Sherwood board accepts $20,908 settlement from Town of Harrison; school disposition to be negotiated

The Village of Sherwood voted on Dec. 8, 1983 to accept a $20,908 cash settlement from the Town of Harrison to resolve the division-of-assets dispute that followed the annexation of the High Cliff area.

President Clarence Zahringer convened a special meeting that recorded a roll-call vote after a short public exchange and board discussion. Trustee Michael Van Eyke moved to accept the Town’s cash offer; Clarence Weller seconded the motion. The roll call recorded four ayes and two nays and the motion carried.

The vote ends months of negotiation, formal offers and legal consultation about how sec. 66.03(13)(a) of the Wisconsin Statutes should be applied to apportion taxes and assets after annexation. Village legal counsel advised the board that the statute admits multiple reasonable interpretations and that prior Department of Revenue guidance tended to favor the Town’s reading; those legal risks were discussed in closed session before the board’s public decision.

Why it matters: the settlement resolves a contentious financial and property dispute and clears the way for separate discussions on the future of the Harrison School building, an issue that had drawn residents and the St. John Sacred Heart School board to a public informational meeting in October. At that meeting several residents urged the board to keep the facility open for community and school use; Frank Schneider told the board he believed losing the school would be “shortsighted” for community growth.

Board action and budget effect: at the Dec. 8 meeting the board also voted to apply $10,000 of the received settlement to the 1984 local tax levy to reduce the mill rate. The board asked staff to arrange a meeting with Town leaders to finalize settlement logistics and to discuss disposition of the Harrison School property.

Next steps and outstanding items: the board instructed the clerk to notify the Town of Harrison of the acceptance and to schedule follow-up meetings to finalize transfer details and any outstanding obligations. The public informational record shows strong local interest in keeping the school available for community and youth activities; any final disposition of the building will be decided in future meetings between the two municipalities.