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The man behind the team that surveyed voters in the North Branch School District in preparation for a fall levy ballot, told the School Board last week the survey responses reveal a relatively "hostile property tax climate."

Bill Morris added that the North Branch district faces a challenge due to the public's perception the School Board is not using district resources "effectively or efficiently."

All-in-all, though, Morris advised the School Board that if the ballot question is offered in two parts and if there's a strong local information campaign ahead of November, it's still possible the district's request for more local property tax revenues could pass.

North Branch is one of very few Minnesota districts not getting additional revenues, beyond the state per pupil aid, through a local "excess levy" allowed by voters who live in the district.

Morris and Decision Resources Ltd. were hired to do a phone survey and report back on general voter attitudes and how the district is viewed by the public. The survey was done around April. There were 51 percent of respondents who do not have any school aged children, 41 percent said they have children in the North Branch District and four percent said they have children in schools elsewhere.

Morris did say the responses to how district staff are doing their jobs was "at the top of the scale in the greater metropolitan area" out of dozens of surveys Decision Resources did recently. When the voter was asked if they view the North Branch instructional staff job performance as "positive, negative or unsure" 77 percent responded positive.

Asked about administration and school board job performance the "positive" response dropped off to 34 to 28 percent respectively.

Another survey measurement Morris noted, that was in the district's favor, is participation level in Community Education programs. Well over half those surveyed have participated in a Community Ed event or class, which Morris said is high for the state.

Superintendent Dr. Deb Henton said the School Board will review survey results in detail at a workshop in August and the Board needs to identify a committee to help get the word out.

Morris said "nothing is a slam dunk" in the world of levy referendum. The survey responses show the district needs to present a "prudent proposal" to voters and do a comprehensive informational effort to "establish a foundation."

He recommended as most-feasible asking for no more than $220 per pupil annually in the levy. He said this should be broken into two ballot questions, one for $140 for essential student needs and the other for technology needs at $80 per student.

This $220 sum would translate into varying tax impacts depending on the value of your property, its tax class, etc.

The Board had a short business agenda, with Donna Setter absent. ~ The Board also approved the sale of $8 million in Aid Anticipation Certificates. This is basically a system commonly utilized statewide involving annual borrowing on promise of state aid coming later, so the district has cash flow during periods the state aid is delayed.

~ The Board accepted official donations: the Edelstein Family Foundation $46,836 in scholarship aid; Rotary Club gave $2,500 towards medical career scholarships; NBHSSA gave $1,880 for track and field equipment; NBHSSA Class of 2008 gave $1,593 for bike racks; Lions and Lioness organizations gave $300 to ECFE Coalition; Wells Fargo matches for about $1,500 to the high school; Coaches Association gave $297 for exercise room needs and a research institute in Ohio gave $150 to the athletics department.

~ Terry's Disposal got the garbage hauling bid at $2,700 per month.

~ Federated Cooperative got the fuel bid beating Kath Fuel Oil Service Co. in an escalator formula based off the fuel price at the plant.

~ Kirby Ekstrom, Board member, reported there has been one negotiation session on the expiring teachers' contract. There's another meeting July 27.

~ The MCA scores from testing in the last school year were "phenomenal" in reading, but there are grades that didn't test strongly in mathmatics, said Supt. Henton. (Grades 5, 6, 8 and 11) She said she's meeting with administrators to address math program needs. The district will have a high school remedial math program that won't be an "opt in" offering, kids will be required to enroll, she added.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments reading and math tests are given to those in grade 3 -11 and ninth graders also take a writing test. These scores create a snapshot of a school's student body yearly progress and scores are considered alongside other indicators such as poverty, special education, and minority populations as part of the No Child Left Behind federal education program.

~ District Director of Finance Randi Johnson advised the Board federal stabilization funding is basically going towards off-setting state aid cuts. North Branch anticipates $2.1 million being made available for the upcoming school year but the federal funds are gotten through a reimbursement system.

Johnson said tracking North Branch's qualifying expenses and submitting forms to be reimbursed will make lots of extra work in the business offices.

A one time lump sum increase of $144,000 for Title 1 students was also announced.

~ The Board did approve a transfer of $225,000 out of a reserved fund (Operating Capital) into the General Fund, allowed by the legislature.

~ Johnson also noted new legislation that uniforms (lunchroom, custodial, etc.) must now be manufactured in the United States, which will "about double" the costs, she estimates.

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