by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The May 24 ballot question for the school-bonding request and a series of public information meetings on that topic have been approved by the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board.
School-district voters on that day will decide whether to approve $105.8 million for a new high school and other improvements at current school buildings. In the meantime, the district has scheduled five public information meetings, so that residents can learn more about the rationale for the bond issue. The first public meeting was held last week. For the four remaining meeting times and places, see bottom of this story.
The May 24 ballot question will read as follows:
Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen) be authorized to issue its general-obligation school-building bonds in an amount not to exceed $105,800,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the acquisition of land for the construction and equipping of a new high-school site and facility, and the completion of various light and heavy remodeling projects, the construction of secure entries to various facilities and other safety and security improvements, the completion of electrical-panel repairs, the completion of HVAC and dehumidification systems upgrades and condensing-unit replacements, the completion of metal-roof replacements at various facilities, the construction of bus-traffic-flow improvements, the acquisition and installation of gym blinds, and the completion of skylight repairs and replacements?
By voting “Yes” on this ballot question, you are voting for a property-tax increase.
Public meetings
The four remaining public information meetings about the school bond requests are:
April 12: 8:30 a.m. Sartell City Hall.
April 18: 6 p.m. St. Stephen City Hall.
April 27: 6:30 p.m. Sartell Middle School.
May 3: 6 p.m. Oak Ridge Elementary School.
There will be time for questions and answers and even school tours after the meetings for those who would like one.
To learn more about the bond proposal, visit the school’s website at www.sartell.k12.mn.us/bond-2016.
