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Only about 12 people took the Chisago Lakes School District up on its offer to tour  one of the project sites slated for some of the $64 million in districtwide referendum capital projects being proposed.  The Chisago Lakes School District seeks voter approval  May 13 to borrow $63.7 million for a host of upgrades, replacements, and repairs of several school district facilities.  

If you are not able to do the next tour, April 12, there is a digital version of a facilities analysis done by Nexus, online at  chisagolakes.referendumfacts.org which details issues of concern.   

Chisago Lakes Superintendent Brian Dietz told the tour attendees the items proposing to be tackled are “absolutely critical.”  He said projects will only get more expensive if ignored.

Chisago Lakes has about $53 million in existing debt service,  as of June 2025, according to budget materials. Three bond issues are being paid off at about $5 million annually.  They expire in staggered years, 2030, 2033 and,  2038 which is when the latest Wildcat Community Center/Lakeside Elementary School project loans are paid off.

The state  also contributes towards Long Term Facilities Maintenance expenditures  and each district’s funding formula is based on facility ages and student headcount among other factors.  

Chisago Lakes collects $1.3 million in total in levy and state aid for this account, explained Business Services Director Robyn Vosberg-Torgerson. Projects were undertaken a few years ago and the district dedicates a portion of the current LTFM funding to pay off bonds that were sold for those projects.  There’s $850,000 remaining out of the $1.3 million allotment annually.  

A good chunk of the May 13 referendum monies are planned to be used for deferred maintenance needs the district just hasn’t been able to address.

Citizens who showed up for the April 1 middle school  tour spent about an hour viewing the spaces and asking questions of district staff.  

Josh Soderlund was the sole school board member on hand.  The district superintendent, activities  director, finance head, all the district principals and other staffers were there.

There is a second “Talk & Tour” event at the middle school starting at noon, this Saturday, April 12.  Meet up in the media center,  on the southwest corner.

The district school buildings and bus garage will also benefit from projects. 

The middle school is a historic building. It was added onto —in 1959, 1968, 1974, 1983 and 1999.  One of the projects added a third floor sporting an open floor plan, which at that time was embraced in educational circles.  A big ticket item involves taking out the flimsy temporary walls that have been rigged to close in the area and make two “rooms”  There’s plans for adding doors, HVAC systems, and redoing the bathroom on that floor.

Director of Human Resources Cory Becker told the tour group that consultants have warned the district that once the walls get opened up there’s pipes, electrical and hazardous materials that should be anticipated.  Most of the middle school also lacks fire suppression sprinklers which are on the list of referendum needs.  And installation of a 1,000 kW natural gas generator is planned.

Soderlund told one of the citizens that the amount — at almost $64 million — was established because the School Board heard taxpayers do not want to regularly deal with requests for funding.  Two earlier referendum ballots were defeated at much lesser amounts. Soderlund said the Board opted to avoid having to come back for extra capital and chose to win approval on  a plan for 15 to 20 years out.

A tour citizen warned that this tactic of not breaking out smaller amounts and offering optional levels of tax impact  based on priority needs could fall flat.

Soderlund realizes this as a valid perception,  saying the ballot was based on a Board “value decision.”

One tour participant asked about existing tax collections and what the outlook is for “extending” any levies.  The Chisago Lakes District has a local option tax put in place by the school board under legislative authorization of $724 per pupil and an operating levy just for #isd2144 of $225.  (See bar graph). Supt. Dietz noted for the tour group this is on the low end of many districts.

The tour continued into the highway facing boiler room, which has an abandoned steam boiler and obsolete galvanized piping to be replaced. The landmark middle school chimney is also proposed to be removed.

The tour group stopped at and observed the entryway at the top of the horseshoe drive, which will be retrofitted and made secure.  The office and front public entry space is being moved to the southwest end of the middle school, where art classes are now.  Art is being relocated to the emptied office area.

The touring citizens regrouped at the media center.  There was a chance to express concerns about taxes and balancing needs versus wants.  In Chisago County 26 percent of your property tax dollar bill is carved out for schools. The county gets 42 percent, the city/township gets 27 percent and there are some taxpayers who contribute beyond income tax to the state — equal to about three percent of the dollar.

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