Pequot Lakes School District Proposes Multimillion-Dollar Referendum

A potential referendum may be on the horizon for the Pequot Lakes School District.

Expansion and renovation – among other matters – could be in the district’s near future. Those plans have been a talking point for the school board for quite some time.

“Back in January of 2022, this district started to develop a very detailed, long-term facilities maintenance plan and also looking forward to our future of what our needs are,” said Pequot Lakes Superintendent Kurt Stumpf.

The proposal will pose two questions to eligible voters, the first of which would be for approving a $55 million bond referendum tailored towards expanding instructional spaces, completing maintenance, bolstering safety and security, and adding new space for career, technical, and trades education.

“Making sure that a class like Food Science can be taught in either a science classroom or a culinary space,” gave Pequot Lakes Middle School Principal Mike O’Neil as an example. “That would be far more appropriate than a classroom without adequate plug-ins, without running water, and some the things that we have to navigate on a daily basis and quite frankly has become the norm.”

The second question in the proposal is for a 10-year, $600,000 annual capital projects levy, which would supporting textbooks, instructional materials, and technology.

“We had presented some of the ideas of the referendum to students,” said Pequot Lakes High School Principal Aaron Nelson. “Students definitely have some concerns – maybe even call the complaints – about the current facility and the needs, or the lack of facility needs. One of the areas that the students will talk about is the lunchroom.”

“A cafeteria that’s congested leads to kids being a little more stressed, a little less access to food in a timely manner,” O’Neil added.

Between 2023 and today, the Pequot Lakes School District has held over 20 school community meetings regarding the proposed referendum while also surveying hundreds of residents all in an effort to create the best proposal. But neither those surveys nor the Minnesota Department of Education’s favorable review of the referendum will serve as the final verdict.

“There will be an opportunity for our voters to have input on this referendum, and [we] certainly look forward to hearing their opinions,” Nelson stated.

“Click around in the district webpage,” O’Neil said. “Pick up the phone and call the office, request a tour so that people can be informed when they make that vote. Get out and vote, and be informed when you make the vote.”

Voters in the Pequot Lakes School District can vote on the proposed referendum on April 8th or submit an absentee ballot from now through April 7th. More details from the district on the referendum can be found here.