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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

ISD 2142

Proceed with caution on proposal for legislative liaison

Posted

A proposal that would keep John Metsa on St. Louis County School District’s payroll an additional three years as the district’s legislative consultant is raising some eyebrows in the district, and with good reason.

Metsa is planning to retire as a district principal at the end of the school year, so the latest proposal would likely provide him continued compensation and benefits for up to three extra years.

The details of the deal haven’t been worked out. A tentative arrangement was approved this week, leaving the details to further discussion between the superintendent and Metsa.

The proposal certainly raises some concerns and we’ve already heard from school staff who are dismayed at what they view as a Golden Parachute for Metsa.

The district, which has been criticized for years for its top-heavy administration, should weigh any suggestion to add new head office positions carefully. Once created, it can be difficult to eliminate such positions.

We don’t know whether the district needs a so-called “legislative liaison” or not. The idea has never been discussed by the board previously. Nor has the district had problems achieving legislative goals given the political clout of the Iron Range delegation.

Recent actions prove that point. Legislation that allowed school districts to levy up to $300 per pupil through an excess operating levy without requiring a vote by residents was driven in part by the difficulty that rural districts, such as ISD 2142, had in passing excess operating levies. And when ISD 2142 combined some of its schools, legislators helped the district obtain a temporary exemption from Minnesota State High School Leagues on rules for students who had to transfer to other school sites to participate in sports.

What’s more, the district already belongs to two statewide organizations — the Minnesota School Boards Association and the Rural Minnesota Education Association — that lobby on behalf of school districts. Meanwhile, the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools focuses on issues of regional importance and Iron Range legislators have been responsive to the district’s needs in the past.

If the board decides the district really does need a liaison, that’s certainly their prerogative. But, if so, why not address the need in the proper way? Develop a job description, define the duties, and then search for the best candidate. That’s how the process is supposed to work.

Otherwise, it creates the impression that the school district is simply creating a position for Metsa. That’s not how public bodies are supposed to operate with our tax dollars.

One of the other key questions that must be addressed is whether travel expenses would be covered as part of a legislative liaison’s duties. The current proposal calls for reimbursing Metsa for his travel, lodging, and meals, with the only restriction being the superintendent’s approval. It begs the question of whether Metsa would be spending days, weeks, or even months in St. Paul, at taxpayer expense, during legislative sessions.

Until much more is known, the board and the public should approach this proposal with extreme caution.