Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR CHALLENGES
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The district has worked hard to care for its facilities and provide safe, supportive learning environments. The average age of the buildings is over 50 years old, so the hard work of maintenance staff is a big reason the buildings have been used for so long. But as they age, upkeep needs grow. Because the district’s budget is limited and cannot cover large-scale projects without shifting funding away from learning, voter-approved funding is the only available way to complete large building projects.
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Our district’s funding is determined by strict state formulas, and many expenditures are mandatory. With such limited flexibility, our district has historically prioritized spending the funds it can control on teaching, curriculum, and student supports. While money is set aside each year for building maintenance, this fund is not sufficient to cover such large-scale needs.
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The Minnesota Department of Education rolled out LTFM (Long-Term Facilities Maintenance) funding in 2016 when the district already had a decades-long deferred maintenance backlog.
The LTFM program has never been intended to fully eliminate deferred maintenance needs. The funds are received based on enrollment and building age, so when enrollment is modest or declining, as it has been in Staples-Motley, LTFM dollars never catch up to the needs of buildings for larger student populations.
The Staples-Motley School Board and administration are focused on the referendum at hand because it addresses the top priorities heard from our communities, allows us to address our significant deferred maintenance backlog, and will enable improvements to modernize our facilities and deliver high quality education for our students and community.
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With the help of assessments by school building experts and the district’s financial advisors, the school board agreed that now is the best time to invest in our schools. Our buildings’ needs have been well documented for several years now, and waiting to address them could lead to costly emergency repairs down the road, and/or higher costs due to inflation. Additionally, existing district debt is set to expire and allows the district to make these needed improvements without increasing the current tax rate.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN
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A bond referendum is a local election where voters decide whether to authorize a local property tax to fund new construction, renovation or additions to school buildings. The tax applies to all property owners based on the assessed value of their property.
If approved, this bond referendum will be tax neutral, meaning there will be no change to the current tax rate. Expiring debt currently held by the district will be replaced with new debt for the projects identified in the plan. This will keep the overall tax rate the same over time.
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Our district proposed a bond referendum in 2022 to address many of our buildings’ needs by building a new High School/Middle School. Our communities voted this down and responded with a consistent message: keep the buildings we have. In response, the school board approved facility investments that did not require voter approval to address some of the most urgent needs. These included improvements to HVAC systems, full kitchen space and added kitchen equipment, parking, fire alarms, additional physical education as well as replacement of some of the oldest flooring and cabinetry. These improvements were funded by a combination of COVID Federal funds, Capital, Health & Safety Levy as well as Long Term Facilities Maintenance Levy funding.
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The plan would replace curtains and rigging, build a thrust stage, improve lighting, and provide new sound equipment and acoustic improvements. A thrust stage is a platform that extends into the audience, with seating on three sides, creating a more immersive experience compared to a traditional stage. These improvements would add variety to the types of performances and sets the theater can support.
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Great schools benefit everyone who calls Staples-Motley home. They attract families, support local businesses, improve property values, and strengthen the overall quality of life.
When schools show visible signs of wear and tear or lack the space and equipment needed to prepare students for today’s careers, families may seek other options for their education.
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If the referendum fails, the district’s ability to strengthen learning and career opportunities will remain limited by the age and design of the classrooms. Deferred maintenance needs will grow, and safety and security upgrades will be delayed, potentially increasing long-term costs.
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If voters approve the referendum, construction on both schools will begin in 2027, with all projects estimated to be completed before the 2029-30 school year.
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED
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The referendum plan was developed over the course of several months with extensive input from staff, parents, and community members. The district collected feedback through a community-wide survey, nearly a dozen listening sessions with staff and residents, and a public open house. Steering committees focused on Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the Performing Arts Center provided specific guidance for those spaces.
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In 2015, our district outlined a long-term plan to update building infrastructure with financial assistance from Minnesota’s Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) program. This program has helped us address key needs like roofs and HVAC, but cannot be used to renovate learning spaces.
When LTFM funds and the maintenance budget haven’t been enough, the school board has used its authority to finance improvements that do not require voter approval. When the 2022 referendum failed, the board used this authority to address the most critical needs like the replacement of some of our roofs and removal of asbestos-laden tiling and insulation.
Our district recognizes that these patchwork investments and reliance on state aid can only make limited improvements to our learning spaces. If the referendum passes, the funds will be legally required to go toward the described projects, like improved classrooms and lab spaces, security upgrades, and better accessibility for people with disabilities.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TAX IMPACT
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The plan would make comprehensive improvements both to learning spaces and essential building infrastructure, including new lab space for career and technical education classes (like welding, machining, woodworking, nursing, and culinary arts), flexible student classrooms, safe and secure building entrances, improvements to our auditorium, music and choir spaces and renovations to meet ADA requirements. See the full scope of the plan here.
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The referendum proposes a $42.5 million investment in Staples-Motley Schools’ school buildings and grounds. The district is committed to using tax dollars wisely, so we’ve focused the referendum plan on the most important needs of our building. If approved, the referendum will not raise property taxes.
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The bonds will be paid off over a 20-year term.
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No. Referendum funding can only be spent on the referendum plan’s proposed projects. If the referendum is approved, the majority of the money will go directly to construction materials and labor to complete building and repairs. A smaller amount will go toward non-physical expenses needed to complete the project (sometimes referred to as “soft costs”), such as architectural and engineering planning, permits, inspections, and interest payments. All of these costs are accounted for in the total referendum amount and the projected taxpayer impacts.
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If approved, there will be no change to the current school tax rate. New debt from the referendum will replace old debt being paid off, keeping the tax rate consistent and stable. Learn more here.
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The plan is tax neutral because new debt will replace existing debt that is set to expire. This way, the overall tax rate will not change despite the addition of new debt.
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State law requires this language when a school district seeks voter approval to pay for qualifying projects with tax revenue, even if the plan does not require a change to the current tax rate.
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Funding for buildings and programming come from different sources, most of it a combination of state funding and local taxpayer dollars. Almost all districts, including Staples-Motley, depend on additional funding through voter-approved building bond referendums and operating levies–both which require approval but, by law, pay for very different things.
In short, bonds are for buildings and levies are for learning. A building bond referendum funds physical building projects, and operating levies fund the programming and needs inside the classroom. Staples-Motley is proposing a building bond referendum on Tuesday, April 14, and those funds, if approved, can only be used for physical building improvements. Those dollars cannot be used to pay for other items, such as salaries and benefits. For more information on the proposed improvements, visit The Plan Page.
QUESTIONS ABOUT VOTING
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Election Day is Tuesday, April 14. Early voting begins on Friday, February 27.
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A bond referendum can be proposed at any time of year to make the process of building improvements more flexible for schools. Holding the referendum immediately after the plan has received preliminary approvals by the MN Department of Education provides more certainty that interest rates and construction costs will not change significantly before work begins.
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Yes. Absentee voting will begin on Friday, February 27. Residents can vote early in person at the district office (905 4th St NE, Staples, MN 56479) on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or request an absentee ballot to submit by mail by completing the application found here. Absentee ballot applications should be mailed to the district office.
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Voting for ALL residents will take place at Staples Community Center – 425 4th St NE, Staples, MN 56479 between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. You must be registered to vote to cast your ballot.
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Yes, you can view a sample ballot on our referendum resources page.
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Please use the form on our Connect Page to reach out to the district with questions or feedback.
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State law requires the ballot to reference a tax increase whenever a school district seeks authority to issue new bonds. In our case, the district plans to replace existing debt as it is paid off, not increase the debt. The new bonds would take the place of retiring bonds, allowing the school portion of the property tax rate to remain at its current level.