GIBBON — The Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) School Board discussed possible future school bond projects with several consultants Tuesday night.

After extended discussion, the board agreed to mail a community facilities survey and post it online in the coming weeks in an effort to determine what building options school district taxpayers are interested in.

“I see no harm in sending a survey out. We need to know what communities want,” said Fairfax representative Marisa Lee.

Representatives Mike Kuehn of Winthrop and Jason Haas of Gibbon said they liked the survey idea.

“I think we should get information from the people,” Haas said.

Fairfax representative Dan Merkel opposed a building project now.

“Building costs are nearly double now, $20 million more than before (a previous bond issue that failed). Steel is triple. It’s not the right time. I think we’ll save by waiting a year,” Merkel said.

“This isn’t a bid. Maybe some building costs go down, other costs are rising, some rapidly,” said Gary Benson, a Kraus-Anderson Construction project director. “The 70% Ag2School Tax Credit is a real game changer.”

Consultants suggested moving forward now in hopes of an Aug. 22 referendum.

Superintendent Jeff Horton suggested discussing building survey data in April.

In other actions, the board:

• Unanimously approved offering free athletics and activities to students for the 2022-23 academic school year on a motion by Schmidt seconded by Casey Prochniak.

Horton said the district has one-time funds to use in specific ways and using it to pay for sports and activity fees is a way to get more students involved.

• Approved the 2022-23 school calendar with 168 student days and 183 staff days by a 4-2 vote with Schmidt and Lee dissenting. Graduation would be June 3, 2023.

• Unanimously approved a master agreement between the district and Dist. 2365, with 5.46% paraprofessional total package hikes over two years on a motion by Merkel seconded by Schmidt.

• Approved a resolution to immediately terminate a tenured teacher by a 5-1 vote — motion by Kuehn, seconded by Haas. Lee cast the dissenting vote. According to the resolution, a tenured teacher was served a discharge notice on Jan. 12, and the teacher did not request a hearing within the statutory deadline and thus consented to termination of employment.

The board approved hiring Miranda Kelly effective Feb. 8 as middle/high school band director. The former director, Kevin Johnson, told The Journal he notified administration on Nov. 18, 2021, he wanted to take a long-term leave of absence beginning Dec. 17, 2021. Johnson said he wanted to take leave to take care of his 1-year-old son, who became ill at a St. Peter daycare center. He said his wife teaches music at the Cleveland (Minnesota) Public School, where the family lives.

Johnson said his leave of absence request was denied by the administration due to lack of staffing. Johnson said he he did not return to GFW schools to teach when school began Jan. 3 after the holiday break.

“In in the end, I have to do what’s best for me and my family,” Johnson said. “I was told by Superintendent Jeff Horton by email that if I didn’t show up for work Jan. 3, 2022, they’d terminate me.”

Johnson said he chose not to appeal his termination because he didn’t want to return to school to teach music in January.

Since leaving GFW, Johnson said he has taken care of his son, whom he said now has returned to good health. In addition, Johnson said he is giving private piano and guitar lessons in Cleveland.

The board also received donations, including a $120 from the Blackbaud/Ecolab Giving Fund to an anonymous employee/employer.