During the July Big Lake School Board meeting, Supt. Tim Truebenbach gave an update on the district’s partnership with the Big Lake Food Shelf. 

The food shelf’s lease at city hall will be coming up and they need a new place to relocate. The school district will provide a place for the food shelf, and in turn will work with the food shelf on programming for students to learn about civic engagement and volunteerism. The lease with the food shelf would begin in August of 2027. 

Open Forum

Timothy Meyers spoke during open forum regarding the renewal of the operating levy in 2024. He said that the state gave school districts the ability to renew this levy without voter input, and the Big Lake School Board chose to do so at a cost of $22.4 million. Meyers believed that the board should have asked for a vote on the matter or at the very least sent out a notice to taxpayers. 

Facility Maintenance

The board reviewed and approved the 10 year long term facility maintenance plan (LTFM). This upcoming year, the district will focus mostly on making payments for previously completed work, such as the new roof and the HVAC system, as well as some pay-as-you-go projects, including the swimming pool project. 

Board Chair Tonya Reasoner noted that it was important to make sure, as the plan does, to finish with a positive projected end balance. 

Supt. Truebenbach noted that the plan doesn’t really stay accurate for ten years, and after about two years things will likely change.