District 518 votes 4-2 in favor of Aug. 13 special election on bond referendum

Apr. 16—WORTHINGTON — The District 518 Board of Education voted 4-2 Tuesday evening to proceed with an Aug. 13 special election asking voters to approve a $15.3 million bond referendum. The funds will target additional classrooms at Worthington High School, as well as renovations of the school's kitchen area and relocation of administrative offices in the building.

Board members Adam Blume and Tom Prins voted in opposition, while Lori Dudley, Erin Schutte Wadzinski, Stephen Schnieder and Joel Lorenz supported the motion. Board member Matt Widboom was absent from the meeting.

In his dissenting vote, Blume said he wasn't opposed to the project, but rather the timing of the special election.

"I've never been a big fan of the August election," he said, adding that he isn't sure the referendum will be a success based on recent comments he's received. "I just don't know if it's enough time between now and then on getting messaging to people."

Blume favored holding off until the November general election, or planning a special election between November and February.

"Technically, we still don't have a clear-cut path on which direction we're going," Blume added, questioning whether there would be eight new classrooms constructed and what those classrooms would be used for.

"We all know how people feel about their taxes right now," he said. "People are upset."

Schutte Wadzinski, who had advocated for an August election, said there are challenges in doing a referendum during a general election. She also reminded the board that there was a vocal consensus among board members to pursue an August special election.

"Consensus is really important to build if we're going to advocate (for a bond referendum)," Schutte Wadzinski said.

District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard also said an August referendum was the consensus and direction he was given two months ago.

"Yes, we knew the time was short," Landgaard said. "Kicking the election back to after the first of the year, you're adding another 4% to the cost (based on engineering estimates for inflation)."

That, he said, could mean asking voters for more money if the project were delayed.

"The election timelines are all laid out. Right now, the ball is moving forward," Landgaard added. "The communication will come and that will come shortly. I think people will be informed."

Included in that communication will be an explanation of how the project will be funded — 55% from district funds and 45% from taxpayers.

"We're going to use a lot of district money; we're not going to have much reserve left," Blume said, questioning if that was the best decision.

Landgaard said the district's reserves are "well above" the minimum set in policy, and would remain above that level after expending funds for the project.

"The problem will be what the legislature does," he said, referring to the historic investment the state made in education, which included putting a lot of the money into categories, not the unrestricted general fund.

Landgaard said if District 518 can reduce costs each year, it should remain financially solvent.

"It doesn't mean you can have 15 kids in a classroom and economically make that work," he added. "It doesn't mean you can have, in a general education class, 120 and continue to fund that. Will everybody be excited about what gets trimmed in the future? Probably not."

That led Prins to ask if the district spent less of its reserves on the project, could programming be maintained. He also asked if interest rates could decline or construction costs be reduced if they waited until next year.

"A lot of people, a lot of their comments, they feel it's being pushed," Prins said of the referendum.

Schnieder said that while he understands building projects are always a hard sell to the public, the board of education has identified the needs and a project that's within their ability to do it.

"The public needs to be informed and will be informed," he added. "That's our responsibility as a school district.

"I also think we penalize our students and staff by not having the facilities to do things properly," Schnieder said.

Both Dudley and Lorenz seemed to agree that people who are not in favor now will remain opposed to the project no matter when the election is — and the same could be said for those who support a referendum.

"We still have $20 million to invest in some of the major issues," Lorenz said if the referendum doesn't pass. "Delaying it just makes it more difficult."

In addition to voting on the referendum, the board voted to authorize the notice of the special election. This was also approved on a 4-2 vote with Blume and Prins opposed.

In other action, the board:

* Accepted a plaque and $500 gift on behalf of the NAMM Foundation for the district's designation among The Best Communities for Music Education. The award recognizes the top 7% of school districts in the United States for investing in school music programs. District 518 was one of nine Minnesota schools to receive the designation.

In addition to the plaque, framed banners were presented for each music department within District 518 schools to display in their rooms.

* Received the district's financial report, showing an investment balance of $35,054,165.92 for March, and approved claims of $3,503,118.89.

* Approved an employee's leave of absence from June 3 through Sept. 3.

* Approved one student expulsion.

* Accepted donations from Noon Kiwanis toward the Discovery Room at Prairie Elementary, the WHS Student Council for the wellness room at the high school, United Way for Community Connectors, the Optimists for the Prairie Elementary carnival and Laurie Blume for the FFA program.