Future for Perham-Dent Schools in the Hands of Voters

The future for the Perham–Dent School District is back in the hands of its voters.

Just this year Perham High School turned 100 years old, and that’s exactly why they say the referendum needs to pass.

The $45 million dollar plan is about $13 million less than its last referendum in May which lost 55 to 45 percent.

This time around, the referendum was developed by a community task force.

The plan includes a new high school, new preschool, and renovations for the current middle school.

The second question on the ballot is a new $6 million dollar auditorium for the new high school.

“There are a lot of factors in play. The high school gets the most attention just the fact that it turned 100 years old this year, so we’re continuing to dump money into a building that has probably met its prime and gone beyond that,” says Perham-Dent Superintendent, Mitch Anderson. 

Anderson says if the referendum passes, KLN plans to bid on the current high school.

The company would like to renovate the school into a community building which would include day and evening daycare for shift workers in the area.

The superintendent says they’ve stressed the lowest tax impact possible.

If the $45 million dollar referendum passes the tax impact would be $124 for a $150,000 home.

The $6 million auditorium would have a tax impact of $30 a year.