SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye School Board unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday, calling for a public hearing for a proposed tax abatement that would help finance a proposed 44-unit, market rate apartment complex on the east edge of Sleepy Eye.

Action came on a motion by board member Casey Coulson, seconded by Bryan Sellner to hold a public hearing and consider a resolution to approve the abatement at the Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 school board meeting.

Sleepy Eye City Manager Bob Elston presented information on the tax abatement he said would help create a $5 million, three-story apartment complex, to be built by Alliance Building Corporation of Sauk Rapids. The project would be built on about six acres of land south of the Kibble Equipment, a John Deere dealer at 1201 Main St. E.

Elston said under the abatement, the school district would give up $30,000 in taxes, $2,000 a year for 15 years, for the project. In addition, Elston said is important for the City of Sleepy Eye to grow and that the City of Sleepy Eye and Brown County would also be part of the tax abatement request.

“I’m asking you to do this because we have job opportunities here but it’s hard to grow an economy when there isn’t enough housing. We’d like to see everybody that works here, live here,” said Elston. “We already have three low-income housing projects. Studies tell us this is what we need. If approved, the project could start next spring and be done by spring 2023.”

Elston said Alliance has completed similar market rate apartment projects in Gaylord, Glencoe, Montevideo, and Paynesville.

“We’re anxious for more housing. This is a good first step,” said Sleepy Eye Supt. John Cselovszki.

The board also:

* Heard a World’s Best Work Force Plan from teacher Samantha Schmit. She said the school district surpasses most plan goals but is working on improving student test scores with an hour-long, after-school program four days a week for students in grades K-8.

* Received no public input at a Truth in Taxation hearing. Last June, the board approved a $1,076,888 fiscal year 2022 tax levy and an $8,083,000 FY 2022 budget. Finance director Amanda Boomgarden said the total tax levy is 4.25% ($47,840) less than the previous year due mostly to less long-term facilities debt and career technical costs.

* Approved hiring Jorge Almanza as a junior high girls basketball coach and Marc Riederer as a junior high boys basketball coach at $2,498, based on participation.

* Approved donations of $1,500 for athletics and weight room programs from Fidelity Charitable on behalf of Brooks and Katie Deibele; $1,980.59 from Lifetime commission for fall pictures; $1,000 from the Sleepy Eye Servicemen’s Club for fine arts and athletics; $30,000 from Marilyn Steinke Stevenson to benefit the Mildred Werring Steinke Memorial Scholarship; $250 from Land O’Lakes to benefit the FFA program; and $19.41 from CAF Charities for elementary field trips and high school student incentives.

* Accepted a donation, amount to be determined from the Friends of Education for playground equipment.

* Heard Supt. Cselovszki report the district had five elementary and three high school students in COVID-19 isolation. He said free home COVID test kits for students and staff were recently ordered and can be picked up by parents at the school when they arrive.

Cselovszki said he attended a school solar grant webinar and that he plans to pursue grant application.

* Elementary Christmas concert dates at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13 for K-4 students and 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20 for grades 5-6.

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