The Montevideo Public School District is committed to providing all students, from cradle to career, a world class educational foundation. To best support our students and community, the district explored multiple pathways to address district-wide facility needs. The proposed solution will bring the district community together, enhance the learning environments for our K-12 learners, create separate middle and high schools on a shared campus, and provide a new performing arts center to serve students and the community.

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QUESTION 1: Not to exceed $54,860,000

Transition k-4 elementary students to the current middle school, move 5-8 students to the current high school, and build an addition to the high school building for grades 9-12.

QUESTION 2: Not to exceed $11,335,000

Build a performing arts center as part of the high school addition. (Question 2 will only pass if Question 1 is approved.)

The Proposed Educational Pathway
This referendum would positively impact all students as they move through our school district. The proposed plan would close both Ramsey and Sanford Elementary Schools and renovate the middle school into a consolidated elementary school building. This would improve efficiencies (sharing staff, academics, and maintenance), eliminate future maintenance expenses for the Ramsey and Sanford buildings, and save operational costs by shifting from five (5) facilities to three(3).

Furthermore, middle (5-8) and high (9-12) school students will share a campus at the current high school with a significant addition while retaining two school identities. As a result, students will benefit from shared access to elective courses and educational spaces, while remaining separate from each other throughout the day.

The Proposed Solution

In addition, if the referendum is successful: Ramsey Elementary will be demolished and the land will be sold. The district will work with the city and neighborhood to determine an appropriate land use. Sanford Elementary will be demolished, and a new Jr. Varsity Baseball field will be built to replace the baseball field lost by the high school addition. The current high school locker rooms would also be renovated.

A Unique Opportunity
Public school funding in Minnesota creates a unique opportunity for the Montevideo Public Schools and our local taxpayers to make extensive improvements to our facilities by capitalizing on significant state equalization funding provided for bond referenda.

If both bond referendum questions pass, approximately $0.54 per dollar will be funded by local taxpayers, meaning the State of Minnesota is estimated to fund $30,495,700 of the $66,195,000 total for both referendum questions. If only Question 1 passes, the state will invest $24,182,400.

What Will This Cost Me?
Approval of the ballot questions would result in a property tax increase beginning with taxes payable in 2024, and the debt service tax levies would remain in place for 20 years.

For example, a Residential Homestead property with a market balue of $200,000 would have an estimated $577 annual tax impact starting in 2024.

For more information about the estimated tax impact for your Residential Homestead, Commercial/Industry, or Agricultural Property, visit our property tax informational page.

THE TAX CALCULATOR

WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?

School District Question 1
Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 129 (Montevideo Public Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $54,860,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction of improvements to the existing Montevideo Middle School site and facility to convert that school for use as a grade K-4 elementary school; the construction of improvements to the existing Montevideo High School site and facility to convert that school for use as a 5-8 middle school; the construction and equipping of a new high school addition to the existing high school site; the decommissioning of the Sanford and Ramsey Elementary School sites and facilities; and the construction of a baseball field area and facilities?

School District Question 2
If School District Question 1 is approved, shall the school board of Independent School District No. 129 (Montevideo Public Schools) also be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $11,335,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction and equipping of an auditorium at the new high school site?

VOTING INFORMATION

Special Referendum Election on May 9, 2023.

• Register to Vote - Check your registration or register to vote

• Absentee Voting - March 24-May 8, 2023*

  • Vote absentee in-person at the District Office at Montevideo Middle School, 2001 William Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To vote, enter through the district's west / Superintendent's Office entrance. You will be buzzed into the building to proceed to the district office front desk / voting area. *The Montevideo School District will be closed on Friday, April 7, in observance of Good Friday.

  • Request an absentee ballot - Contact the school District Office at 320-269-8833 or E-mail: election@montevideoschools.org. Absentee ballots are due to the district office by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9.

• Election Day Voting - Tuesday, May 9, 2023

  • Polling Location - National Guard Training and Community Center (TACC), 711 South 17th Street, Montevideo, MN

  • Polling Hours - 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Visit https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/ or contact your local municipal clerk or school district office for more information or if you have any questions.

Beginning in July of 2021, the district held many individual and small group listening sessions with community stakeholders in order to listen and learn from the community's input on the district's challenges and facilities to meet the needs of students.