The Tri‑City United School District board voted 5–1 to pursue a capital levy bond referendum on May 12, 2026, for $39,999,000 and authorized staff to submit materials to the Minnesota Department of Education for review and comment.

The motion to pursue the referendum was made by Trevor Hone and seconded by Marsha Craft. The board discussed whether to change the scope of the requested work rather than the dollar amount, including one suggestion to swap an auditorium renovation at Montgomery for a greenhouse and CTE (career and technical education) addition at the high school. Board members also raised concerns that the district is asking for essentially the same dollar amount that failed in a previous referendum, and cautioned about public perception of “needs” versus “wants.”

A facilities task force that reviewed the proposal, according to remarks in the meeting, recommended keeping the dollar figure unchanged; proponents argued much of the package is infrastructure work that cannot be easily deferred. One board member said, “May is your last opportunity to get what you want,” urging the board to present a single clear ask rather than splitting the request.

District staff told the board that, under state law, the district would have five years after a successful referendum to spend the approved authority; staff also noted some infrastructure items could be funded by board authority without a referendum (lease levy/LTFM), but that the May referendum is the most direct route to the full package the district wants to complete. The board was advised the review‑and‑comment packet for MDE is due in early January; staff plan further scenarios for financing and scope at an upcoming facilities meeting.

The motion carried 5–1. The board will continue outreach and planning ahead of the May 12, 2026 ballot date.