(7) Annually, no later than two weeks following the date of the school district's budget hearing, the school board shall submit to the department the contents of the addendum to the school district's published budget summary under s. 65.90, Stats. In addition to the resolution, the addendum shall include an evaluation of the performance measures, including the energy cost savings achieved as a result of the school district's expenditure.the amount of utility savings per 121.91(4)(o)3, Stats., on a form and in the manner prescribed by the department. The school board shall also include the information in this subsection in the school district's newsletter or in the published minutes of the school board meeting. PI 15.03(8)SECTION 8. PI 15.03 (8) is repealed. SECTION 9. PI 15.04 (2m) is created to read:
(2m) The department shall reduce the school district’s exemption for energy efficiencies by the annual utility cost savings under s. 121.91(4)(o)3, Stats. SECTION 10. PI 15.04 (3) is amended to read:
PI 15.04(3)(3) The department shall post on its website the addendum contents information received under s. PI 15.03 (7). SECTION 11. PI 15.04 (4) is repealed and recreated to read:
PI 15.04(4)(4) The department shall reduce the following year's revenue limit by the amount of any additional revenue received as a result of this exemption.Any additional revenue received by a school district under this paragraph shall not be included in the base for determining the school district's limit under s. 121.91 (2m), Stats., for the succeeding school year. In addition, the limit otherwise applicable to a school district in any school year is decreased by an amount equal to the prior year amount levied for which there is not a prior year documented energy expenditure. The amount of the decrease shall not be deducted from the base for determining the school district’s limit under s. 121.91 (2m), Stats. for the following school year. SECTION 12. PI 15.04 (5) is repealed.
SECTION 13. PI 15 Appendix A is amended to read:
Be it resolved that the school district of ____________ is exercising its taxing authority under s. 121.91 (4) (o), Wis. Stats., to exceed the revenue limit on a non-recurring basis by an amount the district will spend on new energy efficiency measures and renewable energy efficiency products for the _(insert pertaining school year)_ school year and [specify number] years of debt for the term of the [specify bond, note, or state trust fund loan]. The amount to be levied and expended is $______.:
[Insert the following information indicating the amount to be expended for each school year for the project. Add lines for each year of the debt]
School Year Amount
20xx-20xx $
After review of the recommendations report per 66.0133(2)(b) the district has determined that the $____________ it would spend on energy efficiency projects recommended in the report is not likely to exceed the amount to be saved in utility costs of $______________and non-utility costs of $_____________over the remaining ______year useful life of the facility to which the measures apply.
The board has entered into a (enter number) year performance contract under s. 66.0133, Stats., with (enter contractor name) for a project to implement the following energy efficiency measures or purchase energy efficiency products and identified the following cost recovery performance indicators to measure energy savings and/or operational savings for each including the timeline for cost recovery: (List each energy efficiency measure/ product with related cost recovery performance indicators, estimated cost, estimated savings and payback period)
The Board shall annually perform an evaluation of the performance indicators and shall report to the electorate as an addendum in the required published budget summary document per s. 65.90, Wis. Stats., and in the school district’s newsletter or in the published minutes of the school board meeting. The Board shall use this evaluation to determine the amount of energy (utility) cost savings, as a result of the project, that shall be applied to retire the debt. The board has identified the following required performance indicators that will measure the energy savings and/or energy cost avoidance in an amount equal to the exemption request and will include a timeline:
(List performance indicators here)
An evaluation of the energy performance indicators will be included as an addendum in the required _(insert school year following school year above) published budget summary document per s. 65.90, Wis. Stats., and in the school district's newsletter or in the published minutes of the school board meeting. SECTION 14. STATEMENT OF EMERGENCY:
FINDING OF EMERGENCY
The Department of Public Instruction finds that an emergency exists and that the attached rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. A statement of the facts constituting the emergency is:
July 1, 2015 is the start of the 2015-16 school year. The energy efficiency revenue limit exemption can play a crucial role in allowing districts to increase their revenues during the 2015-16 school year. Currently, school boards are meeting to propose 2015-16 school expenditures and revenues as part of the annual budget process. Annual meetings must be held to approve the 2015-16 budgets in advance of the required November 1st due date to set the school levy. The emergency rules will establish the processes necessary for school boards and the electorate to properly approve the 2015-16 budget and set the Fall 2015 property tax levy.
SECTION 15. EFFECTIVE DATE:
The rules contained in this order shall take effect upon publication as emergency rules pursuant to the authority granted by s. 227.24, Stats. Dated this _____ day of ____________, 2015
__________________________________________
Tony Evers, PhD
State Superintendent
