Comfrey,

Sleepy Eye OK levies

GFW vote fails

By TONY ZIEBOL

Journal Staff Writer

As with any election, there are those that go home happy and those that go home scratching their heads.

Tuesday was a very important election day for three area school districts as voters decided the fate of three different referendums.

Unofficially, the referendums at Sleepy Eye Public Schools and Comfrey Public School passed, while a third at GFW Schools failed in an extremely close vote.

SLEEPY EYE

718- yes 574 - no

A large turnout, 1,292 people, showed up to vote for Sleepy Eye's referendum, which is a $350 per pupil unit excess levy for a period of five years.

Although it was fairly close, the referendum passed by a 718-574 margin.

Superintendent Jay Haugen has said the money is needed to keep the schools competitive, prevent future budget cuts and to ensure the students in Sleepy Eye Public Schools have the best education possible.

If the referendum would have failed, members of the school board had said large budge cuts would've been made next Spring.

According to Haugen, the worst cut would have been shortening the school day by one hour, which would mean students would lose 170 class hours per year.

The passed referendum eliminates those worries, and Haugen was obviously pleased after the votes were counted.

"We were very hopeful (that the referendum would pass)," Haugen said. "It's a very supporting community. The people know (the school) is good for the community.

"(Sleepy Eye Public Schools will) keep moving ahead."

GFW

730 - no 639 - yes

Officials at GFW schools had less to cheer about.

In an even closer vote at GFW schools, the $464 per student operating levy referendum failed to pass by a margin of 730-639.

Officials at GFW have already had to make large budget cuts the last couple of years, and had hoped to put an end to that practice.

Superintendent Stephen Malone said GFW had to reduce spending by $400,000 this year alone.

GFW schools had kept certain programs alive by dipping into the fund balance, but that money is now gone.

A successful referendum would have allowed much-needed money to go to existing programs, bringing back programs that were lost due to budget cuts last year and make much-needed improvements to the school that have been delayed.

These improvements include replacing the school roofs that need repair, finishing the security camera system and resurfacing the track.

The failed referendum could force the school board to reduce the budget by another $150,000 in Spring of 2000.

COMFREY

229- yes 91 - no

The Comfrey Public School won't have that problem, though, as it passed its referendum by a vote of 229 to 91.

Superintendent Bob Meyer of the Comfrey Public School said the school wanted to renew its current operating referendum that the school district had been under.

Since 1990, the district has had 10-year levy operating referendum, but it was to expire June 30, 2000.

The money from the previous referendum was running out, and Meyer said the current referendum money will go to general operational needs such as maintenance, salaries and transportation.