ELY- The new hardwood floor for Washington Auditorium stage is now installed. That was the welcome news that Tim Leeson, the district’s facilities director, had for the school board here this week.
“We will get it sanded and stained over Christmas break and get it good to go,” Leeson told the board during its Monday evening meeting.
The new stage floor has been a long time in coming. The stage had originally been scheduled to be refloored ahead of last school year, but more pressing repairs pushed the installation back by more than a year. The production crew for the production of “Frozen” last year had to install its own repairs to the floor in order to stage the musical because of the delay.
Leeson also reported that the temporary structural repair to the ice arena is complete and had passed inspection. The ice arena is now open and in use for ice hockey practice and public open skating.
Leeson also commented that the new window project is down to the last remaining window although four or five that came from the manufacturer need to be reglazed. The small amount of remaining window work will be completed this school year, he said.
Truth in Taxation
Jordan Huntbatch, the payroll, benefits and finance coordinator for ISD 696, gave the Truth in Taxation presentation for the district. The property tax levy for 2025 will be $2.553 million, which reflects a $284,685 or 12.55 percent increase from the 2024 levy. The new capital projects levy approved by voters during the recent November general election is included in this amount.
The school board certified the final levy amount at Monday’s meeting. The increase will be included in property taxes beginning in May 2025 and will be used by the district in the 2026 fiscal year, which is the same as the 2025-26 school year.
The majority of the current levy, 68.7 percent, is allocated for the general fund and 31.3 percent is allocated for debt service. The levy is 25.5 percent of the district’s budgeted revenues. Most of the revenue, 67.5 percent, is from the state, with federal funds contributing 3.7 percent and the remainder coming from other sources. The total projected revenue for the 2025 fiscal year is $9.765 million.
Most of the district’s spending, 48.6 percent, goes to wages, and 19.4 percent goes to employee benefits. Purchased services, such as technology support and special education, comprise 11.2 percent of the budget. Debt service uses 9.3 percent of the budget, supplies and materials use 5.9 percent, and capital expenditures use 4.4 percent.
Meeting changes
The December study session for the school board has been moved up a week, to next Monday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m., to review the results of the district’s most recent financial audit.
The January study session has been moved from Jan. 27 to Monday, Jan. 6, at 6 p.m. The subject of the meeting will be the upcoming 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature. State Sen. Grant Hauschild and Rep. Roger Skraba, along with staff from Northeast Range School, will attend the Jan. 6 meeting.
Other business
In other business, the school board:
• Approved a leave of absence for Anna-Lena Forsman from her paraprofessional position, with no loss of her union seniority standing, and hired her as the grade 7 and 8 long-term substitute math teacher position effective from Nov. 18 until March 21, 2025.
In a related item, the board heard the report from the district’s substitute teacher contractor, Teachers on Call, that the firm had hired Lisa Eastham as a long-term substitute paraprofessional as of Dec. 5 until her service is no longer needed.
• Adopted the maximum U.S. General Services Administration domestic 2025 per diem rates for meal reimbursement and maximum lodging rates for all district employee travel.
• Accepted the resignation of Kate Perkins from her cafeteria aide position effective Dec. 15.
• Approved the following assistant coaches for the winter sports season: Ray Podominick, assistant boys basketball coach; Troy Oelke, junior high girls basketball coach; Patrick Vanderbeek, junior high boys basketball coach; Katelynn Rice, volunteer girls basketball coach. Any stipends for Oelke and Vanderbeek will be the responsibility of the Ely Hoop Club.
• Approved the first reading of Minn. School Boards Association Policy 704 for the development and maintenance of an inventory of fixed assets and a fixed asset accounting system. This is a new district policy as recommended by the district’s auditors.
• Approved the final revisions of the district’s new five-year strategic plan draft and its distribution to the participants of the strategic planning meetings for review and final comments.
• Approved the renewal of the expiring referendum revenue authorization as allowed under state law.
• Approved two memorandums of understanding between the district and the Ely Educational Association, which is the local teacher’s union, regarding the use of education credits. School board chair Rochelle Sjoberg explained that the two MOUs were necessary to clarify language in district’s teacher contracts.
• Approved a mandated Letter of Understanding between the district and the Ely Educational Association in relation to the grievance regarding insurance brokerage fees. The letter outlines the results of arbitration over the grievance, stating that the district will no longer add brokerage fees to the insurance premiums paid by EEA members. In addition, the district will reimburse affected EEA members for these fees in the Dec. 31 payroll.
• Approved the 2023-2024 World’s Best Workforce Report and Summary. This report is compiled every year and submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education as required by state law.
• Approved cooperative agreements with Northeast Range School for Speech and for boys and girls golf with Northeast Range as the host school for the 2024-25 season.
• Approved a cooperative agreement with Northeast Range and Vermilion Country School for boys basketball for the 2024-25 season.
• Approved the following donations: $434 from the Ely Community Resource to the Media Center for books, $385 from the Kiwanis Club for the National Honor Society, $400 from the Kiwanis Club for the Early Childhood Family Education program, an $1,850 anonymous donation for special education, and $150 from the Mesabi Community Orchestra for the band program.