“Town Tuesday,” the second Tuesday of March each year, is the best example of the democratic process that I know. Annually, the townspeople elect their town officials, determine their town budget and vote to tax themselves to fund this budget. This is the purest form of democracy and what this country is founded on. It’s the best tax dollars we pay.
You ask—what does this have to do with Birch Grove Community School? Lutsen, Tofte, and Schroeder townships have been an important part of the school’s success. Twenty-five-plus years ago, the three townships provided $25,000 for the start of the Birch Grove Foundation to lease the building from School District 166 so that a place for education could be provided for the community. The Birch Grove Community School evolved and is still successfully educating elementary students in the community.
Nine years ago, Tofte townspeople voted to tax themselves to purchase the building and property to provide a location for the Birch Grove Community School. Again, this year, the townspeople voted in each township and agreed to tax themselves for the “public good” to support this little school.
If you look at the Birch Grove Community Center, there are many community benefits that have evolved that improve the quality of the entire community simply because the townships have made a commitment to educate their children in their community. The list is long: charter school, satellite clinic services, youth hostel, new skating rink and warming house, outdoor classroom, classes for all ages, programs and service for seniors, preschool, superstar playground and pizza delivery.
Plus, there’s talk of senior housing, daycare on weekends, community events, potential residential housing and the list just grows with possibility.
The school is the heart of a community and Tofte, Lutsen, and Schroeder townspeople recognize this and have supported the public good offered by maintaining a quality school in this setting. The students know their community cares for them and they work hard to learn. The senior community enjoys being able to know the children in their community, and the cash infusion of economic value for the community amounts to about $650,000-plus annually.
Each township voter gets all this value for less than $10 per year on his or her tax bill. Plus their property values reflect the opportunity to have young families in their neighborhood.
Each month a representative of our local schools will offer thoughts in Issues in Education. This month’s s contributor is Judy Motschenbacher, founder of the Birch Grove Foundation and Birch Grove Community School, who has served countless years on both boards and has volunteered an unimaginable amount of her time and effort for over 30 years to Birch Grove.
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