Town Hall Meeting Discusses upcoming school referendum
The Cambridge News
On Tuesday, March 15 a meeting was held to discuss the upcoming vote for the schoold referendum. The purpose of the meeting was to clearly explain, discuss and raise questions communinty members may have dad concerning the issues the referendum repesented. Leading the meeting were Superintendent Ron Dayton, school board president Jeff Notstad and business manager for the school district, Kent Ellickson. Dayton opened the meeting and explained a slide show of information would be presented with a break between eash section taking time to answer questions. Approximately 20 people attended the meeting and few questions were asked. Issues regarding the need for the referendum were discussed, once again underlining the fact that not taxes were being raised - a concern voiced for clarification by community member Cindy Brady. The school board has refinanced the original note on the long-term debt from 1993 projects and has freed up approximately $500,000 the district hopes will be used in certain areas to update curriculum and use for operational expenses and maintenance at the schools. The presentation explained due to the falling enrollment in the Cambridge area and subsequent state cuts, budget concerns have caused the recent faculty and program changes and cutbacks. It is the hope the funds saved from the refinance of the long-term debt can be used to improve the curriculum, purchase new text books and provide the needed repairs to school buildings…