KAUKAUNA - The Galloping Ghost statue in front of Kaukauna High School is staying put, but it will have new signage adding context and a greater understanding of the history of the mascot.

The Kaukauna Area School District administration asked the board Monday to approve just under $53,000 for a single-sided letter sign to sit in front of the Galloping Ghost statue that would read "Home of the Galloping Ghosts" and an LED message board next to the statue. 

After discussion, the board did not move forward with the original proposal, but instead asked the administration to develop and present new design proposals by the end of July that would not spend more than $25,000 in district funds. The final design of the signage is yet to be determined.

The final signage could end up costing more than $25,000 if community members were to make donations or other fundraising efforts were made, but district money spent on the signage will not exceed $25,000, the School Board decided Monday night.

The statue depicts a ghost with its arm raised in the air, riding a horse. It is mean to portray the schools longtime mascot, the Galloping Ghost, but some say the hooded figure resembles a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

Of the 20 or so people in the audience at the meeting, two spoke on the proposed signage. Both were alumni of the district. 

"Tonight's decision on the signage is more difficult due to controversy, and I realize, the expense," one woman said.

She asked the board to support the signage. Kaukauna, she said, is her home and a welcoming place, which the signage speaks to. 

The other speaker, who said he graduated from Kaukauna High School in 1980, said the solution to the ghost statue issue is throwing $20,000 at what could be solved with a $500 vinyl sign. 

Superintendent Mark Duerwaechter said this is the third time students have come forward with concerns about the statue in the last five years. 

While the attention to the topic has been difficult and brought many phone calls and emails to members of the board and administration, Duerwaechter said the district needs to be responsive to community needs. Discussions about the statue and what sort of imagery it evokes have happened for the last 22 years, he said. 

"That's a significant amount of money, but this is a significant topic, as well," Duerwaechter said.

Administration choose to add signage over the other options of leaving the statue as it is or relocating it because it is a compromise between the people who have pride in the Galloping Ghost and the people who can see hateful imagery from it.

Every board member who participated in the discussion expressed support in adding signage to help clarify the history of the Galloping Ghost. As alumni themselves, some board members including Chad Berken said it's an emotional issue. But, he said, the district needs to ensure the story and history of the statue are being told so others can understand the purpose of the statue. 

One idea to better tell the story was the addition of a QR code on the signage that people could scan with their phones and be taken to a website that outlines the history of the mascot. Other ideas included a video and other slides on the electronic LED sign to add context.

Board members had concerns with the price tag of the proposed design, especially because it wasn't taken to a bid -— which a project of that cost typically would. Board Member Joe Huss was also concerned about the placement of the LED sign because snow removal typically pushes a lot of snow up in that area. 

Chris McDaniel, principal of Kaukauna High School, said the intention of the proposed design was to add context to the statue and do it right so there wouldn't be a need to redo it every five years.

Approving the $25,000 budget Monday night was an idea suggested by Berken. While he recognized some concerns with the proposed cost originally brought forward Monday night, he didn't want people waiting much longer for a resolution to this issue. 

"I want to give people some closure," he said.

This decision comes after a group of students addressed the board in January during a closed session, saying the statue can evoke racist imagery and isn't reflective of the district's welcoming and inclusive nature.

Adding signage to the statue was one of three options the district said it would explore in response to the students' concerns. The other two were to leave the statue as it is or relocate it away from the front entrance.

More:New developer named for downtown Kaukauna apartment project. A groundbreaking date is yet to be set.

More:Does the Kaukauna Galloping Ghost statue evoke the Ku Klux Klan? A group of students wants it removed. It's an issue that has a history.

Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or 920-370-8045. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.