Bond campaign updated at recent LM board meeting
by Cynthia Petersen Correspondent · July 19th, 2018


The Linn-Mar school board held a meeting July 9, in which the first half of the work session was closed to the public. When the meeting was re-opened, District Communications Director Matthew May gave an update about the bond campaign.

Board members discussed how to attract more voters to the polls through satellite and absentee ballots. Members also discussed topics that would enhance their efforts to show the voters how important the bond issue is to the future of the Linn-Mar Community School District and potential over-crowding.

The proposed bond issue to build two 5th-6th grade intermediate schools will be voted on Sept. 11. In addition to the construction of two intermediate schools, the district would restructure to a new grade format, PK/K-4; 5-6; 7-8; and 9-12, for the 2020-21 school year.

J.T Anderson, chief financial/operating officer, was sworn in as board secretary at the meeting by board president Sondra Nelson.

The board secretary position became open when Angela Morrison resigned at the end of the school year. Aspects of the position will be decided on by the board at the annual meeting in September.

Anderson started at Linn-Mar in May of 2013 as the chief financial officer. He has also served as board treasurer for Linn-Mar the last five years.

Before coming to Linn-Mar, he served for five years as the business manager/board secretary at Grinnell-Newburg Community School District. Prior to that, Anderson worked in public accounting doing audit and tax work. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2004, and obtained his CPA designation in 2006.

After the approval of the staff handbook and harassment brochures were approved, board members were asked to choose which issues they thought should be legislative priorities for the coming school year.

Members discussed the importance of each and decided on the following:

Special Education - State

Supports predictable and timely state funding to serve students receiving special education services at a level that reflects the actual cost including educational

programming and health care costs.

Supplemental State Aid

Supports setting supplemental state aid: a) for FY 2019 by Jan. 31, 2018; b) for FY 2020 and future budget years at least 14 months prior to the certification of the school's district budgets, and c) at a rate that sufficiently supports local districts' efforts to plan, create, and sustain world-class schools. Supports a formula-driven method for establishing the supplemental state aid growth rate if it is not set within the statutory requirements.

Unfunded Mandates

Opposes any new mandate that does not provide sufficient and sustainable funding for successful implementation.

Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE)

Supports repeal of the Dec. 31, 2029, sunset on the statewide penny sales tax for school infrastructure. Supports preserving the integrity of the statewide penny sales tax for school infrastructure including the tax equity provisions in the following manner: a) no diversions or expansions of allowable uses prior to the current 2029 sunset date and b) continued growth in the per pupil amount beyond the 2029 sunset date.

Bond Issues

Supports allowing school bond issues to be passed by a simple majority vote. Supports the authority to levy a combination of property taxes and income surtaxes to pay the indebtedness. Supports legislation to clarify that revenue bonds do not count toward a 5% statutory debt limit.

Before adjourning, members discussed the open enrollment requests and those denied. As one member pointed out, part of the decision to allow students from other districts to come to Linn-Mar District rests on how much room is available in that particular school, and many of the buildings are close to capacity.

The next board meeting will be held Aug. 13 at 5 p.m.