Culdesac School Board might try another levy

CULDESAC - The Culdesac School Board is considering putting another supplemental levy before voters next year despite two failed attempts earlier this year.

The board decided Wednesday night to hold a public meeting on Dec. 7 to "finalize the discussion between the public" about whether constituents would support a levy and at what amount, said board Chairman Cecil Martin.

"We need to get that amount set in December."

The earliest date the district could run a levy would be March, Superintendent Darrell Olson said. In two previous attempts, school district patrons defeated a $350,000 supplemental levy in May and a $250,000 supplemental levy in August. Whether patrons would support another levy is anybody's guess, Olson added.

"My feeling, based on history, is the majority of people don't want to increase taxes for the Culdesac school," he said. "The issue is do you want to keep a school in Culdesac? That's the bottom line."

The last time a levy passed in Culdesac was in the spring of 2010, Olson said. Even if the March levy passes, the district won't be able to collect the revenue until January 2013. Olson was not certain how much the levy amount could be set for.

"We're trying to calculate that," he said. "I have to put together a rough budget projection for the board."

If the board decides to run another supplemental levy, that election could coincide with a recall election for board member Richard Grant. A recall petition filed by Culdesac resident Teresa Heinzerling was returned with the necessary 20 signatures late last month. The group now has 75 days to gather 18 signatures to put the recall election on the ballot in March.

Grant has not resigned and was present at Wednesday's board meeting. He has said the recall effort was a surprise to him and the group did not talk to him about their grievances prior to circulating the petition.

Heinzerling has said the recall petition boils down to frustration in the community over the board's failure to listen to its constituents.

"The community is fed up and feel like they've been treated badly and the school board isn't listening to them," she said. "Something's gotta change for the future of our school."

Olson said declining state revenue and loss of local support has put the board in a difficult position. Over the past three years, the district's maintenance and operation budget has shrunk from more than $2 million to just more than $1 million.

"We've lost over half of our budget," he said. "It's not because of declining enrollment - it's the loss of state dollars."

Another levy defeat would likely mean the board would have to begin seriously looking into consolidation with a neighboring school district, Olson said. That, or attempt to continue running the district on dwindling state dollars, he added.

In other business, the board corrected a controversial earlier vote on open enrollment in the district. The motion to allow out-of-district students to apply at Culdesac school initially failed at the September board meeting after all but two board members abstained from the vote. It was revised to pass Wednesday, meaning the school will be open to out-of-district students.

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Gaboury may be contacted at kgaboury@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.