×

School board to close Fairfax school

GIBBON — After a resolution to close the Gibbon Primary school failed by a 4-2 vote, the Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) School Board approved a resolution to close the Fairfax Intermediate School at the end of the 2019-2020 school by a 4-2 vote Friday.

The resolution to close the Fairfax school came on a motion by Winthrop board member Mike Kuehn, seconded by Gibbon board member Jason Haas. Fairfax board members Becky Vos and Marisa Lee voted against the measure.

“I’m voting no. I completely disagree, but I’ll still support the school and school district,” Vos said before the board roll call vote.

Minutes earlier, a resolution to close the Gibbon school came on a motion by Lee, seconded by Vos. The other four board members, including Gibbon board member Kelsey Odegard, voted against the resolution.

Prior to that vote, Vos said closing the Gibbon school would have enabled the school district to receive an extra $250,000 in free utilities from the City of Fairfax for the Fairfax school, for up to four years.

“We’d be on a faster path to getting what kids need. We know we’d get that (City of Fairfax utilities) money for sure,” Vos said. “We have long-term facilties maintenance money to use on buildings too.”

Odegard explained that when she voted against a resolution to close the Fairfax school that ended in a 3-3 deadlock on Feb. 24, she said she really didn’t want to close the Gibbon school, she just had more questions about it.

“I asked Superintendent Lonnie Seifert a few questions, and he quickly answered them,” Odegard said. “If you have questions, you need to get off Facebook and ask Lonnie. Social media can wreck a school district. That’s the honest truth.”

Earlier in the meeting, Vos thanked school district administration for working “non stop” to help the board make a school closure decision. She also thanked the school board.

“I didn’t realize when I signed up for this that it completely takes over your life,” Vos said.

Haas said two-thirds of the Gibbon school was remodeled in 1998 and questioned shutting it down.

“We all realize we’ll lose students closing a school. If we lose pre-school and kindergartners, we’ll never get them back,” Kuehn said.

Student board representative Baleigh Peterson of Gibbon said she talked to a number of students from each town about the school district and was told it was important for the school district to stick together.

“Stop the bickering and negativity. If you’re religious like me, say a prayer tonight,” she said a student told her.

Seifert said the school district was approached by an individual interested in buying school district buildings. After looking at them, the person was more interested in the Fairfax building. The Gibbon building was too small and close to the highway, according to the interested person. The person was not interested in the Winthrop school.

“The individual said they would lease the Fairfax gym back to the school district. This is very preliminary, exploratory,” Seifert said.

In addition, Seifert said the school board decision to close the Fairfax school will be relayed to the Minnesota Department of Education for a recommendation on the school district’s statutory operating debt plan. The plan is to be forwarded to the Minnesota education commissioner for approval.

Seifert said the school district needs a plan to hold an operating levy referendum, followed by a bond referendum at a later date.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today