Archive for May 2010
What if the Mahtomedi School District Referendum Recount causes the vote to fail?
Mahtomedi school levy recount set for Wednesday
By Joe Kimball | Published Mon, May 10 2010 11:51 am
A recount will be held Wednesday in the Mahtomedi school district’s $45 million levy vote that passed with a 22-vote margin on April 27.
The district says a valid petition — and a $500 recount fee — was received to start the recount process.
Washington County officials will conduct the recount — school officials say the county has experience both with elections and with the recount process and requirements. It will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Washington County Government Center Board Room, fifth floor, south wing. The recount is open to the public.
Voters had been asked to raise property taxes by $45 million to replace Wildwood Elementary and renovate its three other schools and the District Education Center and upgrade athletic facilities. There were 3,476 ballots cast, and it passed by 22.
As a homeowner and Realtor (www.nancyup.kw.com) in the Mahtomedi School District, I am doubly interested in the outcome of this recount. We live and work in an area where people have strong opinions about the quality of education. We are also all affected by the subsequent property values.
Some citizens have concerns about building a new school on a former dump site. Have there been studies conducted of any toxic emissions from this site?
Other folks have mentioned that they are happy to support quality education, but think that $45 million is too expensive for the rebuilding of a new school. They have concerns that there are a lot of extras tagged on to this referendum that are unnecessary. Do you agree?
How do we as citizens and parents and homeowners find the right balance? We want to do the right thing and we want to be fiscally responsible. And we want our children to have the best in education.
Will you write to me (www.nancyup.kw.com) or respond to this blog with your thoughts? I would love to hear what you have to say.
Thank you.
Nancy Uppgren
nancyup@kw.com
651.247.1718
Rumors fly after Mahtomedi school district’s referendum
Rumors of unfair campaigning and voter fraud are circulating in the Mahtomedi school district, where a $45 million construction package was approved Tuesday by a razor-thin margin.
Some residents say at least one district employee told Mahtomedi High School students how to vote and that some students who don’t live in the district but attend school through open enrollment may have been able to cast ballots.
Superintendent Mark Wolak said the rumors are false. District officials looked into the complaints they received and Washington County election officials examined all same-day registration forms on Thursday and found just one irregularity that is being investigated.
“We’re following up on every call to make sure they have the facts,” Wolak said.
The ballot measure passed by just 22 votes out of 3,476 ballots cast.
The money will allow the district to replace Wildwood Elementary, renovate its three other schools and the District Education Center as well as upgrade athletics facilities.
Henry DeWuske, a longtime Mahtomedi resident and opponent of the measure, said his phone was ringing off the hook Wednesday with people concerned about how the election went down.
“It wasn’t won by the taxpayers that are paying for this,” DeWuske said. “It was won by the school district folks who told these kids how to vote.”
The claim that an administrator told a group of seniors during a school meeting to vote and to vote “yes” is false, Wolak said. He said another staff member and the principal were in that meeting.
“The accusation isn’t true,” Wolak said. “The kids were encouraged to vote, but they weren’t encouraged to vote yes.”
The Minnesota Fair Campaign Practices Act says an employee or official of the state or a political subdivision may not use his or her position to influence or compel someone to take part in a political activity.
Alyssa Malmer, 18, was in the school meeting Monday. She said students were encouraged to vote, but she didn’t feel they were pressured to vote for the measure.
“They said something to the effect of, ‘We would like to think you would all vote yes, but ultimately the decision is yours.’ I don’t feel like we were told to vote yes,” she said. “I personally voted no.”
Malmer said she thought the replacement of Wildwood was necessary, but there were too many extra projects included in the request.
“I think there were a lot of things that were really unnecessary,” she said.
Kevin Corbid, elections director for Washington County, said his staff went over all same-day registrations after receiving complaints that students not living in the district were able to vote.
Corbid said they found one irregularity where a voter gave a Ramsey County address when registering. It’s unclear if that person received a ballot or if the election judges turned the voter away, he said. The voter was reportedly a student at Mahtomedi High School.
Election officials are investigating the incident.
Wolak said the district found out about that situation at 12:30 p.m. on election day. An hour later, district officials gave election judges a list of all students who are old enough to vote but do not live in the district to make sure that didn’t happen again.
Voters have three options if they want to challenge the results. But the burden of proof is on them, not the district. And they’ll have to pay for it.
If someone believes the district violated the campaign practices law, they can file a complaint with the state Office of Administrative Hearings.
They can also file an election contest with the court if there are concerns about irregularities. A recount can also be requested.
Because the margin of approval was more than 0.5 percent of votes cast, the district is not required to pay for a recount.
DeWuske said a recount may be requested.
“If the district won’t pay for it, maybe the citizens will get together and pay for it,” he said.
Megan Boldt can be reached at 651-228-5495.
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