WINONA, Minn. – The Winona school Board voted 5-2 to borrow $16 million to install air-conditioning in its two 90-year-old Winona grade schools. The new systems will help address Covid risks by systemically exchanging air. The dissenters – Steve Schild and Tina Lehnertz – argued that retrofitting both schools was fiscally wasteful when declining enrollment suggests that one of the schools eventually will need to closed. The $16 million loan will go design and construction of geothermal dehumidification projects at the Jefferson school on the West End and the Washington-Kosciusko school on the East End. The Board’s Finance Committee had recommended the loan for health and safety reasons. The schools are the only ones on the district without air-conditioning. Who voted how:
Financing the deal
School boards in Minnesota have authority to borrow money for projects that meet certain criteria, like air quality, without voter approval. The loan, $16 million to be repaid over 15 years, will be covered byDistrict’s existing resources. It is expected that the District eventually may need to float a referendum to ask voters for new funds for overall expenses. For now, though, there will be no tax increase. Another possibility: Federal or state funds for Covid-connected improvements or general infrastructure upgrades.
For air exchangers
> Nancy Denzer, chair (at large)
>Michael Hanratty (District 2, West Side)
> Stephanie Smith (District 3. East Side)
> Jim Schul (District 4, south rural)
> Karl Sonneman (at large)
Against
> Tina Lehnertz (District 5, Minnesota City)
> Steve Schild (District 1, West End and bluffs)