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Pequot Lakes board approves Wrap Strategies contract, authorizes scientific survey amid messaging debate
Summary
After voting to place a referendum on the November ballot, the Pequot Lakes board approved a contract with Wrap Strategies for outreach and a $20,000 scientific survey with Morris Leatherman Company to test messages; some board members questioned cost and timing before the 4'0'03 survey vote.
The Pequot Lakes Public Schools board approved two contracts to support outreach for the operating referendum it placed on the November ballot: a contract with Wrap Strategies for communications work and a separate proposal with Morris Leatherman Company for a scientific survey of district residents.
The board first approved the Wrap Strategies contract after the chair called for a motion (motion by Pamela; second by Ross). Todd Raff of Wrap Strategies (speaker 11) described the firm's prior work with the district, the monthly fee structure and the services that include required mailings to voters and community outreach. The board voted in favor and the motion carried.
Later the board debated a $20,000 proposal from Morris Leatherman Company to run a randomly sampled, scientifically-based phone survey of roughly 400 district residents. Peter Leatherman (speaker 4) told the board the survey would test core messaging, 'atmospherics' such as trust levels and property-tax hostility, and provide post-testing to measure shifts in support. He estimated a timeline that would have draft questions in a week or two and results available in mid-August, which the board could use to refine outreach before the November election.
Supporters argued the survey would help the district target persuadable voters, measure trust and reduce the risk of drop-off in turnout among supporters. Opponents questioned the expense and whether the window between mid-August results and November is sufficient to change voter behavior. One board member said the community is generally opposed to tax increases and expressed skepticism about buying survey data.
On the roll call for the survey contract the board approved the measure by a 4'0' 3 vote. The board discussed using assigned one-time funds to pay the survey cost and noted other related line items for legal and PTMA services, printing and mailings that bring the near-term outreach budget estimate nearer to $50,000 if multiple mailings are needed.
Board members agreed to form an ad-hoc committee (no more than three members to avoid a quorum) to work with the consultants on draft survey questions and messaging. Consultants advised quick follow-up meetings to finalize questions and begin outreach planning for the August timeframe.
The board then moved on to other agenda items.
