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Rushford-Peterson board calls $24.015 million bond election for Feb. 10, 2026
Summary
The Rushford-Peterson School Board adopted a resolution calling a special election on Feb. 10, 2026, asking voters to authorize up to $24,015,000 in general obligation school building bonds to fund security upgrades, a storm shelter, classroom and gym additions, FACS lab updates, a vehicle maintenance facility and deferred maintenance projects.
The Rushford-Peterson School Board on Nov. 17 adopted a resolution calling a special election for Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, to ask district voters to approve up to $24,015,000 in general obligation school building bonds.
The bond package described in the board’s resolution would fund acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including upgrades to security systems; construction and equipping of additions (a storm shelter, elementary and high school classrooms, a gymnasium, flexible learning spaces and daycare rooms); renovations to the family and consumer sciences lab; construction and equipping of a vehicle maintenance facility; restroom and lighting upgrades; and completion of deferred maintenance projects districtwide.
The resolution in the board packet states the district has received a positive Commissioner of Education Review and Comment required under Minnesota Statutes and sets administrative steps required for the referendum: publication of the Commissioner’s review, mailing of combined polling place notices, coordination with county auditors and municipal polling places, posting of sample ballots and notices, testing of optical-scan equipment, and establishment of a ballot board to process absentee ballots.
The election is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026, with polling open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The ballot language included in the packet reads in part: “Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 239 (Rushford-Peterson Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $24,015,000 …?” The packet also warns that a “Yes” vote results in a property tax increase.
The resolution text in the packet records that the motion for adoption was seconded and that, on roll call, the resolution was declared duly passed and adopted; specific roll-call tallies and the names of mover/second are left blank in the printed extract and therefore are not specified in the public packet.
Next steps spelled out in the board materials include publishing the Commissioner’s review in the district’s legal newspaper within statutorily required timeframes, mailing combined polling-place notices to affected households, coordinating with county election officials on polling places and absentee ballots, posting a sample ballot at the administrative offices, arranging equipment testing at least three days before the election, and assembling a ballot board to canvass results between three and ten days after the vote.
If approved by voters, the bonds would permit the district to begin the specified capital projects; the resolution notes actions to comply with Minnesota statutes governing school district bond referenda.
