Hello,

 

As board president, I wanted to give district residents an update on our bond plans. For those residents that are hearing about this for the first time, information can be obtained from our district office. 

 

The board had a professional survey company perform a survey regarding the support of a new gym, cooling system at the elementary, retrofitting the current gym to auditorium, new Ag education room, new wrestling and weight rooms.  The survey also asked about the educational value delivered by the district.

 

The results were mixed. On the bond issue, the survey indicated that if it went to a vote, it only had a support percentage of about 45%. In Iowa, a bond needs 60% to pass.  The survey company recommends we do not go to vote without some changes to the plan. The board recognizes we have more work to do to either justify the increased taxes or find a way to lower the cost. 

 

On the educational value of the district and financial stewardship, we had on average a percentile score of 70+ that indicates that LM is trusted and recommended for education. Also, residents believe the board is financially responsible with the resources that we have. The board, administration and staff appreciate that feedback and will continue to strive to keep LM at a high level of trust when it comes to our students and parents.