Hooray! Our team, alongside three Minnesota districts, celebrated the passing of their bond referendum questions put before local voters on Tuesday, August 9. Albany Area Schools, Kimball Area Public Schools, and East Central Public Schools were successful in passing a combined total of over $26 million of facility improvements that will impact students, staff, and community members for years to come. Find out more about each project below.
Our Huskies, Our Future: Albany Area Schools
Voters in the Albany area said “yes” to transforming the former hospital into an Early Learning Center for the school district. This $16.96 million plan provides the space the district needs both now and into the future as they continue to grow. The plan reuses a currently vacated building in the local community and provides access to local amenities like City park space and outdoor learning.
Superintendent Travis Okerlund said, “ICS has been a valuable partner in our efforts to develop and pass a bond referendum for Albany Area Schools. Their expertise and ongoing support allowed our school staff to remain focused on our daily focus of student education, rather than attempt to do it all ourselves. In the end, the outcome was a successful bond referendum and an ongoing partnership that will take us through the completion of the project. We are very much looking forward to continuing our relationship with ICS.”
Keeping the Future in Focus: East Central Public Schools
East Central voters also said “yes” to a $4.1 million plan that focuses on critical infrastructure improvements including replacing the roof at the K-12 building and bus garage, replacing five boilers in the K-12 building, and replacing the cooling tower that serves the chiller in that same building. Proactively investing in their facilities now helps reduce future maintenance costs that go above and beyond annual maintenance budgets.
Superintendent Stefanie Youngberg said, “I appreciate the hard work, collaboration, and support provided by ICS during our referendum process. We are fortunate to team with ICS as we continue to create the best learning environment that we can for our students.”
Our Cubs, Our Future: Kimball Area Public Schools
Kimball voters approved one of two questions on August 9. Question one, an $8.1 million investment, will improve safety and security, create a dedicated space for early childhood programs, improve science and FACS classrooms at the high school, create a dedicated cafeteria space and physical education area at the elementary school, improve spaces for visiting sports teams at the high school, and repurpose indoor air quality bonds.
Superintendent Erik Widvey mentioned, “I am extremely proud of the great work put forth by our team, community, and the wonderful people at ICS. From day one they provided guidance, structure, and top-notch skills leading us to a successful bond referendum. They are nothing short of amazing!”
We’re passionate about partnering with school districts from the very beginning, and In the last decade, our team members have helped pass over $2.1 billion in voter-approved referendums across Minnesota. Since our inception, we’ve focused on building strong connections with public schools through long-range planning, facility assessments, pre-referendum communications, and more. Wherever you are in the planning process, our team is ready to help you implement changes in your district – just like Albany, Kimball, and East Central.
Connect with our team on making changes in your community:
Northern Minnesota: Jeff Schiltz, Principal
Metro-South Minnesota: Pat Overom, Principal