Prior Lake‑Savage Area Schools board debates levy survey and a $7 million ‘floor’ to maintain services

The Prior Lake‑Savage Area Schools board spent most of its meeting reviewing a draft community survey and levy-size scenarios aimed at informing whether to pursue an operating referendum.

Doctor Thomas, presenting the survey plan, told the board the two-part instrument would verify respondents’ residency before asking two brief substantive questions: priorities for what voters want protected or restored and their willingness to support those priorities financially. Thomas said administration avoided embedding dollar figures in the packet to prevent premature anchoring but will include succinct costing examples and return a revised survey for board review.

Why it matters: administration recommended a $7 million operating-levy option as the ‘‘floor’’ that would preserve current services only after the district implements about $3 million in annual reductions. Thomas…