Sharon Hexum-Platzer
One of the first orders of business at the November 17, 2015 Lutsen Town meeting was a shake up on the town board. Longtime Clerk Amity Goettl submitted her resignation and the board was faced with appointing someone to fill the vacancy until the next election in March 2016.
Goettl gave no reason for her resignation and simply smiled and shook her head when Supervisor Tim Goettl asked, “So there is no way we can convince you to stay?”
Supervisors passed a motion accepting her resignation with regrets, thanking Goettl for her years of service as clerk. Goettl agreed to act as clerk until the end of the November meeting.
Treasurer John Groth noted that Goettl’s resignation meant that Deputy Clerk Melissa Rexrode could no longer serve because the deputy clerk is appointed by the seated town clerk. In Goettl’s resignation letter, she stated that the deputy clerk was not interested in the position. The board amended the motion to also accept that Rexrode would no longer be deputy clerk, thanking her for her service as well.
Supervisor Larry McNeally said after receiving Goettl’s October 25 letter, he researched the steps to fill the vacancy. He said the town board can appoint someone to the position. McNeally made a motion to appoint Sharon Hexum-Platzer.
Hexum-Platzer, who was at the meeting, was asked if she would be willing to serve as town clerk. She replied yes and Andrew Beavers seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. Birch Grove Community School support revisited
At the end of her monthly report, Commissioner Ginny Storlie gave her thoughts on an upcoming agenda item, Birch Grove Community School (BGCS).
Storlie said, “I’d encourage you to be open-minded. I don’t think what they are asking is not within your reach. I see a lot of young people coming back to our community with young kids. There’s a possibility of assisted living, which would bring more professional jobs. There is an affordable housing project going on. We have opportunities to grow our community and the school is important to that.”
When it came time for the BGCS discussion, Caroline Wood, former director of the Birch Grove Foundation, re-introduced herself. She said she was now the Birch Grove Community School director. “This is my third week in the position,” she said.
Wood said she was not at the meeting to request any action from the town board, but said, “I just want you to consider this when you make your budget.”
Lutsen resident Mike Larson asked to speak and he shared his family’s history with Birch Grove School. He noted that his wife Jana started teaching there 20 years ago. He remembered his children Beau and Signe going to school there and noted the importance of the school to the community.
To Wood and the BGCS board members at the meeting he said, “The system is broken. It’s not your fault; you guys are doing a great job. The fundraiser at Birch Grove Friday was great. But we have four schools in this county. All of the schools look at the kids—these kids come with a suitcase of money. How do we fund our schools with declining enrollment and we can’t pass a referendum?” he asked.
Larson shook his head, “I don’t have the answers.”
Rae Piepho of Lutsen said she had just joined the BGCS board and she was excited about the future of the school. As she did at the annual meeting, she pointed out the impact on taxes if the township put a donation to the school in its budget. “If the donation was $20,000, the cost per $100,000 of property value would be $6.87—for the purpose of investing in our children’s lives.”
Supervisor Goettl noted that a recent joint school and townships meeting was helpful. He said he appreciated the breakout by grade level and noted that the school was just about at the break-even point with enrollment.
Beavers nodded, “From what I understand, although enrollment is at a break-even point, there is no contingency fund, if you will. So when these students matriculate and leave, they would have to stop services. Like the township, the school has to have a fund balance.”
Matt Kartes said he had also just been elected to the BGCS board. He pointed to his children at the back of the room. “I’m sure you’ve heard my kids during the meeting tonight. Are we talking about money? If that’s it, let’s talk about money. But for me, it’s about them.”
Supervisor Goettl said part of the reason the previous request was voted down was because it was an “all or nothing” proposal. He said one citizen even wrote on a ballot that he or she would have supported a request for $10,000.
Goettl added that the annual meeting sets the budget, but it is a suggestion for supervisors to follow.
Beavers said supervisors are elected to do what citizens request, but he said he wasn’t sure what the vote would be if the question were voted on again. “I’ve tried to be impartial as a supervisor, but I feel we need to give back to the community. This may not be a wise political move, but I feel it’s important to give to Birch Grove School.”
However, Beavers said he had misgivings about the request for a donation commitment for five years.
Hexum-Platzer asked if the school had a sustainability plan. The charter school’s sponsoring authority needs to be renewed in 2018. She asked how the school could ask for money beyond that time.
Supervisor Goettl said the school needs to grow its fund balance. “Then by rights, they shouldn’t have to come back to the township for more money,” he said.
McNeally said when the $20,000 request was voted down at the March 2015 annual meeting, he thought, “We won.” However, he said, “I went home that night and couldn’t sleep.”
McNeally said he wants to support the kids in the community, but he also wants to see a longterm sustainability plan. “I’d like to see you actively pursue those kids with ‘suitcases of money,’” said McNeally. “
BGCS Board Member Judy Motschenbacher agreed that the townships and the school need to communicate and work together on sustainability. “If we don’t hang together, we’re going to hang separately,” she said.
Beavers concurred that sustainability was important, but said, “If we have the ability as a board to make a motion, I’d like to make a motion to give $10,000 to Birch Grove.”
Treasurer John Groth said that change couldn’t be made until 2016. Once the township is using its 2016 funds, adjustments could be made to the budget to try to find the funds.
Supervisor Goettl asked the BGCS board if another joint meeting could be held in January or February. The BGCS board agreed and Beavers said, “I think there is some support for Birch Grove. I think it’s moving forward.”
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