The School Board of Independent School District 88, New Ulm, passed a motion Thursday night to help finance the proposed city recreation complex if the voters of New Ulm and School District 88 pass a bond issue to build one.

The motion that passed, reads as follows:

The Board of Education of School District 88, New Ulm, expresses a willingness to cooperate and participate financially with the city of New Ulm in the building and operation of a community recreation complex. School District 88 will cooperate through the process of special legislation,which will enable School District 88 to utilize their debt account, in an amount to be determined in the future, for the capital financing of this complex. School District 88 will operate within the laws and regulations of the state of Minnesota and State Department of Education in the cooperative situation.

THE MEETING Thursday was attended by Bob Ehlers, a representative of Ehlers and Associates, a Minneapolis bonding consulting firm, and Dick Salvati, New Ulm city manager. According to Salvati, “The city would like to see the proposal go forward as truly a joint proposal between the city of New Ulm and the school district. The city would like a cooperative venture.”‘

The motion passed unanimously and the next step will be for representatives of School District 88 and the city council of New Ulm to meet and work out a joint powers agreement to help guarantee what facilities will be available, what ownership each will have, plus other contractual items.

MONEY TO BE used for the recreation complex, if a bond issue is passed by the voters, will come from the debt service account. That account is $12-14 million away from the levy limit and capital for the project will be determined through negotiations with the city and school board representatives. The school district has four ways to levy taxes, but the levy limit has been reached in the maintenance, transportation and capital out lay funds. Most discussion Thursday night considered 60 percent of the project paid for by the city of New Ulm, with 40 percent by the school district, although no official agreement was reached. This will be decided in the joint powers agreement. If, for example, the school district paid 40 per cent of the cost, it would mean the cost to a property owner in New Ulm, based on an average cost of a home assessed at between $20-25,000, would be about $50-60 a year for 20 years to pay for the facility. Cost of the proposed recreation center is estimated at $3.8 million.

THE BOARD decided to enter into the project because of the use the School District 88 will get out of the center. “It will greatly help solve problems for equal facilities for male and female athletics,” Jay Marti of the board commented.

Use of the building can be very compatible, according to the board, because education needs would be met mostly during the day time hours, while the city needs would be mostly recreation in the evening and weekends.

IF A BOND issue comes to a vote, which probably would be in January or February, according to Salvati, a bill will have to be passed in the state legislature providing for the establishment of a joint recreation program between the city and the school district. The bill will have a better chance of passage if area state legislators know the feeling of the city and school district, through a vote. If a vote is held before the bill comes up before the legislature and is passed, chances are the bill will pass in the state legislature. More discussion will be held at the next board meeting, set for Nov. 21. At that time, percentage of cost to be incurred by the school district will be discussed.