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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004/09/20 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - Study SessionAGENDA SUMMARY CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA September 20, 2004 Westwood Room 7:00 p.m. 1. SLP School District Referendum Discussion Council will be meeting with school district personnel to discuss the referendum to be held on November 3, 2004. Attached for council review prior to the discussion is the resolution adopted by the school board which includes the questions as they will appear on the ballot, and information about the referendum from the School District’s web site. Auxiliary aids for individuals with disabilities are available upon request. To make arrangements, please call the Administration Department at 952/924-2525 (TDD 952/924-2518) at least 96 hours in advance of meeting. RESOLUTION RELATING TO REVOKING THE EXISTING REFERENDUM REVENUE AUTHORIZATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, APPROVING A NEW AUTHORIZATION, APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS, AND CALLING AN ELECTION THEREON. BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent School District No. 283, State of Minnesota, as follows: 1. (a) The Board hereby determines and declares that it is necessary and expedient for the school district to revoke its existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,419.59 per resident marginal cost pupil unit and to replace that authorization with a new authorization of up to $1,560.55 per resident marginal cost pupil unit. The new revenue authorization will be used to finance school operations and the property tax portion thereof will require an estimated referendum tax rate of approximately .18153% of the referendum market value of the school district for taxes payable in 2005, the first year it is to be levied, and of approximately .16583% of the referendum market value of the school district for taxes payable in 2007, the first year in which the authorization is expected to reach its maximum amount. The school district’s actual referendum revenue authorization for any year shall not exceed the statutory maximum for that year. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. The question on approving this referendum revenue authorization shall be School District Ballot Question 1 on the school district ballot at the special election held to approve said authorization. If the new referendum revenue authorization is approved by the voters of the school district, the existing $1,419.59 per resident marginal cost pupil unit referendum revenue authorization shall be revoked effective for taxes payable in 2005. (b) The school board also finds and determines that it is necessary and expedient for the school district to borrow money in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000 and not to exceed any limitation upon the incurring of indebtedness which shall be applicable on the date or dates of the issuance of any bonds, for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the renovation, repair, remodeling, upgrading, equipping and construction of improvements to various school district sites and facilities. The question on the borrowing of funds for these purposes shall be School District Ballot Question 2 on the school district ballot at the special election held to authorize said borrowing. 2. The actions of the administration in consulting with the Minnesota Department of Education, causing a proposal to be prepared for submission on behalf of the board to the Commissioner of Education for the Commissioner's Review and Comment and taking such other actions as necessary to comply with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 123B.71, as amended, are hereby ratified and approved in all respects. The actual holding of the special election on the issuance of the bonds in School District Ballot Question 2 shall be contingent on the receipt of a positive Review and Comment from the Commissioner on the projects included in that question. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause the Commissioner's Review and Comment to be published in the legal newspaper of the school district at least twenty (20) but not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the special election as specified in paragraph 3 of this resolution. 3. The ballot questions shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the school district at a special election, which is hereby called and directed to be held in conjunction with the school district general election on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. 4. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.11, the precincts and the polling places for this special election are those polling places and precincts or parts of precincts located within the boundaries of the school district which have been established by the cities or towns located in whole or in part within the school district. The voting hours at those polling places shall be the same as those for the state general election. 5. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause written notice of said special election to be given to the county auditor of each county in which the school district is located, in whole or in part, and to the Commissioner of Education, at least fifty-three (53) days prior to the date of said election. The notice shall specify the date of said special election and the title and language for each ballot question to be voted on at said special election. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said special election to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least ten (10) days before the date of said special election. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a sample ballot to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least four (4) days before the date of said special election and to cause a sample ballot to be posted in each polling place on election day. The sample ballot shall not be printed on the same color paper as the official ballot. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said special election to be published in the official newspaper of the school district, for two (2) consecutive weeks with the last publication being at least one (1) week before the date of said election. The notice of election so posted and published shall state the questions to be submitted to the voters as set forth in the form of ballot below, and shall include information concerning each established precinct and polling place. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause the rules and instructions for use of the optical scan voting system to be posted in each polling place on election day. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a notice of the election to be mailed by first class mail to each taxpayer in the school district at least fifteen (15) but no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the special election. The notice shall contain the required projections and the required statement specified in Minnesota Statutes, Section 126C.17, subdivision 9, paragraph (b). The clerk is also directed to cause a copy of this notice to be submitted to the Commissioner of Education and to the county auditor of each county in which the school district is located in whole or in part at least fifteen (15) days prior to the day of the election. The clerk is authorized and directed to acquire and distribute such election materials and to take such other actions as may be necessary for the proper conduct of this special election and generally to cooperate with state, city, township and county election authorities conducting the state general and other elections on that date. The clerk and members of the administration are authorized and directed to take such actions as may be necessary to coordinate this election with those other elections, including entering into agreements or understandings with appropriate municipal and county officials regarding preparation and distribution of ballots, election administration and cost sharing. 6. The clerk is further authorized and directed to cooperate with the proper election officials to cause ballots to be prepared for use at said election in substantially the following form, with such changes in form and instructions as may be necessary to accommodate the use of an optical scan voting system: SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION BALLOT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 283 (ST. LOUIS PARK) SPECIAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2, 2004 To vote, completely fill in the oval(s) next to your choice(s) like this: To vote for a question, fill in the oval next to the word "YES" for that question. To vote against a question, fill in the oval next to the word "NO" for that question. SCHOOL DISTRICT BALLOT QUESTION 1 REVOCATION OF EXISTING REFERENDUM REVENUE AUTHORIZATION; APPROVAL OF NEW AUTHORIZATION The school board of Independent School District No. 283 (St. Louis Park) has proposed to revoke its existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,419.59 per resident marginal cost pupil unit and to replace that authorization with a new authorization of up to $1,560.55 per resident marginal cost pupil unit. The new revenue authorization will be used to finance school operations. The property tax portion of the additional revenue will require an estimated referendum tax rate of approximately .18153% of the referendum market value of the school district for taxes payable in 2005, the first year the new authorization would be levied, and of approximately .16583% of the referendum market value of the school district for taxes payable in 2007, the first year in which the authorization would reach its maximum amount. The school district's actual referendum revenue authorization for any year shall not exceed the statutory maximum for that year. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. YES NO Shall the school district’s existing referendum revenue authorization be revoked and the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 283 be approved? BY VOT ING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. SCHOOL DISTRICT BALLOT QUESTION 2 APPROVAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND ISSUE Optical scan ballots must be printed in black ink on white material, except that marks to be read by the automatic tabulating equipment may be printed in another color ink. The name of the precinct and machine-readable identification must be printed on each ballot. Voting instructions must be printed at the top of the ballot on each side that includes ballot information. The instructions must include an illustration of the proper mark to be used to indicate a vote. Lines for initials of at least two election judges must be printed on one side of the ballot card so that the judges’ initials are visible when the ballots are enclosed in a secrecy sleeve. 6. The individuals designated as judges for the state general election shall also act as election judges for this special election at the various polling places and shall conduct said election in the manner described by law. The election judges shall act as clerks of election, count the ballots cast and submit the results to the school board for canvass in the manner provided for other school district elections. YES NO Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 283 (St. Louis Park) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the renovation, repair, remodeling, upgrading, equipping and construction of improvements to various school district sites and facilities? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. Referendum Information 2004 (From School District Web Site) On Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004, the St. Louis Park School Board approved the district administrators' recommendation to hold a referendum election on Tuesday, November 2. The referendum will include two ballot questions: an operating levy renewal and a bond referendum. Reasons for the Board's decision • The State Legislature chooses not to increase funding to schools for the past three years forcing the school district to ask residents for more funding through operating levies. • The per student funding amount from the state remained unchanged for the past three years. There is no guarantee this amount will change for the next two years. • The renewal of the existing operating levy will provide an inflationary increase. These funds will help to minimize necessary budget reductions for the 2005-2006 school year. • The existing operating levy represents a significant 18 percent of the district’s budget. Without these funds, the district would have to make drastic budget reductions, seriously affecting the quality of education provided to students. • For a small tax increase, residents can make an important investment in its schools. • Passage of the bond referendum will provide the funds necessary to maintain the district’s school and other facilities. • Regular repairs and renovations are necessary to keep our schoos in good condition. • Since the 2002 fiscal year, the district has cut about $5.5 million from its general operations budget. This amount includes about $2.1 million for the current year and $1.6 million for the 2004 fiscal year. Ballot Question #1 – Operating Levy Renewal Proposal Renewal of the existing operating levy with an inflationary increase that will provide the district with $1,600 per student, each year for the next 10 years. Need The renewal of the existing operating levy is needed for the following reasons: • The funding amount that the district receives from the state has not increased for three years. • The district is not certain whether the Legislature will provide any increase in funding for the next two years. • The existing operating levy represents 18 percent of the district’s total operating budget. • The district would need to make significant budget reductions if funds from this operating levy were not available. Cost The cost of renewing the operating levy with the inflationary increase is reasonable for taxpayers. For the operating levy renewal, the owners of a home valued at $200,000 will see a tax increase of about $1.67 per month or about $20 per year. What if not approved The existing operating levy represents 18 percent of the district’s total operating budget. If the operating levy renewal is not approved, the board will have to consider the following budget reductions: • Eliminate teaching positions and significantly increases class sizes throughout the district • Closing a school • Reduce or eliminate programs and services for students. Ballot Question #2 – Bond Referendum Proposal Bond referendum that will provide the district with $10 million for the following facility repairs and renovations: • Roofs (repair/replace at all sites) – approximately $4.3 million • Pavement (repair/replace parking lots, sidewalks and play surfaces) – approximately $1.25 million • Exterior brick (tuck pointing and sealant repair) – approximately $1.25 million • Burner/boiler systems (replace) – approximately $1.43 million • Building upgrades (flooring, plumbing, security, etc.) – approximately $1.76 million Need The bond referendum is needed for the following reasons: • The district’s annual capital improvement budget is only about $1 million. • The district’s current facilities management plan includes more than $11 million of projects that need to be completed. • Regular repairs and renovations are necessary to keep our schools in good condition. Cost Like the operating levy renewal, residents will see a small increase in taxes. For the bond referendum, the owners of a home valued at $200,000 will see a tax increase of about $2.33 per month or about $28 per year. What if not approved If the bond referendum is not approved: • Funds will not be able to complete repair and renovation projects included in the district’s facility management plan. • It will take more than 10 years to complete the current list of projects using only the annual capital improvement budget. • Other repair projects will likely arise if current issues are not completed. Details of Bond Referendum Projects The detailed list of projects in the bond referendum proposal include the following: Roofs – various levels of repair and maintenance or replacement on roofs at all building sites will be completed in the next one-three years. Examples include: • 10 of the 26 roof bays at the high school • 4 of the 16 roof bays at the junior high school • 4 of the 16 roof bays at Central Community Center • All 9 roof bays at Elliot Community Center • 1 of 7 roof bays at Aquila • Sealant repair at all sites. Pavement/surface repair – various levels of repair and maintenance or replacement at all sites in the next one-three years. Examples include: • Reconfigure and resurface parking area at junior high • Repair parking lot, resurface and improve driveway entrance at high school • Resurface parking lot and replace playground fencing at Central • Other general repair and patching required at all sites. Exterior brick/building exteriors – various levels of repair to building exteriors at all sites. Examples include: • Tuck pointing and sealant repair at Central and Cedar Manor. Burner/boiler systems – various levels of system upgrades at all sites. Examples include: • Boiler replacement • Steam trap replacement • Duct work cleaning. Building upgrades – various upgrades to building interiors at all sites. Examples include: • Flooring and carpet replacement • Security upgrades and lighting • Storm water plumbing • Replace plumbing and fixtures. Frequently-Asked Questions What is the difference between an operating levy and bond referenda? An operating levy provides funds that are used for the general operations of the district including salaries, benefits, utilities, classroom materials and other items. A bond referendum provides funds that can only be used to construct new schools, repair or renovate existing facilities or purchase technology and other equipment. Funds from a bond referendum cannot be used for the general operations of the school district. Why doesn’t the school district wait until 2005-2006 when the levy expires? The current operating levy is in place through 2005. The district decided to seek renewal this year because the levy renewal will provide a small increase in revenue for the 2005-2006 school year. This increase will help to minimize the budget reductions necessary because the Legislature has frozen funding to schools for the past three years. The district just completed many facility renovations. Why is more money needed from a bond referendum? District residents approved a $46 million bond referendum in 1999. These funds were use to complete the following projects: • Additions, renovations and site improvement at four elementary schools to improve air quality, replace windows, create safer and more secure schools, and enhance the overall quality of the instructional space. • Renovations at the junior high school to create team areas, upgrade science facilities, replace windows, improve air quality, and create new physical education space that can also be used by the community. • Additions, renovations and site improvements at the high school to accommodate new science facilities, improve air quality, install partial air conditioning, create a safer and more secure entry, and provide activity space that can also be used by the community. • Additions, renovations and site improvements at Lennox and Central community centers to provide better facilities for seniors, and to create child care and community education facilities for learners of all ages. How did the district use the money from the last operating levy referendum? District residents approved an operating levy in November 2001. The funds from this operating levy were used to minimize budget reductions and to restore some programs that were cut during the previous year. I don’t have kids in school – why should I support the referendum? The schools belong to the community and each resident has a responsibility for maintaining quality schools. By maintaining a quality school district, all residents will help to ensure that property values will continue to grow and that the district will continue to be an attractive place for residents. How will money from the operating levy be spent? Funds from the operating levy renewal will be used for the general operations of the school district. This includes teachers and other staff, building utilities and operations, and programs and services for students.