The proposed operating referendum that is being scheduled for voter consideration in November was a main topic of conversation at the July 23, 2015 meeting of the Cook County School Board. The current operating levy for the 2016-2017 school year is set to expire in December 2015. The expiration of the levy means an approximate $400,000 drop in school revenue. The proposed referendum would replace the expiring levy with approximately $600,000 in revenue.
From now until the November vote there is opportunity for anyone to ask questions about the upcoming operating referendum at any regular school board meeting. A segment has been added to the community comment section of the agenda for this discussion and the superintendent and board members will be allowed to answer questions during this part of the meetings.
Superintendent Beth Schwarz listed several items the added funds may contribute to the school district, including early childhood programming, small class sizes for kindergarten through grade 2, special education, dropout prevention, a balance of college preparatory and vocational classes, as well as erasing all financial barriers among students by the elimination of all student fees for all activities such as athletics, band and robotics.
Board Member Terry Collins pointed out that there may be some confusion regarding the connection with early childhood education in that it is not the intent of the board nor is it legal to use these funds for building an early childhood building.
Schwarz met with Cook County Auditor Braidy Powers concerning the different election possibilities that exist for the upcoming referendum. As the only item on the ballot the school must bear the entire cost of the election and also has full control on the manner and details of the election. If a polling place is used it must be open from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at a minimum. The board can however extend those hours beyond that period. A resolution explaining the election format needs to be passed by the board by August 5. The board agreed to change it’s regularly scheduled August 6 meeting to Tuesday, August 4 for adoption of the resolution.
Schwarz explained the available options. The first being to hold the proceeding, exactly as all other elections, with the usual polling places and the usual mail in ballots for those areas that normally get them. This option, although the most consistent, is also the most expensive option.
Another possibility would be to have a polling place designated in each district with the exception of east and west Grand Marais which could be combined into one polling place. Since every polling place must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Cook County courthouse, the Grand Portage Community Center and the Poplar Fire Hall may likely be the choices for those districts. Other requirements for each voting center would be that they each must have a voting machine and a minimum of 20 ballots printed for visually impaired voters. The county only has four such machines. It would also be necessary to employ three to four election officials at each place the ballots are to be cast.
The choice that would likely yield the highest voter participation would be to have an election using all mail in ballots. Schwarz noted that a 2001 vote for a 10-year Operating Referendum by mail in ballots lost by 300 votes. The following year a four-year referendum passed by a margin of 450 votes when conducted at a polling place. She added that the 2001 election had a cost of $15,000 and that Auditor Powers will get some current cost estimates back to her soon on the various options.
Although not recommending it, Schwarz indicated that one other election possibility would be to have just one polling place at the school itself. Replying to Board Member Chris Goettl’s inquiry, she explained that there is no state funding available to help defray the election cost.
Board Member Sissy Lunde stated that the use of polling places was the least attractive selection because of the travel distance that would be required of people. Board Chair Jeanne Anderson said that she believed the election should be held like all other elections and noted that if the election were held a year later the school would not shoulder the entire cost of the balloting. Board Member Deb White interjected, “But we can’t wait.”
A steering committee in support of approving the increase has now met four times. They are in process of soliciting donations, producing brochures, T-shirts, and Vote Yes buttons. It was emphasized several times that neither school district funds, nor paid time of district employees were being used toward the steering committee efforts.
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