Cliff Buchan
News Editor

A proposal for an operating levy renewal and expansion was handed a sound defeat by voters in ISD 831 on Tuesday, losing 5,266 to 3,576.

Voters also went to the polls to elect three school board members and handed incumbent Jody Krebs a defeat and elected anti-school levy candidates David Gay and Eric M. Langness, both of Forest Lake.

Gay was the top vote getter in the field of six candidates, garnering 3,810 votes to claim his four-year seat on the board.

Running second to Gay and winning a board seat was Julie Corcoran of Forest Lake. She wins election with a total of 3,666 votes.

Langness, who ran as a team with Gay, finished third with 3,577 votes. Strong showings in the Forest Lake precinct pushed Gay and Langness to wins.

Dan Kieger of Lino Lakes was fourth with 3,469. Krebs, who sought a second four-year term, finished fifth with 3,462 votes. Michele DeWitt of Forest Lake placed last with 2,262 votes.

The levy proposal was defeated in all six voting areas of the district, including four precincts in Lino Lakes. According to unofficial results Tuesday, the proposal lost by a 59-42 percent margin.

The proposal asked voters to renew the current levy that is on the books and producing $6 million a year in general fund support. In addition, the school board asked the public to increase the operating levy by $2 million for five years starting in 2006.

The district proposed using the new funds to hire 44 additional teachers at all levels to work to improve student academic performance and launch an all-day, every-day kindergarten program for all first-year students.

The district has one year remaining on the operating levy that is on the books.

While Tuesdayís election gave district residents a chance to vote on program improvements, a levy renewal vote of some type a year from now will face the consequences of major budget cuts should it be defeated and allowed to expire.

In a statement released late Tuesday evening, Superintendent Lynn Steenblock said: "The staff of this district worked hard to put together a levy proposal that we believe would have propelled our students to new levels of success and made our schools more competitive with other districts. While we are disappointed that this proposal was not approved, we were encouraged to see so many parents and community members rally behind their schools. Student achievement is our priority and we'll continue to do all we can as a school district to provide our students with the best opportunities available."

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Forest Lake Times
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