Staff spotlight new SRO

School Resource Officer (SRO) Brent Brass was the staff spotlight at the Oct. 2 work session of the Waseca school board. Brass has been a police officer for 26 years, 16 of them in Waseca. He described his entry into the SRO position as “trial by fire” as it was during Homecoming week when he began his duties in the district. Brass said he was especially interested in the SRO position when it became available because he has children in the schools. “I don’t know if they think it’s exciting, but it will be for me,” he laughed.

 

Superintendent Eric Hudspith gave the board an update regarding special education provider SouthWest Metro. Because Waseca is an associate school district, SWMetro has to do some work with its bylaws before the district could enter into a lease levy bond to assist in preparing the organization’s intended new location in the former Morristown school building.  Hudspith said he is hopeful that action can be taken by the board at the November meeting, and showed board members preliminary plans for a potential remodel of the Morristown school for SWMetro’s use. 

 

Hudspith discussed results taken from Morris and Peter Leatherman’s Minnesota Schools  survey which is performed every autumn. Among the results discussed, the majority of Minnesotans believe their property taxes are too high. “Cities and counties are driving a majority of the increases, but it is the school ballots where voters can say no,” Hudspith told the board. Survey results also indicate Minnesotans would rather support their schools than a city or county, “but by the time the school is asking for a referendum the coffer is empty,” Hudspith said. 

 

The board next looked through the facilities condition assessment completed by ICS over the past month. Every building was given a “report card,” taking into account factors such as age, square footage, and energy usage. Hudspith said he plans to distribute the reports to the board in the near future.

 

Hudspith ended the meeting with some good news; the 2015 high school bond interest rates have become a reasonable  percentage and he explained that between the present time and 2034, the district would be looking at refunding their bonds at a savings of over $300,000. Hudspith explained that the money refunded goes back to the taxpayers through their debt services levy rather than to the school district. Board members will be voting on this at their next meeting on Oct. 23.