by Tom Lee
Interim Supt.
Sartell-St. Stephen
I love the holiday season. Recognizing there are many “holidays” celebrated in homes at this time of year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and more), the Lee family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas. The best parts of the season include family gatherings, great food and lots of fun (including lots of football). I wish you all a joyous holiday season whichever holiday you may celebrate.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and HVAC project at Riverview Intermediate School
Many of you no doubt have followed the proposed Indoor Air Quality and HVAC project at Riverview Intermediate School. Given that the system is original to the building (54 years old) and antiquated, every school-board member has said they recognize the project as a need.
Three of those members are ready to address it through the use of a funding tool that allows a simple vote by the school board for Long-Term Facilities Maintenance bonding, which could start the project as soon as the summer of 2025. Three members would prefer to bring the question before the public for a vote. If the public votes to approve the project, it would most likely start in the summer of 2026.
It appears we are heading for a community vote, most likely in August 2024. Timelines and running a concurrent superintendent search process make the possibility for an earlier vote in May less likely. A Request for Proposal has been published for both construction-management services and design-engineering services. It is our hope the school board approves our partners in this proposed project at the Dec. 18 regular meeting.
Superintendent Search
Speaking of the superintendent search, after reviewing several executive search companies, the school board decided to work with the Minnesota School Board Association. The school board and the MSBA consultant met once to receive an overview of the process and will meet again Dec. 6 to finalize it. The next steps will include staff and community feedback to identify what qualities the next superintendent should possess. The Sartell-St. Stephen School District should be an attractive district for many candidates.
Truth in Taxation meeting
Our Truth in Taxation meeting will be held at Sartell High School at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18 in Watab rooms 101 and 102. Many of you have probably noticed an increase in your proposed property taxes in your most recent statement. That is primarily due to increases in valuations of properties, and some of those increases are coming from the school district.
As stated in my last column, due to the increase in residential property values (more than 20 percent in the last couple of years), the Minnesota Department of Education sees an increase in tax capacity in this community. That means that due to current equalization formulas the state will provide less revenue to the district and the responsibility shifts to the local tax base.
Hypothetically, to use round numbers for the sake of explaining, if we currently receive $100 with $70 coming from the state and $30 locally, with the increased values of properties and current equalization formulas, now we would still get the same $100, but $65 will come from the state and $35 will come from local taxpayers.
That shift is what you are seeing on your property-tax statements. If you have questions about the school portion of property taxes, please participate in our Dec. 18 meeting or contact me directly.
I wish everyone a great holiday season and look forward to the New Year.
Interim District 748 Superintendent Tom Lee
