To further educate the community in the last weeks before the referendum vote, the Strong Schools Form Our Future committee is focusing on frequently asked questions.

The last two referendums have failed, why is the School Board attempting to pass a referendum for the third time?

According to Superintendent Kent Baldry, as elected officials, the Board of Education has only a few options.  The first option is to assume the role of being advocates for public education.  As advocates for students the Board feels compelled to run a referendum until one of two things two things happens.  Either the referendum passes or, in the worst case scenario, the district is disbanded or is consolidated into another district.

The second option is to just top going to the taxpayers and let the situation run its course.  But even that action circles back to a referendum.  Once a school district’s debts exceed a certain percentage of its yearly revenue, the district goes into statutory operating debt (SOD). The district is then statutorily obligated to run referendum elections every year to try to get out of SOD.  Baldry has never head of a school board basically giving up without a fight.

What changes will be seen if the referendum is passed?

The Parkers Prairie School Board believes that the money generated by the referendum will allow the school to keep operating at its current level.  The referendum amount is not sufficient to bring back any programs that have been lost due to cuts.  In short, the goal is to maintain the status quo.

Individuals with questions can address them to the Strong School Form Our Committee by sending them to P.O. Box 191, Parkers Prairie, MN 56361 or emailing SSFOF@live.com.