School board approves submission to MDE for review of proposed $85 million facilities package

The Minnetonka School Board on March 13 approved administration’s request to submit a review-and-comment document to the Minnesota Department of Education that describes a proposed set of facility projects and would allow the district to pursue a future building bond referendum if the board so chooses.

Paul Bourgeois, executive director of finance and operations, presented the package and said the set of projects the Facilities Task Force prioritized would cost approximately $82,980,000 for facilities plus $2,200,000 for an EPIC security system. Bourgeois said the proposal includes about 80,500 square feet of new construction and 32,500 square feet of heavy renovation across elementary, middle and high school sites.

Why it matters: If district voters later approve a bond referendum based on this or a revised package, the proceeds would be restricted by statute to building acquisition and improvements; they cannot be used for recurring operating expenses. Bourgeois said the estimated tax impact would be modest: about $4.99 per year for a median-valued home ($500,000) and about $8.41 per year for the district’s average-valued home (approximately $772,000). He estimated the levy increase associated with the package would be about $1,849,000 (roughly a 2.64% increase to that debt portion of the levy). The board’s action authorizes submission for state review and comment; it does not place a question on the ballot.

Planned projects listed in the review-and-comment packet - Middle School East and Middle School West: new gymnasiums with performance venues (each with about 750-seat bleachers), four additional science classrooms/labs, reconfigured media center collaborative spaces and a separated bus loop at East to free parking for community events. - Deep Haven Elementary: a new gymnasium at the south end of the building and site work to relocate the playground to accommodate the addition. - Several elementary schools (Clear Springs, Excelsior, Groveland, Minnewashta, Scenic Heights): additional small-group instructional rooms and staff restrooms; Minnewashta’s media center expansion was noted as a priority owing to a smaller existing media footprint. - Minnetonka High School: reconfigured counseling spaces and an addition to the cafeteria to accommodate enrollment growth.

Bourgeois said the package represents a narrowed set of priorities produced by the Facilities Task Force after 15 meetings and community and staff input; earlier estimates and lists had been larger. He described multiple funding approaches that could be used in the future if the board decides to move forward, including a building bond referendum, lease‑purchase mechanisms, use of community education fund balance for specific projects and staged approaches depending on bid results.

Board discussion and vote Board members discussed project priorities, operating-cost estimates and bidding strategies. One board member asked whether bid savings could be applied to items lower on the task force list; Bourgeois said surplus bond proceeds may be used to complete additional projects on the approved list or to reduce bond payments. After discussion, a motion to approve the review-and-comment submission was seconded and carried (motion recorded as approved). Bourgeois and others said the district has not run a building bond referendum since the mid-1990s and that this step is a required procedural review to preserve the option of asking voters in the future.

Sources: Presentation and remarks March 13 by Paul Bourgeois, executive director of finance and operations, and board discussion recorded during the Minnetonka School Board meeting.