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Residents share personal accounts and urge 'yes' votes on Cambridge-Isanti school referendum
Summary
Multiple residents gave emotional testimony in support of the Cambridge-Isanti school referendum, citing a fractured light fixture incident at Isanti Middle School and personal memories of school programs. The council encouraged turnout on Nov. 4 and had invited the district to report but it could not attend tonight's meeting.
Several residents told the Committee of the Whole that the upcoming Cambridge-Isanti school referendum merits voter support.
Katie Heinrichs, a parent and local business manager, said a light fixture exploded during middle-school practice and students evacuated into the cold, an experience she described as "the scariest moment of my life." She said the incident illustrated aging infrastructure and said she voted "yes" twice that day on referendum questions.
"That's why I voted yes twice today," Heinrichs said, adding that preventative maintenance is no longer sufficient and upgrades are needed.
Robert Stone Jr., who graduated from the district, recounted supports he received from school staff and extracurricular programs and said he voted yes on the referendum to preserve facilities and programs for future students. "You can't put a price tag on that," he said, urging others to vote Nov. 4.
The committee noted the district could not attend the meeting because of a 6 p.m. school tour; the council said it had asked the district to provide a report and encouraged residents to attend public outreach opportunities before Election Day.
No formal council action was taken on the referendum at this meeting.
