, negotiate a
reasonable purchase price and terms for the purchase with the selected buyer. The
bill specifies that a reasonable purchase price must be based upon the price paid for
other comparable school buildings sold by the city within the previous five years or
on an appraisal of the eligible school building in which comparable properties are
compared.
Under current law, the city attorney also serves as the legal advisor for the
board. Current law permits the board to retain a separate attorney to represent the
board under specified circumstances: if the board determines that the board requires
specialized legal expertise; if the city attorney does not have sufficient staff to
represent the interests of the board; or if a conflict of interest exists. This bill requires

the board to retain a separate attorney if the mayor, the common council, the city
attorney, or the board determines that any of the specified circumstances exist.
For further information see the local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB318,1 1Section 1. 119.12 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 119.12 (6) (a) (intro.) and
2amended to read:
SB318,3,53 119.12 (6) (a) (intro.) The city attorney of the city shall be the legal adviser of
4and attorney for the board, except that the board may shall retain an attorney to
5represent the board in any matter if any of the following applies:
SB318,3,8 61. The mayor, the common council, the city attorney, or the board determines
7that it the board requires specialized legal expertise not possessed by the city
8attorney, the.
SB318,3,11 92. The mayor, the common council, the city attorney , or the board determines
10that the city attorney
does not have sufficient staff to adequately represent the
11interests of the board or.
SB318,3,13 123. The mayor, the common council, the city attorney, or the board determines
13that
a conflict of interest exists.
SB318,3,17 14(b) The city attorney shall notify the board as soon as a determination is made
15under par. (a) that the city attorney is unable to represent the board. The
board shall
16provide the city attorney with reasonable notice of any board meeting at which the
17board will consider retention of an attorney.
SB318,2 18Section 2. 119.46 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB318,4,20 19119.46 Taxes for school operations fund. (1) As part of the budget
20transmitted annually to the common council under s. 119.16 (8) (b), the board shall

1report the amount of money required for the ensuing school year to operate all public
2schools in the city under this chapter, to repair and keep in order school buildings and
3equipment, to make material improvements to school property, and to purchase
4necessary additions to school sites. The report shall specify the amount of net
5proceeds from the sale or lease of city-owned property used for school purposes
6deposited in the immediately preceding school year into the school operations fund
7as specified under s. 119.60 (2m) (c) or (5) and the net proceeds from the sale of an
8eligible school building deposited in the immediately preceding school year into the
9school operations fund as specified under s. 119.61 (4)
. The amount included in the
10report for the purpose of supporting the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program under
11s. 119.23 shall be reduced by the amount of aid received by the board under s. 121.136
12and by the amount specified in the notice received by the board under s. 121.137 (2).
13The common council shall levy and collect a tax upon all the property subject to
14taxation in the city, which shall be equal to the amount of money required by the
15board for the purposes set forth in this subsection, at the same time and in the same
16manner as other taxes are levied and collected. Such taxes shall be in addition to all
17other taxes which the city is authorized to levy. The taxes so levied and collected, any
18other funds provided by law and placed at the disposal of the city for the same
19purposes, and the moneys deposited in the school operations fund under s. ss. 119.60
20(1), (2m) (c), and (5), and 119.61 (4) shall constitute the school operations fund.
SB318,5,4 21(2) If moneys specified in s. 119.60 (1), (2m) (c), or (5) or 119.61 (4) are deposited
22in the school operations fund, the moneys shall be used to pay the principal due on
23any bonds issued under s. 66.1333 (5r) (b), to make sinking fund payments with
24respect to such bonds, to purchase or redeem such bonds, to pay any redemption
25premium required to be paid when such bonds are redeemed prior to maturity, or to

1establish a defeasance escrow account for such bonds in an amount sufficient to
2provide for the payment of principal, any redemption premium and interest on such
3bonds when due, whether at maturity or upon prior redemption, and to pay any fees
4or expenses associated with the establishment of the defeasance escrow account.
SB318,3 5Section 3. 119.60 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB318,5,96 119.60 (1) Except as provided in sub. (2m) (c) and s. 119.61, if any real property
7within the city which is used for school purposes is sold, the board shall determine
8whether the proceeds of the sale are deposited in the school operations fund under
9s. 119.46 or are deposited in the school construction fund under s. 119.48.
SB318,4 10Section 4. 119.60 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB318,5,1911 119.60 (2) Except as provided in sub. (2m) and s. 119.61, city-owned property
12used for school purposes shall be sold by the city upon written request of the board
13if the common council adopts a resolution approving the sale. If, within 12 months
14after a written request by the board, the city has not disposed of the property, has
15failed to obtain a written agreement to dispose of the property, or has not provided
16the board with a written report giving specific reasons, which are not identified by
17the city attorney as constituting a conflict of interest, for its failure to dispose of the
18property or to obtain an agreement to dispose of the property, the board may retain
19a real estate agent to represent the board in its real estate transactions.
SB318,5 20Section 5. 119.61 of the statutes is created to read:
SB318,5,21 21119.61 Surplus property. (1) In this section:
SB318,5,2222 (a) "Education operator" means any of the following:
SB318,5,2323 1. The operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r).
SB318,5,2424 2. The operator of a private school.
SB318,6,2
13. The operator of a charter school that is not an instrumentality of the school
2district, as determined under s. 118.40 (7).
SB318,6,43 4. An individual or group that is pursuing a contract with an entity under s.
4118.40 (2r) (b) to operate a school as a charter school.
SB318,6,75 5. A person that is pursuing a contract with the board under s. 118.40 (2m) to
6operate a school as a charter school that is not an instrumentality of the school
7district.
SB318,6,108 6. An entity or organization that has entered into a written agreement with any
9of the operators identified in subds. 1. to 5. to purchase or lease a building within
10which the operator identified in subds. 1. to 5. will operate a school.
SB318,6,1211 (b) "Eligible school building" means a school building in the school district
12operating under this chapter that satisfies any of the following:
SB318,6,1613 1. The school building has been designated as surplus, underutilized, or vacant
14on any resolution adopted within the previous 5 years by the board, and the board
15is unable to demonstrate that the school building is no longer surplus, underutilized,
16or vacant.
SB318,6,2017 2. The school building has been unused or satisfies any condition qualifying the
18building as an underutilized school building for a period of 12 consecutive months,
19including the 12 months preceding the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB
20inserts date].
SB318,6,2221 (c) "Underutilized school building" means a school building that satisfies any
22of the following:
SB318,6,2423 1. Less than 40 percent of the square footage in the building is used for
24instruction of pupils on a daily, school day basis.
SB318,7,2
12. a. Subject to subd. 2. b., the school is not staffed on a full-time basis by a
2principal and instructional staff assigned exclusively to the school.
SB318,7,53 b. A school building that is staffed on a full-time basis by instructional staff
4assigned exclusively to the school is not an underutilized school building under this
5paragraph if the principal of the school also serves as the principal of another school.
SB318,7,86 3. The number of hours of pupil instruction offered in the school building in the
7previous school year was less than 80 percent of the number of hours of pupil
8instruction required to be scheduled under s. 121.02 (1) (f) 2.
SB318,7,14 9(2) (a) No later than 30 days after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB
10inserts date], and annually thereafter, the board shall prepare an inventory of all
11school buildings in the school district operating under this chapter. The board shall
12sort the information in the inventory by the use of the building at the time the report
13is prepared and shall include all of the following for each school building in the
14district:
SB318,7,1615 1. The total square footage of and the number of classrooms in the school
16building.
SB318,7,1717 2. The portion of the total square footage being used for direct pupil instruction.
SB318,7,1918 3. The number of pupils the school building can accommodate and the number
19of pupils receiving instruction in the school building.
SB318,7,2120 4. The name of the principal and the number of full-time instructional staff
21assigned to the school.
SB318,7,2422 5. For any school building not being used for direct pupil instruction, the
23manner in which the school building is being used, including whether the building
24is vacant or is being used for administration, storage, or professional development.
SB318,8,2
16. The duration over the past 36 months that the school building has been used
2in the manner identified under subd. 2. or 5.
SB318,8,53 7. Whether the board has designated the school building as surplus,
4underutilized, or vacant on any resolution adopted by the board within the previous
55 years.
SB318,8,76 8. Facility condition index information, including estimated short-term and
7long-term maintenance costs of the school building.
SB318,8,98 (b) The board shall submit a copy of the inventory required under par. (a) to the
9city clerk, the department, and the joint committee on finance.
SB318,8,1210 (c) In addition to the inventory required under par. (a), the board shall annually
11notify the city clerk, the department, and the joint committee on finance any time a
12change is made to the use of a school building.
SB318,8,20 13(3) No more than 30 days after receipt of the inventory required under sub. (2)
14(a) or of a notice under sub. (2) (c), the city clerk shall post a public notice on the city's
15Internet site. The city clerk shall include in the public notice under this subsection
16the address of and the information specified under sub. (2) (a) 1. and 8. for each school
17building identified on the inventory under sub. (2) (a), or on the notice under sub. (2)
18(c), that is an eligible school building. The city clerk shall include in the public notice
19a request for and instructions for submitting letters of interest from persons
20interested in purchasing an eligible school building.
SB318,9,2 21(4) (a) The common council may designate a person to act as the agent of the
22city with respect to the sale of an eligible school building. Except as provided in par.
23(e), only education operators may purchase an eligible school building. An education
24operator may submit a letter of interest as provided in the public notice under sub.

1(3) to notify the common council or its agent of its interest in purchasing an eligible
2school building.
SB318,9,123 (b) Upon receipt of a letter of interest under par. (a), the city clerk shall update
4that portion of the city's Internet site containing information about the eligible school
5building to indicate that a letter of interest has been received and that other
6interested education operators may, within 28 days from the date of the update,
7submit a letter of interest to notify the common council or its agent of its interest in
8purchasing the eligible school building. If, at the end of the 28-day period, no other
9letters of interest in purchasing the eligible school building have been received, the
10city shall proceed under par. (c). If, within the 28-day period, one or more other
11letters of interest in purchasing the eligible school building have been received, the
12city shall proceed under par. (d).
SB318,9,1513 (c) Except as provided in par. (d), no later than the first business day after the
14end of the 28-day period under this par. (b), the common council or its agent shall
15do all of the following:
SB318,9,1716 1. Determine whether the prospective buyer is an education operator under
17sub. (1) (a).
SB318,9,1918 2. Make information about the eligible school building available and show the
19eligible school building to the education operator.
SB318,9,2020 3. Consider the financial capability of the education operator.
SB318,9,2221 4. Negotiate a reasonable purchase price and terms with the education
22operator. The purchase price shall be based upon either of the following:
SB318,9,2523 a. The purchase price paid for other comparable school buildings sold within
24the previous 5 years, with adjustments to the purchase price made by taking into
25consideration the useable square footage, age, condition, and location of the eligible

1school building and any other pertinent information about the eligible school
2building and the school building or buildings used for purposes of comparison.
SB318,10,43 b. An appraisal prepared for the eligible school building that includes the
4purchase price paid for comparable buildings, if available.
SB318,10,75 5. Complete the sale of the eligible school building in accordance with standard
6city practices. The common council or its agent may condition closing on any of the
7following:
SB318,10,98 a. Proof of financing for the purchase and any improvements proposed for the
9eligible school building.
SB318,10,1310 b. Inclusion of a reversionary clause permitting the common council to
11recapture a building that remains unoccupied 24 months after the date of closing due
12to a failure of the purchaser to complete improvements proposed for the eligible
13school building.
SB318,10,2314 (d) If, within 28 days after an education operator submits a letter of interest
15under par. (a) at least one other education operator submits a letter of interest under
16par. (a) or (b), the common council shall initiate a competitive, request-for-proposal
17process and shall identify members of a committee to select the most suitable buyer
18of the eligible school building. Once the most suitable buyer is selected, the common
19council shall proceed with the selected prospective buyer as required under par. (c)
201. to 5. In evaluating proposals submitted under this paragraph, the committee
21selected by the common council may not consider the organizational status of the
22education operator nor the type of school proposed to be located in the eligible school
23building, but shall consider all of the following:
SB318,10,2524 1. The nature of any improvements proposed for, and the amount of any
25investment in, the school building.
SB318,11,1
12. The quality of the design proposed for the school building.
SB318,11,22 3. The fiscal capability of the education operator.
SB318,11,63 (e) Any person may submit a letter of interest to purchase a school building that
4has qualified as an eligible school building for more than 48 consecutive months.
5Upon receipt of a letter of interest under this paragraph, the common council shall
6proceed with the prospective buyer as required under par. (c) 2., 3., 4., and 5.
SB318,11,8 7(4) If any eligible school building is sold as provided in this section, the net
8proceeds of the sale shall be deposited into the school operations fund under s. 119.46.
SB318,6 9Section 6. Initial applicability.
SB318,11,1210 (1) The treatment of section 119.61 (4) (e) of the statutes first applies to a school
11building that qualifies as an eligible school building under section 119.61 (1) (b) of
12the statutes, as created by this act, on the effective date of this subsection.
SB318,11,1313 (End)
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