Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Like the roundabouts that are coming for Broadway in Forest Lake that may be a future road challenge, school board members in ISD 831 continue to search for a final road map for a referendum levy plan.

Consensus is growing on an agreement but more levy meetings will be necessary this month. If President Bill Bresin has his wish, the board will make its final decision in July.

Itís a big decision for the school district.

The district has one year remaining on its current $6 million annual excess operating levy that provides local tax support for the general fund. Without a renewal of the levy or voter approval of a new levy, the district will be forced to make cuts that could total $8 million for the 2007-2008 school year.

During two board work meetings in May, the administration outlined a proposal as to how that task could be accomplished. If cuts reach as high as $8 million, as many as 77 teaching positions would be cut, the district pool would be closed and numerous other academic and athletic programs would be eliminated.

Board members were in agreement at the June 1 regular meeting that passing the November levy referendum was essential. But the final plan for the dollar parameters, the number of ballot questions and the term for levy were issues that must be resolved.

The six board members ó the board is down one member with Keith Dunhamís resignation ó offered their ideas last week.

Presidentís plan

Bresin stepped forward with a plan he said would get the district ìoff the dimeî and start moving by encouraging more board discussion.

Bresin proposed a three-question plan that would provide funding over five years. The second question could be approved only if the main question was approved and the third question would also need approval of the first two ballot questions.

His main question would seek $6.5 million with a built in rate of inflation factor as set by the state under state law. It would enable the district to make no cuts and deal with inflation.

Bresinís second question would request $1.25 million with the funds used as follows: $500,000, curriculum; $250,000 strategic planning costs; $250,000, high potential needs; and $250,000, technology.

The third question would seek an additional $1 million with $750,000 utilized for class size adjustments and student achievement with $250,000 programed for transportation costs to enable the district to offer the half-day kindergarten option.

ìEach one gives the people a choice,î Bresin said.

Bresin explained that his proposal was also a vehicle to get board members thinking and prepared to move toward a July decision. He challenged members to form options of their own for review.

His plan called for total levy dollars of $8.75 million.

Board reaction

Bresin was successful in generating board discussion last week.

There was some concern for the five-year period for the levy, the use of the automatic inflation factor and the total dollars that the district would ask voters to approve.

Member Rob Rapheal liked Bresinís approach but said he felt the total should be under $8 million. Rapheal said technology funding should be tied to regular budgets and not a levy. He felt the board could lower other dollar areas to reduce the total amount.

Member Joe Grafft liked the idea of the inflation factor but said he was concerned that the initial question did not go far enough. He recommended asking for $6.9 million and lower some of the other costs.

Member Julie Corcoran preferred a levy term of two or three years. The scope of the levy with more than $8 million in requests was ìoverwhelmingî in her mind, she said.

Member David Gay was uneasy about the inflation factor and said he preferred asking for more dollars up front. That would enable the board to build its reserves and utilize those dollars as needed. The board and administration would then take responsibility for decisions.

Gay said he could support at least $6 million as the base questions, but wanted more specifics on future curriculum cost needs before deciding on other levy areas.

Member Eric Langness said the important factor was to ìcome to unityî on the final levy proposal. He said he liked the idea of compromise and now felt a $5 million base levy could be passed.

Langness suggested a second question for $1.5 million and a third question for $1 million, but minus the technology and half-day kindergarten funding that he felt was too political and should be excluded. Langness would also exclude any inflationary factor.

More details

Bresin said the next board session would be a time for the board to review the cuts proposed by Superintendent Lynn Steenblock and comment on their ideas for reductions.

The board could also take public comments on the cuts, Bresin said.

The work session will take place at 8 p.m. on Monday, June 12 at the District Office Building, 6100 N. 210th St.

Grafft capped last weekís levy discussion with an appeal to the board to come to agreement and for the public to stand up and support public education.

A setback at the polls in November will result in ìhorrendous cutsî and the district will see an exodus of teachers and families who no longer wish to work or live in the area.

Grafft said he has served on the school board during a time when more than $5 million in staff and programs have been cut and he was tired of doing such duty.

The administration has proposed a ìLights Onî levy question for $7 million that would enable the district to maintain existing staff and programs. A second ballot question would give voters an option of authorizing an additional $1.5 million with $1 million used to hire 24 additional teachers and $500,000 to be used for textbooks and curriculum materials.

The administrationís proposal would span five years.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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