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Taxpayers in the North Branch Area Public Schools District will be seeing a ballot question come February 2026 to renew an existing technology levy.  The voters approved a dedicated tax collection in 2017 for a 10 year term.  North Branch School Board supports continuing this same rate of collection with the peoples’ blessing.  The Board reviewed details of a vote scheduled for February 10.  The payments would be seamless, as the 2017 authorization expires and the newly authorized levy would show up in pay-2028 property tax.

A formal motion and adoption of the ballot wording is going to be on the regular Board agenda this week (Nov 13.)

The motivation to renew the 10 year life of the levy is to lend assurance for North Branch to make long range plans in the area of tech.

District IT Director Darin Marcussen and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Zach Berg explained to the school board at a work session November 6, how the 2017 funding was invaluable for the district to get on the leading edge of education-related technology.  When covid hit and in person instruction was up-ended,  the district was already in a good position thanks to the community support in the 2017 vote. North Branch was able to respond and to provide devices at a one-to-one ratio and cover electronic network gaps. 

Looking forward;  North Branch would use continued dedicated funding to develop responsible cyber tools and teach ethical use. Youth do not come to technology automatically knowing how to behave on-line or what traps and dangers there are, the superintendent reminded the Board. What is hard to document is the immeasurable savings possible,  especially in the world of bad actors doing digital mis-deeds, by keeping the users and the assets of the district protected. 

On the physical front Berg mentioned surveillance cameras, electronic card access for staff to enter and exit buildings, having the capability to record data on fuel use and ability to remotely control lighting and other systems are  a few examples of technology controlling expenses.  

School Board member Adam Trampe, who works in corporate risk management, said avoidance of cyber systems being taken over for costly “ransom” demands is a real thing.  District precautions are a given in the extended technology levy utilization.  “There are concerns now that weren’t even a thing in 2017,” Trampe cautioned.

Board member Heather Naegele commented that equipment and networks grow obsolete and technology is ever changing— and generally prices do not decrease.  

The district has instituted a very “balanced” and “strategic use” of technology in the classroom as well, she continued.  As a sometime substitute instructor in  North Branch schools Naegele said  data is retained in a secure format. Importantly,  students are  experiencing many benefits from having the use of updated technology assets. The students use technology in coding courses, advanced placement and providing remote college level instruction, and there are science,

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 engineering programs like welding simulators that require special technology. 

It was stressed that under Minnesota state laws, this technology money is designated for devices, installation, maintenance, staff training and related expenses for technology only and not for general fund budget items or teacher contracts.

Director of Finance and Personnel Todd Tetzlaff added, money allocated circa 2017 has been monitored and the district is prepared to provide details on what those levy dollars have supported.  

Tax impacts for various property values ie: residential and commercial will be produced and  circulated once the Board takes final action.  

Tetzlaff said the levy RATE sought in the ballot question is three percent, which is the same as 2017. This is the one variable the district could control, Superintendent Sara Paul added.  

As North Branch district property values go up or down the rate is plugged  into a formula (calculation) based on the tax capacity of North Branch district parcels and is tied to classification (agriculture, residential, commercial etc.). The property tax that any parcel will be generating is fairly specific to that parcel.  Ehlers' public financing firm is consulting on the financial aspects.  

The 2017 levy applied now at the three percent would bring in districtwide  $1,159,344 annually or $11, 593, 440 over the next 10 years. Supt. Sara Paul stated, “When you have 10 years of funding (known through the levy vote) it makes a big difference” in district long range planning opportunities.

The Board has also embraced a plan to relocate  first graders from Sunrise Elementary School to the Education Center on Grand Avenue because Sunrise is close to capacity.  The relocation would be effective in the 2026-2027 school year.

North Branch will move business/district  offices into the middle school out of the Education Center building which makes the focus of the education center for community programming, and pre-school up to first grade.  There was space in the middle school under a lease agreement which is being freed-up for the offices.  This plan continues to be pursued.  

There is no referendum levy revenue needed for this shift in use of spaces.

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