2023 Referendum Information

RESOLUTION RELATING TO RENEWING THE EXPIRING CAPITAL PROJECT LEVY AUTHORIZATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, REVOKING THE EXISTING REFERENDUM REVENUE AUTHORIZATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, APPROVING A NEW AUTHORIZATION, AND CALLING AN ELECTION THEREON  

1. WHEREAS, the mission of Richfield Public Schools is to inspire and empower each individual to learn, grow and excel, which requires highly effective teachers and staff addressing the unique needs of each student; and  
2. WHEREAS, fulfilling our mission requires additional local funding to hire and retain outstanding teachers and staff, maintain small classes, support learners who struggle (academically and social-emotionally), and stabilize school funding for the future; and  
3. WHEREAS, funding education in Minnesota is a shared responsibility requiring state, federal and local revenue, with state funding accounting for 67% of Richfield Public Schools general fund revenue and local revenue accounting for 23% of general fund revenue; and  
4. WHEREAS, Richfield voters last approved a local operating referendum in 2017, and currently receive approximately half of what is allowed by state law and half of what neighboring districts receive per student; and  
5. WHEREAS, the board of education believes Richfield students deserve the same level of funding support that students in neighboring communities receive; and  
6. WHEREAS, in 2003 Richfield voters first approved this capital project levy, which funds the District’s educational and operations technology, including classroom computers and projection systems, internet access, wifi access points, switchers, routers, technology support, communications tools and more; and  
7. WHEREAS, the law requires the District to renew the technology levy by a vote of resident voters every 10 years or forgo the funding; and  
8. WHEREAS, voters last renewed the levy in 2013, so it is up for renewal in 2023; and  
9. WHEREAS, the District has relied on the capital project levy, which is budgeted at $4.77 million in 2025, to maintain its technology infrastructure, curriculum and replace essential instructional equipment, and without this funding the District would face more than $4 million in budget adjustments or cost containment for its total revenue; and  
10. WHEREAS, technology tools serve four important functions for student learning: enhanced achievement, equity, accessibility, efficient operations and security; students have access to school work from anywhere at any time, providing the flexibility needed to be successful; and  
11. WHEREAS, technology allows teachers to provide more personalized and timely feedback to students, enhances learning using simulations that show students how experiments might evolve or change given different parameters; and prepares students for a rapidly changing world, as many Richfield High School students are learning computer science and coding, increasing access into technology careers following graduation; and  
12. WHEREAS, the District’s Fiscal Planning Advisory Committee and the District Technology Advisory Committee have reviewed the capital project levy annually and believe this dedicated technology levy is a prudent and responsible tool for ensuring the long-term reliability of the District technology infrastructure.  

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent School District No. 280, State of Minnesota, as follows:  

1. The Board hereby finds and determines that it is necessary and expedient for the School District to submit a capital project levy authorization to the voters for their approval. This authorization would renew the School District’s existing authorization.  The capital project levy authorization will be in the amount of 6.4866442% times the next tax capacity of the School District, will raise approximately $4,777,993 for taxes payable in 2024, the first year it is to be levied, and would be authorized for ten years.  The estimated total cost of the projects to be funded over that time period is approximately $47,779.930. The money raised by the capital project levy authorization will provide funds for the acquisition and installation of improved technology and technology systems in various school district facilities and the purchase of instructional equipment. The program will be commenced prior to November 7, 2028, which date is not more than five (5) years from the date of the special election authorizing the renewal of the expiring capital project levy authorization.  The question on the approval of the capital project levy authorization shall be School District Question 1 on the School District ballot at the special election held to approve said authorization.  
2. The School Board hereby determines and declares that it is also necessary and expedient for the School District to revoke the School District’s existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,114.60 per adjusted pupil unit, and to replace that authorization with a new authorization of $2,202.89 per adjusted pupil unit.  As provided by law, the ballot question must abbreviate the term “per adjusted pupil unit” as “per pupil.”  The additional revenue will be used to finance school operations and the property tax portion thereof will require an estimated referendum tax rate of approximately 0.12399% of the referendum market value of the School District for taxes payable in 2024, the first year it is to be levied.  The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten (10) years and increase each year by the rate of inflation commencing with taxes payable in 2025 unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. For this purpose, the rate of inflation shall be the annual inflationary increase calculated under Minnesota Statutes, Section 126C.17, subdivision 2(b).  The question on the approval of this referendum revenue authorization shall be School District Question 2 on the School District ballot at the special election held to approve said authorization.  
3. The actions of the administration in consulting with the Minnesota Department of Education, causing a proposal to be prepared for submission on behalf of the School Board to the Commissioner of Education for the Commissioner's Review and Comment and taking such other actions as necessary to comply with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 123B.71, as amended, are hereby ratified and approved in all respects.  The actual holding of the special election on School District Question 1 above shall be contingent on the receipt of a positive Review and Comment from the Commissioner on the projects included in that question.  
4. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause the Commissioner's Review and Comment to be published in the legal newspaper at least forty-eight (48) but not more than sixty (60) days before solicitation of bids for a capital project that has received a positive Review and Comment.  
5. The ballot questions specified above shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the School District at a special election, which is hereby called and directed to be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 o’clock a.m and 8:00 o’clock p.m.  This date is a uniform election date specified in Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.05.  
6. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.11, the School District’s polling places and combined polling places and the precincts served by the polling places and combined polling places, as previously established and designated by a resolution of the School Board for elections held in 2023, are hereby designated for this special election.  In the event a municipality located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the School District will also be conducting a municipal election on November 7, 2023, any affected School District voters will vote at their respective municipal polling locations and not the School District’s polling places or combined polling places.  
7. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause written notice of said special election to be given to the county auditor of each county in which the School District is located, in whole or in part, and to the Commissioner of Education, at least seventy-four (74) days prior to the date of said election.  The notice shall specify the date of said special election and the title and language for the ballot questions to be voted on at said special election.  Any notice given prior to the date of the adoption of this resolution is ratified and confirmed in all respects.  
8. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a Notice of the election to be mailed to each taxpayer in the School District at least fifteen (15) but no more than forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the special election.  The Notice shall contain the required projections and the required statement specified in Minnesota Statutes, Section 126C.17, subdivision 9(b).  The Clerk is also directed to cause a copy of this Notice to be submitted to the Commissioner of Education and to the County Auditor of each county in which the School District is located in whole or in part at least fifteen (15) days prior to the day of the election.  
9. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said special election to be posted for public inspection at the administrative offices of the School District at least ten (10) days before the date of said special election.  
10. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a sample ballot to be posted at the administrative offices of the School District at least four (4) days before the date of said special election and to cause two sample ballots to be posted in each polling place and combined polling place on election day.  The sample ballots shall not be printed on the same color paper as the official ballot.  
11. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said special election to be published in the official newspaper of the School District, for two (2) consecutive weeks with the last publication being at least one (1) week before the date of said election.  The notice of election so posted and published shall state each question to be submitted to the voters as set forth in the form of ballot below, and shall include information concerning each established precinct and polling place.  
12. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause the rules and instructions for use of the optical scan voting system to be posted in the polling places and combined polling places on election day.  
13. The Clerk is authorized and directed to acquire and distribute such election materials as may be necessary for the proper conduct of this special election and generally to cooperate with election authorities conducting other elections on that date.  The Clerk and members of the administration are authorized and directed to take such actions as may be necessary to coordinate this election with those other elections or to obtain assistance from the county auditor with respect to the administration of the School District’s election, including entering into agreements or understandings with appropriate officials regarding preparation and distribution of ballots, the processing of absentee ballots, election administration and cost sharing.  
14. The Clerk and members of the administration are further authorized and directed to cause a ballot to be prepared for use at said election in substantially the following form, with such changes in form, color, instructions, and content as may be necessary to accommodate an optical scan voting system or to comply with the form and content requirements of applicable state election laws: 
     

15. Optical scan ballots must be printed in black ink on white material, except that marks to be read by the automatic tabulating equipment may be printed in another color ink.  The name of the precinct and machine-readable identification must be printed on each ballot.  Voting instructions must be printed at the top of the ballot on each side that includes ballot information.  The instructions must include an illustration of the proper mark to be used to indicate a vote.  Lines for initials of at least two election judges must be printed on one side of the ballot so that the judges’ initials are visible when the ballots are enclosed in a secrecy sleeve.  
16. If the School District will be contracting to print the ballots for this special election, the Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to prepare instructions to the printer for layout of the ballot.  Before a contract in excess of $1,000 is awarded for printing ballots, the printer, at the request of the election official, shall furnish, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Section 204D.04, a sufficient bond, letter of credit or certified check acceptable to the Clerk in an amount not less than $1,000 conditioned on printing the ballots in conformity with the Minnesota election law and the instructions delivered.  The Clerk shall set the amount of the bond, letter of credit, or certified check in an amount equal to the value of the purchase.  
17. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to provide for testing of the optical scan voting system within fourteen (14) days prior to the election date.  The Clerk shall cause notice of the time and place of the test to be given at least two (2) days in advance by publishing the Notice of Testing once in the official newspaper and by causing the notice to be posted in the office of the county auditor, the administrative offices of the School District, and the office of any other local election official conducting the test.  
18. As required by Minnesota Statutes, Section 203B.121, the School Board hereby establishes a ballot board to process, accept and reject absentee ballots at School District elections not held in conjunction with the state primary or state general election or that are conducted by a municipality on behalf of the School District and generally to carry out the duties of a ballot board as provided by Section 203B.121 and other applicable laws.  The ballot board must consist of a sufficient number of election judges. The ballot board may include deputy county auditors and deputy city clerks who have received training in the processing and counting of absentee ballots.  The Clerk or the Clerk’s designee is hereby authorized and directed to appoint the members of the ballot board.  The Clerk or the Clerk’s designee shall establish, maintain and update a roster of members appointed to and currently serving on the ballot board and shall report to the School Board from time to time as to its status.  Each member of the ballot board shall be paid reasonable compensation for services rendered during an election at the same rate as other election judges; provided, however, if a staff member is already being compensated for regular duties, additional compensation shall not be paid for ballot board duties performed during that staff member’s duty day.  Each member of the ballot board must be provided adequate training on the processing and counting of absentee ballots, including but not limited to instruction on accepting and rejecting absentee ballots, storage of absentee ballots, timelines and deadlines, the role of the ballot board, procedures for opening absentee ballot envelopes, procedures for counting absentee ballots, and procedures for reporting absentee ballot totals.  
19. If the capital project levy authorization proposed in School District Question 1 is approved, a capital project referendum account shall be created as a separate account in the general fund of the School District.  All proceeds from the capital project levy must be deposited in the capital project referendum account.  Interest income attributable to the capital project referendum account must be credited to the capital project referendum account.  Money in the capital project referendum account may be used only for the costs of acquisition and betterment of the approved projects.  The funds in the capital project referendum account may be accumulated and not be expended until sufficient funds are available, may be accumulated and not be expended until additional funds from a bond issue are available, or may be expended on an ongoing basis for approved project costs.  Any funds remaining in the capital project referendum account that are not applied to the payment of the costs of the approved projects before their final completion shall be transferred to the School District's debt redemption fund.  
20. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to begin assembling names of trained election judges to serve at the polling places and combined polling places during the special election.  The election judges shall act as clerks of election, count the ballots cast and submit the results to the School Board for canvass in the manner provided for other School District elections.  The election must be canvassed between the third and the tenth day following the election.  
21. The Clerk shall make all Campaign Financial Reports required to be filed with the School District under Minnesota Statutes, Section 211A.02 available on the School District’s website.  The Clerk must post the report on the School District’s website as soon as possible, but no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the receipt of the report.  The School District must make a report available on the School District’s website for four years from the date the report was posted to the website.  The Clerk must also provide the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board with a link to the section of the website where reports are made available.