GIBBON — After several rounds of bonding referendums have failed, Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) school district voters will have a chance to determine the fate of a two-question, $70 million bond referendum Tuesday, April 11.

Question 1 asks voters to approve a $55 million, centrally located 7-12 school as a first step for eventual transition to a PreK-12 school. This option would result in two operating school buildings in the district. Long-term facilities maintenance funds and other funding would be used to repair the elementary school.

Question 2 asks voters to for an additional $14.9 million to build a centralized PreK-12 school, resulting in one school in the district. With savings due to operating a single site, the district would allow voters to consider revoking and replacing the current operating levy to offset costs and pass savings to taxpayers with a November 2023 election.

In-person voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. takes place at three polling places — The Gibbon Municipal Building, 985 1st Avenue, Gibbon; the Fairfax Community Center, 300 Park Street South and the Winthrop Fire Department, 2 Main Street North.

The Gibbon site serves voters in Gibbon; Moltke, Severance, Cornish and Grafton Townships in Sibley County; West Newton, Lafayette and Bernadotte Townships in Nicollet County; and Round Grove Township in McLeod County.

The Fairfax Community Center serves the City of Fairfax; Wellington, Cairo, Bandon and Camp Townships in Renville County; and Ridgely Township in Nicollet County.

The Winthrop Fire Dept. serves the City of Winthrop; Bismarck, Transit and Alfsborg Townships in Sibley County; and Penn Township in McLeod County.

Facilities at GFW are now safe but need attention. A recent facilities assessment found facility conditions are poor, approaching critical in Gibbon and Fairfax, according to GFW bond referendum information.

The cost to fix current facilities is 71.8% of the cost to build a new PreK-12 building and would be more costly if all educational adequacy issues are addressed, according to referendum information.

The Ag2School Tax Credit is a state law with strong bipartisan support that offsets 70% of facility bond costs to agricultural property. At the current rate, the Ag2School Tax Credit would cover 50% of the total bond cost for a PreK-12 facility and 71% of the GFW tax base is eligible for the credit. Gov. Walz and a large number of legislators support hiking the Ag2School Tax Credit to 80%.

Online voting registration is available with a Minnesota driver’s license, Minnesota identification card number or the last four numbers of your Social Security number at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote.

Voters must be a U.S. Citizen, be at least 18 years old on Election Day, a Minnesota resident for 20 days and completed all parts of any felony sentence, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State Office. Visit sos.state.mn.us for more information.

For more referendum information, visit gfwschools.org/page/referendum2023.