001Tuesday, March 10th. Um we're in the central conference room special meeting today to discuss facilities. Please stand to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Anyway, take it away. Um, so I guess the focus of today's meeting, I would like to keep on um how we're moving forward instead of getting caught up all the facility stuff that is still very very easy to do. So, um, I guess the idea that I had was to have everybody go around and kind of state where you think we're at, where you think we should head. I don't think that we are coming to a decision today as to whether this is headed to a referendum or not.
002That will come as a recommendation for itself as she's the one that helps. Does anybody have any questions or comments or insights? So, we've had time today just surveys. >> Sorry, it takes me a second to get unmuted. No, I'm good. I have no questions. Uh, okay. I'll start. I guess I wasn't surprised by the results of the survey. Um, I think that probably helps our decision as a board that it aligned with what our community um, committee came up with to recommend. I would like to go out on record as saying that uh bypassing a fire suppression system and ADA is not what I believe is in the best interest of the students and of the school. Um but at the end of the day, we're here to represent the community and what um
003they want us to do. So I think the survey results for that. Yeah. >> I actually made a couple phone calls to a few people just to get their opinions and thoughts and yeah I I I agree. I mean, at the end of the day, nice to build a whole new school, but that's obviously never going to do that. And [clears throat] as far as following what the committee recommended, I believe that that is our best avenue to go to. That's uh that's the information that I gathered and that is what I see that the survey was telling us. I I agree with what Monica said. It's um unfortunate that we would not be able to do um anything that would be safe, you know, improve the safety of our students. But um we I
004don't think we can put anything extra on the ballot because we will never get it. Just unfortunate that people don't see that. >> Um I would echo what you say as well. um that I think there's a lot of things that previously were identified and other things that we had yet to um identify that need to be done and should be done, but whether or not we can get the passage to pay for them is the big question. So I think I I agree the the amount from the survey was anything less than 7 million. So that's 6.3. I mean, and even at that, we're at sorry percentage wise of being able to pass that is still a margin. I mean, we're in a 5% error 55 to 65. Even then we're at a stretch.
005So, and at the risk of having it not pass on a gene ballot, which would delay it how long? >> So, it would be delayed till November of 26. which would put us back another year. It's pretty important that we get best option I guess the most popular option forward that has the ability the option to be passed or the best chance to be passed to the best. So yes, that would be uh that would be my belief as well. And I think the other thing to note too is that we as a board understand that there's so many more things that need to be taken care of and this is just pushing things off and that is going to u that's going to mean it's going to be more expensive in the future. Um
006it's always cost less to do as much as you can when you have stuff open. >> Exactly. Uh but again think in the in the interest of um keeping the community's trust as well that this is what they've told us that that they wanted and that we're here to represent them not our own personal opinions. So Patty, sorry I'm going to pick on you again. >> You're you're good. No, I agree. Um, I I think the safety of the kids is important, but the community said what they did and I guess we just have to trust trust them and just do what we can do for now, I guess, and hope it doesn't affect it in the long run. >> Yeah. So, as the superintendent, I mean, I know where what the community has spoken,
007but as the superintendent, I can't it goes against everything that I am because I know what we're doing right now is we're saving money to spend money because we know what our list of things are. We've gotten that stuff from ICON. Um, we know that we need to have ADA bathrooms. That will end up that could end up being a must and we would have to spend that money versus um doing that now. I believe that trying to do anything to um bypass having to do fire suppression as the superintendent is wrong. But again, the community has spoken and um I I think we have to move forward with what we can get. I think getting the HVAC done is essential and doing a kitchen because those are two big ticket items that we cannot
008do with any of our other funding mechanisms. We have to have a bond that passes. But um as a superintendent, it I think it's wrong that we're trying to avoid those things that we need to go forward and do that. But I'm going to mull this over to my recommendation to come back to you. I I mean I you're you're in a spot. I'm in a spot because we need to get these things done. So do we move forward? But again, like said, I feel like right now we're saving money. We're we're doing very little um shouldn't say little. We're doing big projects, right? But we have so many other things that we need to do that we're going to have to be spending more money later on. Save money. We're going to have to
009spend money later taxpayers. >> But I believe the survey has said, you know, that this this is the um tax dollars that they will um support. So, but we have to do what we have to do at this point in order to get this importance. Now, if we go to referendum in June and it doesn't pass, they try again in November, then we're out two years, >> maybe two years, >> you know, and that that I mean, we talked about this before, but that creates for us for the the fact of that nest egg that we have to just have in place because if we have a critical breakdown that stops school, we have to have the money to do that. You know, there's we've talked before about the emergency funding. This is an emergency.
010We voted on it. We would have if you call a referendum and it fails, we would have voted on twice, maybe three times. So, it's not an emergency. So, we would have to have the money. And we know we're not the only school, right, that is in this situation. And there's other schools that are voting on it. So, this isn't unusual for the state, but there there's not going to be help for us. This is us. We have to take care of this. So, So hopefully we can do something these big projects so that we can use some of our other dollars to do some of those other projects. >> Yeah, I think you're right. I mean, we we know that these are the pressing issues. These were the big issues the first go around
011to be able to take care of these. I think a huge weight off focus on the rest of us. So, um, ICS is on here if you have any questions. Um, I'm sorry, Icon Icon is on here. Travis is, sorry, Tra and then, uh, Kyle is on here also. So, if you have questions for them, um, I've shared what Anna gave us. So, just so you have this as you me forward um, with what the different thresholds would be and the mills. One one thing just to add on the mills and the the costs is that you know we we go with a simpler more conservative approach for the um surveys and and dialed things in and you can see that the tax impact is actually a little bit less than what we said on
012the survey. So when we extrapolate for survey purposes, you know, by nature, you know, there's a little margin in there and so now you have kind of the exact numbers. >> And then I would note Anna, uh I know Lee is on, you guys talked about fire suppression. I think we've dove deeper into that as much as we can without having actual drawings, but um Lee uh in talking to somebody the last couple days believes that the HVAC side of things could likely not trigger um the fire suppression. However, the kitchen may trigger it. But Lee, if you're on, maybe you just want to say something to that effect just so they have a full understanding. >> Sure. Can you guys hear me? Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, yeah, in in digging in and uh
013making a few phone calls as far as the fire suppression, if you go ahead with the HBAC upgrades, those are considered to be maintenance and repair for your building. So, they will not trigger to have to do fire suppression for the whole building. If you do the kitchen remodel, there will be some fire suppression, but if we can contain it to only within that kitchen remodel space, it will not trigger that you need to do the whole building. So, that's that's what I've found out to date in talking with some building code officials if that helps clarify some things for you guys. >> And right now, the only fire suppression in the facility is so Um coming up. >> Yeah, it's in this area and then the um gyms in the first floor. Um but
014nothing nothing going to the elementary. >> Thank you. I suppose if you want it, you want it in the kitchen. That's where the >> Well, right. >> And then obviously nothing on the second third floor. And then I would just say just from an icon standpoint, uh what we would help do here going forward just for a schedule purposes is if you guys do decide to move forward with a referendum and he's and you go with the base of 6.3, which the committee recommended, the survey also reiterated, um we would want to ping Scott Wgner uh attorney so that he can prepare those resolutions for you so that they are actually on your desks um for your next schoolboard meeting because you would want to call that at that time just to make sure that
015you're within the window of the North Dakota Century Code. And so we can help you with that. I would basically Anna, I would send an email to Scott and I'd have you on it and then we could just use that thread to make sure that you have all the documents you need by uh the time that you would be making a decision. And if if you guys wanted me to just share for a second, if that's all right, just um you know, you guys you you guys had a committee, made a recommendation, you had some other concerns that I think that the folks at Icon all agree with and and thought there was merit to all of that. But you guys also had the opportunity to actually test all of those things. And while you
016didn't get, you know, favorable responses on the other ones, you know, we did just get a survey back for another district that was drastically different than yours. I mean, the highest amount of approval was in the 20s versus, you know, 59 with a margin of error. So, you know, getting approval or or or within margin at least on one option does validate, you know, Anna's efforts to to build that committee and get the right people in the room. you know that that group I would say wasn't you know uh completely in concurrent you know the completely in consensus of yes this is the only option but I do think the group walked away saying this is probably what the what the community will only support and so getting that survey back you know it reaffirms
017you guys you know I think asked all the right questions it's not that you got all the right support where you really wanted it but it did validate what your committee um and what they said. So, you know, I I I would say the group that that was part of the committee seemed to accurately represent what the community would support. And so, that is that is a positive, right? And that the process was not easy. It was not simple, but um at the end of the day, the results was was um validated. So, that's all. It's it's it's tough. It's never easy. If if being on a school board was easy, you know, you'd have a line out the door and you wouldn't have, you know, uh, you know, the, you know, the huge amount
018of pay that you guys have right now and all that stuff. So, just um, just know that you guys did do the due diligence and you did ask hard questions. Any [laughter] other questions for iPhone? >> Can you guys share with us what the next step is if we vote to go to referendum? What's your guys's role in helping us get this pushed through? Yeah. Um, Kyle, you can help me out maybe a little bit. Let me pull up a >> Well, I can I can just run run through it. You know, we have kind of a a standard list of things that we like to do, you know, you know, with public meetings, with communication, with, you know, getting a FAQ sheet out, getting a fact sheet out, getting a opportunity for people to
019submit questions. Um, you know, there's lots of things that, you know, we once you say, "Hey, I want to go to a vote." You know, then, you know, Travis, of course, will work with um with Scott and with Ann and get all the correct information, make sure you guys have all the motions, and then we start the process of making sure we get all the data. We would want to ask your committee to come and and and meet again and say, "Hey, here's what we're presenting. This is the survey. This is what's moving forward." you know, listen to listen to them again and just give them another chance to just weigh in. Um, as far as how we're communicating the work that they did. Uh, and then we have, yeah, we have public communication. We
020have things that we would suggest, you know, you email, you mail home, you give to the kids, you know, things that we can put um, you know, share locally. And then, and at minimum, we like to recommend three meetings. We kind of have a cadence where it's like, you know, one public meeting the week before the vote, then you go back a couple weeks or a week, then you go back a couple weeks or a week. Um, the thing that is a little scary is that let's say you guys pass the the the motion to go to a vote, it doesn't mean that we have a public meeting the next week or even the next two weeks or even the next three weeks. Um, what we've found is that it's better to take time, get
021all of the information gathered, correct, ready to go. Um, and that if you have a meeting two months before the vote, people have forgot by the time the vote actually happens. So, we have all of this kind of leadup where we make sure we we'll want to meet with your committee. We'll make sure that that what we're putting out is accurate to what what they said or if they want to do like with the survey, if they want to have a commentary or whatever, we want to support that. But at the same point, we get everything get all of our ducks in a row, get all the events scheduled, and then we put it all out. Uh it takes a few weeks and then everyone can see, oh there's a meeting this Tuesday, this Wednesday,
022this Thursday, I can't make this one or I can make this one. Oh, we're going to have school tours or we're going to highlight a certain thing. Um so it's very it changes a little bit in every district, but it all it is the same structure everywhere. Um and so that's what we would handle, you know, for you guys. um you know outside of doing the motions we'd like to give all the tools you know we would like that you know of course you guys speak as much as possible and we will ask the committee members too as well to to well let's say we have our public meeting it'd be great if you know ICON will be there but we're there to answer the architectural questions or the tax questions that maybe might pop
023up but ideally the intent you know is something where you as the administration as the board and this committee you know one person takes one slide one person takes another slide and that way again it's your solution not our solution um because that's truly what it is right I mean we we went through this this effort and it uh it it 100% is driven by you know what your community said >> and Anna I've got I mean I'm on my phone so I apologize but my computer's like in hospice care at the moment but uh I have a schedule for you uh that I can send to you um that I'm working on that'll kind of lay out what it looks like all the way up till June. So, first thing first is to make
024sure the resolutions are drafted. Get them in your hands and the board's hands so that they can sign those and you can do uh the century code stuff with them to make sure you're in compliance. >> Thank you guys. Any further for the meeting next week. You want me to have Scott and Ann writing for you? >> I think if we're going to vote on a resolution, you see what it says in front of us. So, >> now come my recommendation. Yes. Um, when do you hope to have the recommendation out to us or are you going to present it at? >> I guess I'll just be waiting um to hear from Travis and from Scott um just so I can read the resolution first and I can see you know from an the numbers
025and then get see >> I'll send an email right away this morning and so you know hopefully we can start getting that drafted. They're going to need some information from you, an uh Anna, uh for uh like you have to have a little bit of a description, but I mean I can obviously help with that, but it'll go back and forth in email until we get it right and then the resolution will'll be there. >> If you remember from our last referendum, it whatever is on that referendum, whatever is on that question is the only things that we can do. >> So that's that was a bone of contention last time around, right? It's only going to be HVAC and kitchen if that's what we decide, you know, if I bring that for that whatever
026we decide or whatever you decide. Um, just so people can understand that piece of it. >> Yep. >> Just to be very clear if this comes in underneath that 6.3, what happens with those excess funds? Could you please tell us for the record? you you know so if you look at the language on the ballot it generally says the exact description of what we talked about or facility improvements or it'll say certain things like that and so if it comes in under so you know let's say that you guys are like okay in our building fund we have $100,000 and we want to bid out fire suppression or we want to bid out ADA accessibility you guys can decide to bid that out and then if it comes in under and you have or if
027you just have funds or if there's a way to pay for it or if you come up with a way to fund raise or whatever, you can I if you have that language, you could use funds for the other improvements, but you cannot use funds for anything that is not a facility improvement. Um, and let's say, for example, that it comes in $100,000 under and you don't have the ability to um do another piece of the project, that doesn't mean you can just pull the 100,000 out and just like stick it in an account. You know, our recommendation then is if you don't if you don't do anything um with the 100,000, let's say hypothetically, then I would say you don't you don't actually collect that or you return it to the taxpayer. So you
028you can do that in a couple different ways. I think the normal way is that you just pay down the note or you never take the bond out in general. So, you know, let's say it's approved for X amount. You you don't draw it all at one time necessarily and um with PFM might have a recommendation of you draw out, you know, a third of it, then a third of it, then a third of it. So the last third you just wouldn't take the full amount. >> Um so I don't know. I danced all over the place. The point is, you know, you you cannot just decide to put it and buy books with it or put it and buy, you know, something that isn't spelled out in the in the referendum. >> Thank you.
029There was a lot of confusion surrounding that the last time around. So, >> and and our goal is that, you know, if you cannot do something that is needed for the facility is return it to the taxpayer. Patty, anything else? >> No, ma'am. I'm good. >> All right. Everybody has a lot of wondering Shannon. does have some final numbers for you um with or not final numbers but current numbers on the building fund. She pulled together some of those funds. If you want to know those numbers, she can get those to you if you know that helps but you know as you're looking at the resolution and possible resolution. >> You have anything you want? Well, I can the [clears throat] building fund, all the all of the funds with the exception of the tuition
030fund and the special um the special assessment fund, those are never uh capped by the 3% cap. So, the other five accounts that levy are all uh capped at 3% for next year. So since JBG, since TIFF came off this year, we wouldn't be having any, you know, if we get any new construction, it's probably going to be minor. So it wouldn't really increase our our tax base. So I took everything we're getting this year and just increased it at 3% because that is the law. Now, if they're if they're valuated at only 2% next year, then we're only getting 2%. I can't go above valuation, obviously. But assuming that the land and every all everything will increase by 3% or more, we will get 3%. So, we'll go from currently this year, we can
031levy 2.666 and next year we will be able to levy 2 746. That is that is the max. >> And that's not that's all of >> that's all funds. The building fund alone is going to go from $578 $861.85 this year to $523,97.71. I don't have the about 16,000. >> Yeah. >> And that's like our little savings or our nest egg that we need to keep intact, you know, because let's say the referendum does pass in June. We're still uh two years out from starting construction. Travis, is that right? Because they wouldn't start in would it be the following June then? >> Yeah. So, let's say referendum passes, you probably go out to bid at the end of the year or early next year. And then you would start in the spring of next year.
032So, spring of 27. Um, usually if it's a brand new build, you're looking at 18 months. So, I'm guessing it'd be a little less than 18 months. I'm thinking it could probably be 12 months. And so, you're probably looking at getting in in the 28th school year. We're talking still on. He could probably tell me different, but I think I'm getting good at these schedules. >> Yeah, I think he got it right there. It's just it's not instantaneous. Um, you know, to but to be honest, I would want to defer to Ann because, you know, Valley City I I'm not sure if we were super clear on when it affect No, I I think that if you vote on it, it's that year. So you could potentially, but you got to make sure we communicate
033that with people. So if they vote on it in June, I think that it'll their next statement will show it. >> So then you would have that have those dollars at the beginning of 27. So we just got to be clear that people understand that if you vote on it, it's not like a delay >> unless that's what you want people you want to do, which you can do, but then you pay a little bit more in interest. So we can get that cleared up with Ann. Well, it's my understanding that if we vote on it in June, we're going to start, I would imagine, hit the floor running with architects and design engineers, which usually want to be paid monthly. >> Yeah. Yeah. And you would regardless of when the levy starts, you're you
034are approved to take out the debt. So then you take out the debt with the different terms based on sometimes you take out the debt but the first payment isn't due for 90 days or or 120 days or whatever depending on the the levy. >> And from my understanding from last time Ann will let when she creates the cost and the the soft fees for selling bonds that's a one-time deal. every time she sells bonds, it's, you know, just like buying a house. Every time you buy a house, you have to pay closing costs and fees associated with selling the bonds. So, the more times you sell, you incur those fees. >> Okay. >> I I don't Yeah, I don't know enough to say one way or the other. I would say Well, we can
035ask her exactly if it's >> that's what she told us last time. >> Okay, perfect. Yeah. And I would also say that typically um you know projects depending on the scale you know sell bonds more than once because maybe the market changes. So you don't want to necessarily sell all your bonds if if interest is trending down or we'll we'll let you guys figure that out. Um much more uh skilled in that that area. >> Well yeah. So building going back. So that's kind of like our nest egg in case something goes wrong that could have stopped school. We would have you know I hope >> so of that building fund of for this year the 57,000 that's where the last $110,000 of that last bond came out of that one. So you're looking at
036380,000 is all that's left of this year. Next year we won't have that that that um bond payment because that's done. >> So Travis, you said 18 months for a new build, about a year for construction. Um how how are we going to go about this with the least disruption to the students? >> Yeah, that's something we'll work out. You know, if if you're going to have a construction manager on site, that's something we still need to talk about. um you know they they will help they'll set up their stuff so it's least disruptive but that's stuff that we work out with the school as it comes really but I would assume Kyle if I'm telling me if I'm wrong but a lot of the you know the HVAC stuff a lot of this is
037probably going to be able to be done over the summer I would assume since it's not a brand new build >> it'll Yeah, it'll have to be most likely multiple summers. Um, yeah, we'll we'll work with with the construction people to figure that out, but that is their job. Anything else? Okay. Special meeting. Can't talk about anything else. Sorry, >> I'll withdraw the meeting at 7:33