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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Council Worksession <br />October 10, 2017 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Valerie Johnson <br /> Councilmember Gina Bauman (arrived at 5:03 p.m.) <br />Councilmember Brian Strub <br /> Councilmember Paul Jacobsen <br />Councilmember Mary Burg (arrived at 5:02 p.m.) <br />Absent: <br /> <br />Staff in A ttendance: Dean Lotter <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance : Jon Tynjala, Marre Jo Sager, Chris Lennox <br /> <br />ISD 612 Referendum <br />Jon Tynjala, Mounds View School Board member, introduced himself to the Council and provided a <br />presentation on the ISD 621 referendum. He explained the school district was working on keeping pace with <br />space. He commented on the value of having a strong school district in the community. He reported 90% of <br />the class of 2016 earned credits for college. He commented on the number of events held at the schools <br />throughout the community. Further information was provided on the District’s enrollment size and graduation <br />rates. Mr. Tynjala explained that because the District was growing there was a need for additional classroom <br />space and flex space. <br /> <br />Marre Jo Sager, Mounds View School Board member, reported students were often times lacking suitable <br />locations for academic collaboration. For this reason, students had to meet outside of school for projects. In <br />addition, many classrooms and lunchroo ms were undersized. She described how this impacted learning for <br />students. She explained the District would like to improve building safety by separating parent drop off and <br />bus traffic. Further discussion ensued regarding the District’s needs. She described how the proposed <br />referendum would be used by the School District and noted it would add 40 classrooms, expanded cafeterias <br />and gym spaces, spaces for clubs and activities, expanded music spaces, and improved HVAC systems. <br /> <br />Ms. Sager reviewed the project timeline for the project and commented on the collaborative community design <br />process that would be followed. She explained crowding would continue to increase and encouraged the <br />community to support the proposed bond. She stated the School District would be seeking additional dollars <br />from the State in order to assist the District in meeting their space needs goals. A short video was viewed by <br />the City Council at this time. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen understood a bond was requested in 1999. He requested further information on <br />when this bond would be paid off. Chris Lennox reported that bond would be paid off in four or five years. <br />He noted there would be a smooth transition between the two bonds. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen stated he has seen firsthand ho w crowded the schools were. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg apologized for being late to the meeting. She explained she was very proud of the fact <br />New Brighton was within the Mounds View School District. She understood the value this had to the