[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6475551,"mediaKeyId","5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c","parentId",5732868,"title","District finance director outlines preliminary levy timeline and state funding gaps ahead of September levy workshop","audioSeconds",882,"startMs",5161735,"endMs",6044150,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c&start=5161&end=6044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c/thumbnail_5161735.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475551/Minnesota/District-finance-director-outlines-preliminary-levy-timeline-and-state-funding-gaps-ahead-of-September-levy-workshop","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475551-b8a2ca340089779552fdd05e53faa9f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770470115&Signature=a30LyMLLwzQF8cBCFDLCTmQZwFrvGLBvVnjvbqV2sAQJINQqHnOoL7l3qQkK4~iHRhp-78OVbq9h4b5zXZVgDgJfSFowhgEz9LBqUJ1aYIUqk7-SvU33uRwOlKI61T1gtOdSggR4eT-OF28fOG4RPfVncDP6lPBf6Y4920KGNhOYjMxbkwCqMizUviNnWiRuQ86xsyEJQ4zvYawy7jL~0yFowBOZRDpZZzE4JG9PxLoEtfm7YVK6DMX-Cx-21QcGCo417rNGsy~cIJlX3AxYPZL99KV7Hy-cYSsafMfUV5fyV~e-2kSTqt3z9GdLKoVXhqJ4H92cA1vm53GuraI8zQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","SoWashCo Schools","date","2025-09-05T12:46:39Z","article","Chris Blackburn, the district’s director of business services, presented a preliminary‑levy briefing at the Sept. 4 board workshop, outlining timelines, how state revenue formulas affect district budgets and the options districts use to cover gaps in state funding.

Blackburn reminded the board that \"by Sept. 30 each year, school districts must set their preliminary tax levy for taxes payable in the following calendar year,\" and that the Minnesota Department of Education issues preliminary reports to districts in early September. He said the board will be asked to set a preliminary levy at the Sept. 18 board meeting and that the final levies and the truth‑in‑taxation hearing are scheduled for December.

The presentation described structural funding pressures. Blackburn said that for fiscal 2025–26 the state increased the basic general education formula by 2.74 percent, adding about $142 per pupil, but he noted that the indexation has not kept pace with inflation. \"Had the per pupil formula allowance kept pace with actual inflation ... we would have needed an additional $1,470 per pupil,\" he said, and he illustrated how that gap translates into millions of dollars across the district.

On special education financing, Blackburn told the board that Minnesota districts remain underfunded on special education costs. He said the state estimated a $726 million statewide underfunding in fiscal year 2023 and projected an underfunding of $506 million for fiscal 2026. He noted planned changes to cross‑subsidy aid that are scheduled to increase the state’s share from 44 percent to 50 percent, but he cautioned the board that a Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education is charged with identifying $250 million in adjustments during the next biennium and that if the commission does not reach its target, the scheduled increase could be reduced to make up any shortfall.

Blackburn reviewed levy mechanics and timing: some levies are voter approved while others are board decisions, and the state’s formulas create an aid/levy equalization in many categories so raising levy authority does not always yield more total district revenue. He explained the relationship between market value changes and taxpayer shares of a fixed levy amount, and he said the county collects property taxes and distributes them to taxing jurisdictions.

Next steps: Blackburn said the district will receive preliminary levy reports from MDE in the coming week, will review them with its financial adviser (Ehlers & Associates) and will present a recommended preliminary levy to the board for approval at the Sept. 18 meeting. He said the board may set preliminary levies to the maximum authorized level to preserve the district’s authority while final state reports and market changes are confirmed.

Board members asked technical questions about timing, collections and levy categories (for example, asking whether QComp is a levy line item and how tax notice timing aligns with district and county accounting). Blackburn answered and said staff will provide additional detail in upcoming workshops. The board did not take a levy vote on Sept. 4; Blackburn said the levy workshop is set for Sept. 9 and the board will act on a preliminary levy request on Sept. 18.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop - September 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Director of business services Chris Blackburn reviewed the preliminary tax levy timeline, described state underfunding of education and special education, and said the board will be asked to set the preliminary levy at its Sept. 18 meeting after state reports are released.","taxTitle","South Washington County Schools, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",13238,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475555,"Board splits on live streaming public comments; staff to update Procedure 203 and test livestreaming with privacy protections",1775,3508825,5284390,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c&start=3508&end=5284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c/thumbnail_3508825.jpg","/articles/6475555/Minnesota/Board-splits-on-live-streaming-public-comments-staff-to-update-Procedure-203-and-test-livestreaming-with-privacy-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475555-c4c1e1350462497dd6dfccdb0345093d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770471641&Signature=en~6qMBFFSImKaTt8q0f2mUuKyqTkQJINqig~mjohCP5jzjhSi2l7pCW2e7xpARrsgmacVOJEmBim2zrr6oY~IMEGU7YX-caPgCIEXKuilTXWj7PwMKK1R7LolRylDLeGW3IDRlHik7fx-o5ltbHmyomlsvrcwq0D~blLpn3TsSSDj-xScoOWxR3UUHSKWr1PftuYbGgTVE9b0Vd3b7BhxqoI0~~knu1TNM0nM-xMELbzhavScEdVArD3-JzG8gFtyI8okSO4nEPE7tI8CSIzNOdHKJb8-QkReNcMs~oGkfw5HfNuT5i0eY24FwGZeMmCqmjMXfBDXKZZwo0czrJqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Julie Nielsen introduced a review of Procedure 203 at the Sept. 4 board workshop and reminded members that procedures are handled by consensus rather than roll‑call votes. \"The procedure we're reviewing tonight, is a procedure and as for board members, procedures aren't voted on,\" Nielsen said.

Board members then separated the procedural text from the separate question of whether public comments to the board should be livestreamed. Board member Simi Petnik led a round‑robin discussion and said she wanted to separate the livestreaming question from other procedural items to make sure every voice was heard.

Opinions were split. Louise Hines said comments to the board are \"comments to the board\" and should be treated like emails, so she opposed livestreaming: \"For those reasons, I would like to continue not doing the live streaming.\" Eric Chesser said he favored livestreaming workshops and meetings in full to avoid the appearance of leaving material out of public view: \"I feel like the whole thing should be live streamed including, public comment.\" Board member Ryan Clark urged returning to livestreaming, saying it would increase public access and engagement. Melinda Doles said she leaned against livestreaming because of privacy concerns but was not fully opposed; she asked for safety measures to limit potential harms to students.

District staff and IT staff explained the mechanics and limits. Sean (IT) said the district cannot delay a live feed in real time; instead, if a live stream contains inappropriate material the district would have to \"pull the live stream down, edit the video, and then reupload it to YouTube,\" which is a post‑event remedy rather than a live delay. He confirmed staff can mute an active speaker during a live feed.

After discussion, Petnik and others said they were willing to trial livestreaming with explicit protections. Petnik summarized the board’s direction: \"I am gonna say that if we can if we can protect students' privacy and make sure that that they don't come to harm based on what an adult says when they come speak to the board, then I think we should go ahead and experiment with, like, like, go back to live streaming.\" The board asked staff to update Procedure 203 and cross‑reference Procedure 206 (time, place and manner restrictions), add language forbidding use of other students' names during comments and to clarify the role of South Washington County communications staff in muting and, if needed, editing recordings before permanent posting.

No formal vote was taken; the change is an administrative direction to staff and will be reflected in updated procedure documents that staff will circulate to board members and include in a Friday update. District staff said they will insert explicit language into the definition of \"comments to the board\" to state that those comments \"will be live streamed\" and will harmonize Procedure 206 language about time, place and manner with that change.","After a divided workshop discussion, the board reached a consensus to experiment with live streaming \"comments to the board,\" with staff directed to update Procedure 203 and Procedure 206 to add explicit rules and privacy protections, including a prohibition on naming other students and procedures for communications to mute or edit recordings.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475559,"South Washington County outlines Grey Cloud, Bailey and Pine Hill additions under 2023 elementary bond",2456,1090235,3546400,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c&start=1090&end=3546","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732868-0a2e01185f8ff3b17923fa8271427f8c/thumbnail_1090235.jpg","/articles/6475559/Minnesota/South-Washington-County-outlines-Grey-Cloud-Bailey-and-Pine-Hill-additions-under-2023-elementary-bond","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475559-e73f40c7c6488b5e95807d5b843954c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770471358&Signature=dZgQYQAUbKMTiz1OXx3gTTryXjVIyi18W5skqVNSc8gdvAGYNood9golRvnmCV07NK-edDJhjsp8j~vSpowyoGfZD7Nm9weu39E-5DfTZycsJIp7P77fTZSy~0aFbZoAgGpLcFK-K4luF5QCfzvAN4ZKQua8pFUQVXLPsr5Mvu9GNth8SQr1fJoHgrfhx8QIPAtSZbN776-KogL-YaDBBNEGUAmgnXfOn1rp2HzxwLO~sypAsghzs8Ta7H3kJmNcvLwGC5VNls8mUPsg1j5qUYULEeskSBi6ZjNuPVzocBnpQpOa11ro~NZl3QMlxPD~KUe~6IcsEfc6XxNnxB3wCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tyrone Brookins, the district’s assistant superintendent, told the South Washington County Schools board on Sept. 4 that the district is moving into phase 2 of the 2023 elementary bond, with projects at Grey Cloud, Bailey and Pine Hill elementary schools.

The projects include classroom additions to relieve capacity, new or repurposed gymnasium space that will meet the code-required storm‑shelter standard, and interior renovations to existing classroom pods and support spaces. \"This evening we will do a construction update for phase 2, which includes our elementary schools,\" Brookins said.

Design teams described plans and a timeline. Mark DuBois, an architect representing COMA, said Grey Cloud will expand to a target capacity of 835 students plus pre‑K, add a storm‑shelter gymnasium and renovate classroom pods and other interior spaces. \"The additions trigger the storm shelter requirement,\" DuBois said, noting the design team placed the shelter in a northwest addition and is renovating the first‑through‑fourth‑grade pods to replace old demountable, fabric‑covered walls with fixed stud walls to support updated technology and finishes.

At Bailey, the design follows similar principles but includes a kindergarten classroom addition and repurposes an existing multipurpose area in the fifth‑grade wing into a commons to make the building more comparable to Grey Cloud. \"There will be a total of six sections available for kindergarten when the addition is built,\" DuBois said.

Architects from Wold — Sal Bagley and Paul Apokoski — presented Pine Hill’s concept. Apokoski said the Pine Hill project will add six classrooms and a gymnasium, renovate some special‑services rooms and bathrooms to improve ADA accessibility, and introduce new flex and breakout spaces tied to a design concept inspired by a pine tree. \"We worked very closely with the group of staff there to come up with a concept,\" Apokoski said, describing materials and flexible learning areas meant to create small‑group spaces and better circulation through the building.

Schedule and budget: design teams said schematic and design development work is complete and construction drawings will follow. DuBois said bids for Grey Cloud and Bailey are planned before year’s end, with construction starting in summer 2026. Apokoski said Pine Hill’s bidding was imminent and that project teams expect construction in 2026–27, with interior renovations staged during summers so classroom work minimizes disruption.

On disruption and phasing, DuBois said classroom pod renovations are planned for summer months: \"The plan right now ... the classroom pods will be renovated during the summer. So they'll be starting in June '26 after school gets out and be finished in August '26 before anybody comes back.\" Architects said site work will be minimized where possible and that new secondary entries will be provided to serve community use of gymnasium spaces without sending visitors through the main school.

Finance and scope adjustments: the design teams and district staff said the workplans evolved from the bond referendum programming after identifying actual site needs. DuBois described one programming change at Grey Cloud where expanding kitchen storage rather than building a new kitchen and servery met food‑service requirements while freeing funds to expand the cafeteria and provide a third gym/storm shelter. DuBois said that approach proved \"more effective, efficient, and cost effective.\" Chris Blackburn, the district’s director of business services, told the board the district has already issued an initial bond series and will consider whether to issue the remainder of the authorized authority as construction needs become clearer. \"As we come up to this next, kind of winter, we'll be issuing that second set,\" Blackburn said, noting the board has authority to issue up to $200,000,000 and that debt service levy practice includes a 105% coverage requirement for debt service.

Board questions focused on timing, disruption for students, budget reallocation when projects come in under budget and how bids will be staggered to promote competitive pricing. DuBois and contractors said they are coordinating with Kraus Anderson as construction manager to stagger bid openings and to plan interior renovations during summers. The principals for the impacted schools — Jennifer Schwartz (new principal, Grey Cloud), Laura Lushick (principal, Pine Hill) and Christine McDonald (principal, Bailey) — were introduced and present to answer site‑specific questions.

The board did not take a formal vote on any project tonight; the presentation served as an update and design review. District staff said they would return with bid documents and contract recommendations as those phases are completed.

Questions that remain include final bid results and any shifts in the overall bond issuance schedule; district staff said they will analyze budget positions again before issuing the next bond series and will report back to the board as bids and costs are confirmed.","District staff and architects described classroom additions, storm‑shelter gymnasiums and classroom renovations at Grey Cloud, Bailey and Pine Hill elementary schools, said construction is on schedule for bidding and summer 2026 starts, and noted the district is currently under budget on these projects.","actionData","errors"]

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District finance director outlines preliminary levy timeline and state funding gaps ahead of September levy workshop

Board splits on live streaming public comments; staff to update Procedure 203 and test livestreaming with privacy protections

South Washington County outlines Grey Cloud, Bailey and Pine Hill additions under 2023 elementary bond