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Board schedules June 5 meeting as district weighs special election, levy options after law changes
Summary
After legislative changes to levy limits and election timing, the board scheduled a June 5 special meeting to review survey results and possible referendum resolutions; staff warned timelines are tight to hold a special election before Aug. 1.
The Jamestown Public School Board on May 19 agreed to a special meeting June 5 to review results of a community survey and consider whether to call a special referendum before state deadline changes take effect Aug. 1.
Superintendent Dr. Luck and board members warned that changes to the North Dakota Century Code passed in the recent legislative session alter which elections school districts may use for referenda and impose a 3 percent growth cap on certain levies, creating planning complexities. The board asked staff to work with bond counsel and the Department of Public Instruction to nail down details if the survey supports a referendum push.
Why it matters: new state rules narrow the permissible election windows for school levies and make some levy increases subject to a 3 percent cap tied to prior dollars or to new‑growth valuation, depending on legal interpretation. The district’s planning team said Jamestown may be in a “middle ground” where it can still call a special election before Aug. 1 but must meet compressed legal and administrative deadlines.
Key points from discussion: the community survey (administered by School Perceptions) is due May 26. Preliminary indicators shared by administration suggested about 60 percent support in the survey sample — a key threshold the administration said it would watch, because a near‑60 percent result may map closely to potential special‑election outcomes. The district’s levy worksheet, prepared for the board, shows several technical choices — including whether to treat new growth as part of the 3 percent base — remain subject to state guidance.
Budget and statutory details: the superintendent walked the board through the levy worksheet showing historical levy practice (the district typically levied about 7 mills) and potential tuition levy calculations that could reach roughly 14 mills if certain prior-year expenditures were used as the base. He also outlined the state’s “gap‑funding” mechanism that makes up the shortfall when a district’s general fund mills fall below the 60‑mill funding benchmark; in the worksheet example the gap‑funding calculation equated to about $4,141,000.
Decision and next steps: the board voted to set a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 5 to consider survey results and, if warranted, to approve resolutions and timelines with bond counsel to hold a special election before Aug. 1. Administration will continue to seek legal clarification from the director of finance at the Department of Public Instruction and will prepare draft resolutions and a timeline for the June 5 meeting.
