Mayor urges volunteers to support school repairs; local group to run Isanti Illuminate

Mayor Luke Mayer opened the meeting by addressing the recent school referendum, acknowledging that the community voted against the measure while noting that 40% of voters supported school improvements. He urged residents willing to donate labor or funds to step forward and said he has begun gathering names of tradespeople who could help with needed repairs outside of formal city capacity.

"If any additional tradesmen or donors would like to get involved, I'9d like to continue to help gather resources personally, not in a city capacity," Mayer said.

Several public commenters responded. Janet Schock, a veteran, said she had approached the mayor privately about his tone and urged him to apologize to members of the community; Mayer replied, "I apologize for those things, but not all of them because I represent the people that elected me," and offered to continue the conversation by phone.

Community volunteers also described plans to continue the city'9s holiday lights tradition. Erica Zadan said a volunteer group — which she identified as taking stewardship of the event and fundraising — had scheduled the event for Dec. 11 with lights flipping on at 5:30 p.m. and hosts present in the evening. The group said it used much of the same lights the city had purchased and has funded and erected displays largely with volunteer labor.

The council accepted the volunteer group'9s partnership in principle and asked staff to post meeting notices when necessary if council members participate on an evening that could create a quorum.

The mayor'9s remarks and the volunteers'9; offer mark a quick pivot to community‑led efforts after the referendum outcome; the mayor said he will focus on working with volunteers and donors to address school needs.