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School OKs tax break request

FAIRMONT — The Fairmont School Board has approved a property tax abatement request by Great Plains Transportation of Fairmont.

The local business is asking not to pay new property taxes resulting from a proposed expansion. It is a 10-year request.

The business was started 23 years ago and has grown over time, now employing 42 full-time workers. It plans to add a 12,000-square foot addition. Within five years, eight more full-time jobs with benefits will be created in conjunction with the addition.

Construction should be finished by Dec. 31, 2020.

Great Plains has asked for a total of about $500,000 in property tax relief from Fairmont Area Schools, the city of Fairmont and Martin County. The school and city have now approved the request. County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the request Jan. 8.

“A question that came up was how much does the school district lose, and my understanding is that the school district doesn’t lose any money because right now it’s not built so we’re not taxing it, and even when it is built and they start paying taxes in 10 years, we might not get any additional revenue because our revenue is based on the number of students that come to our school district,” said Superintendent Joe Brown.

“Anything we can do in this community to build buildings and to encourage additional jobs … is just good for everybody,” Brown added.

In other business, the school board:

o Approved the 2019 property tax levy Tuesday. It is a decrease of $11,063, or 0.19 percent, from the 2018 levy.

o Heard a report from Brown, who said there will be another Saturday Welding Academy that will begin in January. Class size will be capped at 20. Students from Fairmont or other area schools can sign up by contacting Bob Bonin at bbonin@fairmont.k12.mn.us or through the counseling center at Fairmont High School. The cost is $250 for adults. They can register through Fairmont CER at (507) 235-3141. The class will be held 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, starting Jan. 5 and continuing through April 27, at Fairmont High School.

o Discussed how early morning meetings with students at the high school have been going. Once per month, board members are in the high school cafeteria before school and students are encouraged to sit with them during breakfast to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns.

“It’s going well and it’s a good opportunity to hear from students how different programs in the school are going,” said board president Rufus Rodriguez.

Recent topics have included the school’s cell phone policy, flex learning and other new programs.

o Board member Dan Brookens recapped the operations committee meeting that took place last week. He said one topic was a weight room coach. When putting together the budget, the school board set aside $10,000 for a weight room coach. The salary would be $2,500 for each season so there would be opportunity for different coaches.

Board members say they want to make sure that whoever serves in this capacity is knowledgeable enough to train students for the sport they are in.

“There’s some safety with the equipment and the knowledge of how to use it. You have to be able to use it correctly in order for it to benefit the student,” board member Julie Laue pointed out.

The board will work with activities director Mat Mahoney to hire a weight room coach. Currently, assistant football coach and physical education teacher John Kesselring has been acting as weight room supervisor.

o Accepted the following donations: $300 from Baarts Trucking to the Welding Academy; $500 from Louise Hendricks to the 3M Gives Program to be used in different programs at Fairmont High School.

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