NYM open house shows favorable response to building levy
News | Published on May 5, 2026 at 3:35pm GMT+0000 | Author: Tucker Henderson
0By Chad Koenen
Publisher
A recent open house at New York Mills School District and a subsequent survey showed overall support for a potential building and operating grounds capital levy improvement project.
During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the NY Mills School Board heard a presentation from Lori Christensen, of ICS, about the results from a survey taken by area residents who attended an April 20 open house at the school.
Christensen said the school district had a great turnout for the open house with 74 people responding to the survey, which she said is not always the case when other schools hold a similar open house across the region.
“People were open and willing to communicate with you and I think that just shows where you are as a school district and a school board,” she said.
Of the 74 completed surveys, 61 respondents favored the first potential question, which would provide updates to classrooms, additional storage areas, alleviate ADA-compliant issues and create more secure entrances into the school, among other needed building updates.
There was a similar response to the people who would support the tax impact of the question with 60 respondents stating yes to supporting the tax impact and 10 respondents stating no.
For the second question, which involves an update to the high school media center, 64 respondents stated it would be a good investment and a similar 60 respondents said they would support the tax impact for the project.
The third question, which would move the track and football field to a new location near the school, received 52 respondents stating it would be a good investment, compared to 15 stating no. A similar 53 respondents stated they would support the tax impact, while 14 stated they would not favor the project’s tax impact.
Regarding support for the entire proposed project, Christensen said 45 respondents would support all three questions currently being discussed by the school district.
“Here again, overwhelmingly high responses, you had 45 who would support all three questions,” she said. “That is very impressive and a good sign it is a good plan for the district.”
Among the biggest concerns raised by respondents who did not support all, or some of the project were the overall cost and potential tax impact on property owners in the school district. Christensen said the school board can take time to fine-tune its plan before deciding whether to move forward with a potential levy vote in November.
“I really do think you have a great plan and if there is anything you want to look at, maybe you want to look at the cost concerns, if that is something you want to look at (the board has time),” she said.
When school board members asked if the surveys taken at the open house reflected a typical opinion of property owners across school districts, Christensen said the people who typically turn out for the open houses are the ones who are the most engaged and want their voices heard. She also said there is typically a mixture of people who support and do not support the potential levy projects, but reiterated the support that those who attended the open house showed for the potential levy vote for the school district.
“I will say the open houses we are going to see some really strong yes (support), but I’ve been at some of these where it is a strong no,” she said. “The people who show up are the ones who want their voices heard.”
NY Mills School Superintendent Adam Johnson agreed with Christensen, stating the school district received much more positive than negative feedback at the open house.
The school board said it will refine a potential levy project plan over the course of the next month and could submit a resolution calling for a November referendum as soon as the June school board meeting.
In other news
• Acknowledged the Activities Director report that stated the school district has been busy rescheduling games for the spring sports season due to inclement weather. The softball team is scheduled to host the section tournament, but there is a need to fix a large dip at the Lund Park East that will need to be fixed prior to hosting the section tournament. If the drip can’t be fixed NY Mills may need to delay hosting the section softball tournament. The report also stated the Section 5A baseball tournament has been bumped back a week so the school district is attempting to schedule some games during that open week.
• Acknowledged the elementary principal report that stated the LETRS training has been completed and all of the staff members have completed Phase 1 of the training.
• Acknowledged the high school principal report that highlighted a busy month of May that is on tap for students, which includes the scholarship program on May 4, motivational speaker, senior breakfast, Ninja Fitness Event from May 18-19 and graduation on May 22.
• Approved by a 4-2 motion with Jodi Seelhammer and Amy Mursu voting in dissent, a contract with BSN Sports/Nike Team 360 Rewards Program. As part of the program the school agrees to purchase Nike uniforms and material from BSN, and as a result, will receive discount on uniforms and a clothing purchase credit from the company. The contract will be for five-years and excludes wrestling as Nike does not have a wide variety of items available for wrestling singlets.
• Acknowledged the following donations: $500 from the Wolf Lake Wolf Pack baseball for the trap team, $500 from KLN Enterprises for BPA, $1,638.95 from Viking Coca Cola as part of the Powerade for Schools Program, $400 from the NY Mills VFW Post 3289 for NY Mills Cheer, $990 from the EOT Darkhouse and Angling Association for BPA, $2,000 from the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association EOT Chapter for the NY Mills trap team, $300 from the Women Anglers of Minnesota for the fishing league, $300 from Newton Township for community education, $1,500 from the NY Mills Lions Club for BPA, $600 from the NY Mills Lions Club for after prom, $3,000 from the NY Mills Lions Club for summer softball and $688 from the NY Mills VFW Post 3289 for after prom.
• Approved calling for bids for a student built house at NY Mills School. The opening bid for the new house will be $79,500 and bids will be due on May 13.
• Approved a pair of overnight stays for the softball program on Friday, May 1 in Litchfield and Friday, May 8 in Jackson for a pair of tournaments.
• Approved the NY Mills BPA trip to the National Convention from May 6-10.
• Approved an update to the school calendar that shows an early release on the last day of school on May 27 at 1 p.m An early out has been traditionally done at NY Mills School and the approval was just to formalize the early out.
• Approved the resignations of Adam Zachmann as building and groups supervisor, Keegan Holtti as a van driver, Harley Wurst as head volleyball coach and Jeremiah Weller as assistant girls basketball coach.