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USD 383 board proposes joint city–county–school task force to review workforce housing (RHID) concerns
Summary
Board members proposed forming a multi-jurisdictional task force with city and county representatives to clarify guidelines for RHID workforce-housing projects after the city advanced a project; board members raised cost and resale concerns and discussed preferences for infill and local contractors.
Board President Kristen Bridal outlined a proposal to form a small task force of elected officials and staff from the city, county and the school board to examine workforce housing projects under the RHID process and address community questions and apprehensions.
Bridal said she has met with county commissioners and the mayor and suggested the task force include two city commissioners, two board members and one county commissioner, with a neutral moderator if possible. She said the goal is to “have everybody throw in all their questions and really sit down and dive into what any apprehensions are” and to draft shared guidelines that the three governing bodies could support before individual projects seek approvals.
Board member Christine raised practical cost concerns, describing a basic 1,100-square-foot slab home estimate of roughly $200–$250 per square foot (about $250,000 before land costs) based on local contractor input. Christine also flagged the difficulty of policing resale prices and suggested the task force discuss whether preference should be given to infill development, local developers and whether contracts should include good-faith commitments to use local subcontractors or buy a portion of supplies locally.
Multiple board members expressed support for the task-force approach, noting the city had taken an initial action on an RHID project the prior evening and that the proposed timeline was accelerated. Bridal said district and city staff (Eric and Daniel, the new city manager) would reach out to the county to set a meeting date and that the group might meet multiple times over a six-week period to prepare recommended guidelines for their respective boards.
No formal board action was taken at the meeting; members agreed to proceed with forming the task force and return to their boards with recommendations after the task-force meetings.
