West Bend School District Referendum Survey Cost Discrepancy - Exceeds $17,000

OPEN RECORDS REQUEST REVEALS THE FOLLOWING:

FINAL BILLING FROM MATOUSEK AND ASSOCIATES:

REFERENDUM STUDY COST: $10,500
SURVEYS RETURNED POSTAGE: $805.98
ADDITIONAL TYPING IN OF ALL
OPENENDS FOR SURVEYS $350.00

PRINTING BILL FOR SURVEY from DIXON/MRD & Company:
Invoice Dated 06/23/08: 26,100 "Dear Neighbor" Letters $783.00
Invoice Dated 06/23/08: 26,100 Surveys $1500.75
Invoice Dated 06/23/08: 26,100 Frequently Asked Questions Flyers $783.00
Invoice Dated 06/23/08: 26,100 Business Reply Mail Envelopes $848.25
Invoice Dated 06/23/08: 26,100 Postal Patron Envelopes $978.75
Invoice Dated 06/20/08: Mailing (26,019 surveys) $1,129.74

TOTAL COST FOR REFERENDUM STUDY, PRINTING AND POSTAGE: $17,679
(Labor not included, which was quoted to me at $21/hr)
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ORIGINAL EMAIL from Pat Herdrich -

Note: This is all we were allowed to know, though I explicitly asked for the "total cost of the survey to the taxpayers".

Email:
I received your request with respect to the survey costs.
The contract cost with the research firm Matousek & Associates out of Green Bay is $10,500 for the study.

Let me know if you need any further information.

Pat
Superintendent of Schools
West Bend Joint School District #1
735 South Main Street
West Bend, WI 53095

There is more than a referendum issue here. This appears to be more of an integrity issue. But YOU can decide.