Grand Forks Public Schools showcases buildings needing improvements ahead of Tuesday’s election
"Our intent is to combine the dollars that we receive to address HVAC issues, to address accessibility issues with bathrooms, to address just general disparity where we have locker rooms that aren't next to gymnasiums,"
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR) — The Grand Forks school board is calling on people to vote in a special election that will help fund improvements throughout the district.
After failing to pass an 86 million dollar referendum in June, the Grand Forks school district is inviting parents and community members to take an up close look at why the facilities are in desperate need of funding the special election
“We’ve opened up all of our 18 schools so that our community members can come in; see, feel, touch, smell what our environments are like. What we have in our school district is we have some inequities in our school,” Grand Forks School District Superintendent, Dr. Terry Brenner said.
Some of those inequities are issues with the HVAC system not allowing adequate air flow for students and staff.
“We have 60 to 65 percent of our students who don’t have air conditioning whereas the others do. So, on any given day standing in front of Valley Middle School for example in this upper A wing on any given day when its 75 to 80 degrees outside our classrooms are 90 degrees. It’s just not humane to try to have a teaching and learning environment,” Brenner.
“Our intent is to combine the dollars that we receive to address HVAC issues, to address accessibility issues with bathrooms, to address just general disparity where we have locker rooms that aren’t next to gymnasiums,” Grand Forks Public Schools Buildings Director, Chris Arnold said.
If the referendum passes for the improvements, Brenner says it won’t be much out of taxpayer dollars.
“The assessed value is going to cost the taxpayer $3.75 a month. So at 250 to 300 thousand dollars assessed value property.That’s going to be right under $10 a month,” said Brenner.
Brenner says if the vote fails, the struggle for the district will be prominent.
“If the vote fails they’ll be some hurt if we don’t get the 60 percent next Tuesday,” added Brenner.
The special election will be held at the Alerus Center on Tuesday from 7 to 7.
