Two more area school levy referendum results

Lac qui Parle Valley passed 484-118, 80% yes.

Montevideo failed 913-807.

Results from other Rural Minnesota school district referendum votes are published in this week's November 5 Hoffman Tribune issue.

Putting things into perspective for folks at West Central Area...read the following list. WCA ranks near the bottom of average teacher salary. (2006-2007 figures posted)

The communities of Wheaton, Battle Lake, Hancock, Ortonville, Osakis, Parkers Prairie, Underwood, Ashby, Evansville, Cyrus, and Herman-Norcross (all smaller districts than WCA) are the area districts with a lower average teacher salary in 2006-2007.


Sauk Centre = 55,123
Melrose = 53,121
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa = 52,245
Alexandria = 50,735
Minnewaska = 50,387
St.Cloud schools = 50,170
Albany = 50,331
Rocori = 49,759
New London-Spicer = 49,177
Paynesville = 49,122
Montevideo = 48,269
Maccray = 47,182
Morris Area = 47,060
Holdingford = 47,045
Brandon = 46,793
Breckenridge = 46,739
Litchfield = 46,337
Fergus Falls = 46,290
Rockford = 45,654
Upsala = 45,645
Benson = 45,374
YME = 45,178
Kimball = 45,064
Pierz = 44,701
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle = 44,611
Royalton = 44,547
C-G-B = 44,340
Willmar = 43,934
K-M-S = 43,904
Dawson-Boyd = 43,287
West Central Area = 43,227
Wheaton = 43,072
Hancock = 42,672
Eden Valley-Watkins = 42,545
Marshall = 42,554
Battle Lake = 42,500
Ortonville = 42,078
Swanville = 42,013
Renville County West = 41,800
A-C-GC = 41,493
Howard Lake-W-W = 41,092
Browerville = 41,049
Osakis = 41,007
Parkers Prairie = 40,450
Minneota = 40,447
Maple Lake = 40,462
Underwood = 39,994
Ashby = 38,589
Evansville = 37,937
Cyrus = 35,860
Herman-Norcross = 34,594

WCA Levy referendum fails

The final tally was 497 yes to 571 no.

A total of 979 people voted in person; the remaining votes were tallied from absentee voters.

Levies passed in Cyrus, Brandon, Ulen-Hitterdahl, and Detroit Lakes. A levy vote failed in Perham.

Video clip at 9:39pm, the voting machine is printing out the vote tally ticket.


Video clip a couple minutes later, after the final vote was read by all members of the voting judges team.


Photos from the evening, click to enlarge

Heavy turnout reported at the Levy referendum polling site at the WCA High School

Over 750 people have voted as the evening was starting.

Polls close at 8:00pm.

*Coming tonight (Tuesday) - live updates from the WCA Levy vote tallying

The editor will be at the WCA High School after the polls close to see what the results are! Stay tuned.

Alexandria Blizzard hockey team faces off with U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team last Wednesday night (video clips added)

Click to enlarge the pictures.






Following the hockey game, won by the Blizzard, an autograph signing session was held with area youth and members of the Women's and Blizzard hockey teams.



The editor attended the event and was impressed by the packed crowd who attended last Wednesday night!

Photos from Friday

Additional points to consider on the WCA Levy Vote

Point 1: the school district went to one voting poll, verusus five, to save money. It is an example of how serious they are about doing what's best for property taxpayers. Voting at the high school saves the district at least $4,000.

Point 2: the school district was put behind the 8-ball in May 2006, when it was discovered that the Minnesota Department of Education made a computation error that cost the district over $150,000.

Point 3: WCA is lucky to have the great administrative team that it has - it ranks 163 out of the 182 schools in Minnesota under 1,000 in enrollment for administrative costs.

Point 4: "welfare" programs for a school district do not exist - revenue comes from taxpayers only, expenses are largely through paying teachers. If schools can offer an education they obviously need teachers! *so the school has a huge heating bill? Sorry, there's no "heating fund" to help out. *there's no "food shelf" for a school district in need of more funds.

Point 5: WCA already ranks among the lowest in the area for teacher pay. Their average pay is about $9,000 less per teacher than Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, a district equal in size and property wealth to WCA.

Point 6: WCA does think outside the box
1) they hired Dr. Cheney at 3 days a week in 2006
2) they studied sharing a superintendent with Morris Area (Morris
turned down the idea)
3) they moved the 5th-6th grade to the Barrett facility, a move that
will save over #370,000 per year *this move was unpopular with
many (short-sighted and un-informed) parents but it will
save taxpayers a large pot of money every year, the district
sided with taxpayers, even though it was an unpopular move at the time
4) they employed an administrative pay freeze last summer, what
other districts have done this? I can't think of one.

Point 7: WCA has been seriously underfunded in the area of special education.
-$380,000 deficit from 2000 to 2006 in special education, something
the school has no control over.

So to those who think "WCA was asleep at the wheel with special education spending" - I have to ask: "Do you think that WCA has a choice as to what kids can enter the district?" Another question: "What is the Christian thing to do with our special education kids?"

The people of West Central Area like to think of themselves as good, Christian folks. I guess I'll find out if that's true or not next Tuesday after the vote is tallied. A good, Christian person would not whine and complain about helping take care of children with disabilities or special needs.