Pool report presents three options for members to consider
MOUNTAIN LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL (MLPS) School Board. Front, from left, Board Treasurer Pam Hoek, Board Chair Doug Standerwick, Board Vice-Chair Tim Swoboda and Board Clerk Julie Brugman. Back, from left, Board Directors Chad Pedersen, Tom Fast and Matt Gohr.
Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) School Board members approved the 2016 payable 2017 property tax levy totaling $879,995.21, including a total General Fund levy of $836.548.79 and a Community Service levy of $43,446.42, at the group’s Monday, December 19 meeting.
School boards in the State of Minnesota must adopt their final property tax levy and certify that levy to the home county auditor.
On Monday, December 12, the MLPS School Board held its Truth In Taxation meeting. The following Thursday, December 15, MLPS Superintendent Bill Strom was informed by school’s financial advisors that the levy report created by Minnesota the Department of Education (MDE) had an error in it. The error had nothing to do with any information the district had provided the MDE, but was the result of a formula glitch found by the advisor.
The end result was the decrease in the levy. The previous levy approved by the board in September, and reviewed at the Truth In Taxation meeting, called for total levy of $1,041,127.94, including a total General Fund levy of $997,681.52 and a Community Service Levy of $43,446.42.
The percentage change moved the previous incorrect levy featuring a 3.97% increase – to a 12.12% decrease. The impact of this adjustment will reduce the levy revenue by $161,132.73. The board will review this in January to determine its impact on the 2016-2017 budget.
Diving into deep discussion on school’s indoor swimming pool
The school district’s 46-year-old indoor swimming pool has been the focus of much discussion as the school board looks at the costs of maintaining the facility, and moving forward with any building bond referendum.
An $800 repair was recently completed to fix a swimming pool pump. That repair led to complications with the entire pump system, and, following the repair, the pump began to leak. It started small and grew. As a result, the pump and the pool were immediately shut down. Water is no longer being circulated through the filter system that is dependent on the pump. In addition, the water for the pool is no longer being heated, but the air in the pool room is.
Fortunately the leak was discovered when staff was in the building, and did not occur over a weekend or holiday. Another leak was found under the pool this past Saturday, causing major corrosion and causing a lot of water leakage.
The entire pump system must be replaced to have the pool open again.
A PVC replacement pump would cast $5,000 (parts) and $1,000 (labor), for a total cost of $6,000. This pump would be a “band aid” pump as it would not be compatible with the pool’s other equipment. This option would make the pump work, but if there would be another breakdown in the near future, there would be no pump that would work with the other parts of the system.
A second choice would be an exact replacement at a cost of $7,000 (parts) and $1,000 (labor), for $8,000. This would be a fit with the rest of the system.
A pool report, initially presented at a joint MLPS School Board/Building Committee meeting on Monday, December 12, included a history of the pool, along with the results of the referendum vote at that time concerning that ballot decision. (The decision to build the pool passed by 6 votes 46 years ago). The diving board was removed this fall as regulations on the depth required has been changed. The deep end depth of the pool is 9′. Funding for the 120,000 gallon water capacity pool is through the Community Service Fund and the General Fund, in addition to the financial support of the City of Mountain Lake, not to exceed $15,000 per year. Additional revenue is through swimming lesson tuition, swimming fees and gifts.
For fiscal years 2011-2016, the average annual revenue from tuition and fees, as well as gifts and bequests (including the monetary assist from the city) is tallied at $29,628.02. Average expenses for that same time period (including estimated utility and personnel costs – based on fiscal year 2006) stands at $75,062.96.
Ninety percent of the pool usage is by the community, with 10% school district-related usage. The report also noted that fiscal year 2016 tuition and fees has decreased by 34% since 2012 – from $17,211.10 to $11,358.30.
Superintendent Strom shared that following the school board’s joint meeting with the Building Committee, he had sought out information concerning the operations and future of the pool.
One of the Building Committee members noted that, if the pool were kept operational, and the current architectural drawing was approved and implemented, the additional cost to the overall building plan would be $4.1 million. In checking on the cost to convert the pool to classroom space, Strom learned that estimate would be $1.25 million.
He went on to discuss the 5,782 square feet of space occupied by the pool. If that space was to be converted from one large pool in year-round classroom space, it would house academic programs. The Building Committee is currently discussing plans to convert the pool space into three classrooms, three breakout rooms, one office, classroom storage and a hallway.
Over the course of the past 10 years, the school board has made an estimated investment of $750,000 into the pool. The revenue received over that time from all sources, including the City of Mountain Lake and miscellaneous donations, equals about $300,000, with the district funding the estimated remaining $450,000. Pool operational losses have ranged from $45,000 to $50,000 a year.
Calculations for utility costs for pool operations are based on 10% of total utility bills, but experts, like USAquatics, estimate that pool utility usage is close to 25% to 33%.
Future repairs to the pool, resulting from deterioration caused by pool humidity, would include mechanical, heat, deck, locker room, ventilation, walls, filtration, doors and power, are estimated at a cost of $1.6 million. Board members also acknowledge that repairs and updates to the same, at an estimated cost of $280,000 to $390,000, would be required regardless of how the space is used.
Results from a December 17, 2012 two-question bond vote possibly foreshadowed the future of the pool, board members recognize. At that time, the question was asked if the district should provide funds for the repair and renovation of the pool, with 73.47% of the 1,157 voters in the district voting against the proposal.
The board is currently considering three options –
+ Repair of the damaged pump, paid for with donations and funds from Friends of the Mountain Lake Area Pool.
+ Repair of the damaged pump, paid for with donations and funds from Friends of the Mountain Lake Area Pool, with a permanent closing date set. Friends of the Pool have requested that the pool remain open through July 31, 2017, so as to have another summer available for swimming pool lessons.
+ Setting a permanent closing date for the swimming pool.
In other business
+ Approved the 2015-2016 World’s Best Workforce plan. Such a plan was created to ensure that every school district in the state is making strides to increase student performance. Each district must develop a plan that addresses the following five goals – all children are ready for school, all third-graders can read at grade level, all racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed, all students are ready for career and college and all students graduate from high school.
+ Approved the tentative seniority list for certified teachers.
+ Approved the tentative seniority list for non-certified employees.
+ Heard reports from Mountain Lake Public High School Principal Michelle Larson and Mountain Lake Public Elementary School Principal Karl Wassman, a report from the Pairing Committee on meetings with Windom and Comfrey Public Schools and a report on school board reorganization.
+ During Open Forum, Pastor David Savage of Center Point Church of the Assemblies of God expressed gratitude to the board and sent encouragement to them in their job as a board, and the key position members have in the community. He also conveyed the availability of his church building for school functions.
+ Each week, Superintendent Strom submits Week in Review notes to school board members; elementary and high school principals; the Mountain Lake Education Association; elementary, high school and district office personnel; district buildings and grounds supervisor and the media. All of these reports are considered public data. Following each regular monthly MLPS School Board meeting, Cross-Counties Connect will chronicle, summarize and highlight information from the Week In Review notes from over the course of the intervening month. Following are those points from the November 18 and 25 and December 3, 10 and 16 reports:
- MLPS Enrollment: Superintendent Strom discussed student enrollment. In the past two weeks, at least five new students have enrolled at MLPS. It is believed that increase is directly related to the employment opportunities at the new Prime Pork plant in Windom. When enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year was projected in 2012, the number was a possible 435 students in grades kindergarten-through-12. However, actual numbers are at 50 students above projections – 485.
- MLHS Student Athletic Participation: Strom noted that in 2015, 75% of MLPS students in grades 7-12 are involved in athletics, above the national average of 57%. High school athletic participation is linked to higher GPA (Grade Point Average), less drop-outs, improved peer relations and lower rates of drug use.
- Staff Development Report: Strom noted that the 2015-2016 staff development is completed and was submitted to the MDE on Friday, December 2. The report contains academic and program goals and data reports to measure progress.
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Ages 0-4 Enrollment Census: The 2016–2017 birth-to-four-year-old census has been completed. The following numbers were reported to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE): Age 00 – 40; Age 01 – 46; Age 02 – 38; Age 03 – 55 and Age 04 – 54.