Schools ask voters to OK multimillion-dollar projects in Tuesday’s special elections

A half-dozen school districts in Minnesota will hold special elections Tuesday asking voters to support multimillion-dollar projects and facilities upgrades.

Most of the school referendums are taking place across northern Minnesota, including Nevis, Osakis, Pequot Lakes, Pine River-Backus and St. Cloud. The southern outlier is Mabel-Canton school district located near the Iowa border.

Another round of special elections is set next month, when more school districts in the southern part of the state will have bond referendums on the ballot.

Here’s what the districts are asking voters to approve Tuesday.

Voters will consider a $41.5 million renovation and expansion of facilities, including a new athletic complex and more space for special education programming.

The district said its facilities are crammed because the student population doubled since most of the school was built in 1987. The only gymnasium, built in 1957, is not enough to support activities and athletics.

After voters rejected two referendums in 2023 amounting to more than $35 million, the district is back with a similar request.

Osakis is now asking for $32.6 million to build two additions, demolish the 80-year-old auditorium and repurpose classrooms.

“No stadium renovation or synthetic turf is proposed,” according to a school district brochure on the project.

A series of two questions will ask voters to back a $55 million bond referendum for security upgrades and deferred maintenance after voters rejected a referendum in 2023.

The district also wants to build an addition for woods, metals, robotics and other trades.

A second question asks voters to approve $600,000 annually for 10 years as a capital projects levy to support textbook materials and technology upgrades.

An $896,000 capital projects levy is going before voters that would invest in technology, equipment and building upgrades. The amount would be installed each year for the next 10 years.

The bond referendum before voters asks for $8.94 million to build a new career and technical education facility as well as tackle deferred maintenance projects.

Two questions will ask voters to support $50 million in upgrades and renovations to Apollo High School, built in 1970 with little changing since 1990.

The second question asks for $15 million to build an indoor athletic facility at Apollo.

Five more school districts will hold special elections May 13.

Windom will ask voters to consider a $27.5 million bond question to upgrade athletic and fine arts facilities.

Fulda is requesting support of a $35.3 million referendum to create a one-building campus for all students in pre-K through grade 12.

Kingsland Public Schools in Spring Valley, about 25 miles south of Rochester, will have a $11.5 million bond request for an addition to the school building.

Chisago Lakes is asking for nearly $64 million to fund security upgrades and deferred maintenance.

Cedar Mountain school district in Morgan, about 30 miles northwest of New Ulm, is asking voters to support a $16.3 million bond to address deferred maintenance.