RTR School Board is asking for another $15 million bond to build 16 additional classrooms, day care center, $1.1 million new fitness center, $2.9 million gym and remodel of the district office.

In 2019, the RTR School Board asked the tax payers for a $35 million bond to build a much-needed new Pre-K through 12 grade facility for 700 students and staff. The school board promised the taxpayers they would not spend more than what the bond was for but they did. During construction, the school board made the decision to add a sport complex at the cost of 4.5 million. They used over $500,000 from the general fund, entered into a lease and used funds for a capital improvements adding more of a tax burden to the taxpayers, because the $4.5 million did not have to go to a vote.

As of Oct. 25, 2023, the school has 695 enrolled students so the school board says it needs to expand because the classrooms have reached their capacity and they foresee additional growth of another 30 students by 2025. Of the 695 students, 528 are RTR District students and 167 are opened enrolled.

What can a school district do when they reach capacity due to open enrolled students?

The following is taken directly from Minnesota State Statues:

2022 Minnesota State Statues 124D.03 Sub Allows a district to Limit Open Enrollment

Subd. 2.Limited enrollment of nonresident pupils. 

(a) A board may, by resolution, limit the enrollment of nonresident pupils in its schools or programs according to this section to a number not less than the lesser of:

(1) one percent of the total enrollment at each grade level in the district; or

(2) the number of district residents at that grade level enrolled in a nonresident district according to this section.

I have done research and have found other districts’ resolutions that do limit open enrollment. A couple to look at are Prior Lake-Savage and Byron. If RTR was expecting growth of more than what was built for they could have been looking at this instead burdening the taxpayers with another $15 million.

Busing was a hot topic at the information meetings for the $35, million bond during the task force meeting. The buses now go into Marshall, Hendricks and other towns to pick up open enrolled students.

How far out are the buses going to go?

What about our district kids that have to ride these buses a long time. It was such a great concern before. Why isn’t it anymore?

Some of our district students are getting on the bus at 6:40 a.m.

Four of the 16 additional classrooms will be designated for a day care center within the school. At the informational meetings the taxpayers were told they want to make affordable day care for the community.

Why should the district pay for this?

Think about the age limits they are going to do as infants will not be included. Infants are the hardest to find day care for. If there are day care issues in Tyler Community maybe a group of people could get together form a non-profit and open a day care in the Family Dollar store that sits empty or even one of the many churches could take on the responsibility instead of school district taxpayers.

Another concern should be the kitchen/lunchroom. Can the what was built for 700 student handle more students plus possible additional day care kids?

Will they be eating earlier or later?

The RTR School now has a fitness center. $1.1million of the bond will include a new addition for a bigger fitness center. The school board says the current fitness center is simply too small to accommodate the growing number of users. The reason they feel they have outgrown the fitness center is in fact because the board accepted Tyler’s Lifefit CrossFit gym’s equipment, hired Lifefit’s coach and now there isn’t room for this equipment or the type of workouts which they do

The fitness center they have now will be remodeled into new district offices.

Another $2.9 million of this new bond will be spent on another gym/storm shelter. The district went from three full courts to five full courts when they built the new building. They now feel they still need more gym space. Recently, Minnesota changed the statues requiring school districts to build different storm shelters if the do any building. RTR does have a storm shelter. The competition gym is the storm shelter so there is one and they are not required to build a storm shelter

Please do your own research on how another $15 million will impact your real estate taxes along with other Levy’s, property values or other bonds.

The following are a few I know of:

• 2024 proposed property tax Levy for Lincoln County is set at an increase of 6%

• City of Tyler’s is increasing by 34%

• City of Ruthton is looking at a much-needed Infrastructure improvement of $9.9 Million over the next several years.

The AG to School Credit is a great credit for farmers with farmland, but it still hits our farm sites/acreages.

The estimate for this new building project is $15,654,981.

We need to ask where will the $654,981 be coming from if this is what they will spend?

Capital Improvements so this will hit our taxes also or more taken from general revenue fund?

If this new $15 million bond passes, the RTR School District will be in debt over $53,000,000 plus interest

We have barely put a dent into paying back the first $35 million bond and the $4.5 million for the sports complex. Now they want to start digging up the new cement and grounds around the school. Such a waste of tax payers money.

Growth for the school district don’t get me wrong, but when will the spending stop? RTR School District has had a strong fund balance for many, many years even before this administration. I worked on their Audit years ago and that is one thing mentioned each year.

There are people that live on fixed income and the school board has a lot of information that says your taxes will only go up this much. Maybe these people can’t afford anymore expenses.

We have a beautiful school now, why start digging up ground, disrupting school when the board has an option?

Do your research and be sure to vote Tuesday Nov. 7 from 4-8 p.m.

— Tami M Nelson is a Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School District taxpayer and former school board member