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Superintendent proposes neighborhood meetings and survey to gauge support for possible funding request
Summary
Superintendent Doctor Schmidt proposed a district-wide outreach plan of multiple small community meetings across Gilbert, Elba and Virginia plus targeted civic-group interviews and a mailed/online survey to learn whether voters believe promises from consolidation were kept and whether they would support additional funding. The board asked staff to return with more details at the next meeting.
Superintendent Doctor Schmidt asked the board to consider a structured public-engagement process to learn whether the community would support a future funding request. Schmidt described a multi-part approach of small-group community meetings, targeted meetings with civic organizations, and a district-wide survey to reach residents who do not typically speak at board meetings.
"Maybe we should take a look at asking the voters for more money," Schmidt said, describing the plan as exploratory and requesting board guidance rather than immediate authorization. He recommended holding multiple small sessions (for example, six meetings spread among Gilbert, Elba and Virginia) and conducting morning, noon and evening times to reach different schedules. He said the process would aim for in-depth feedback from groups of two to 10 people rather than large assemblies and that staff would prepare a draft survey and report back with recommended next steps and a likely January timeline.
Board members expressed broad support for outreach and noted benefits including better public education about the district's financial situation and targeted feedback to inform any eventual ballot measure. One board member suggested a work-study session if members wanted more time to review the draft plan; others said they supported staff moving forward and requested more detail at the next meeting.
Schmidt also said the process would include outreach to civic organizations (Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Rotary) and possibly city councils and that results would help the district decide whether and how to present a funding question to voters. The superintendent emphasized that the outreach would help the board "get past the people who are talking the loudest" and better understand what the broader community thinks.
The board did not take a formal vote to proceed; Schmidt said he would return with more detail and suggested the board could choose a green/yellow/red decision at the next meeting once staff presented costs and a survey plan.
