TRUMAN — The Truman School Board has rejected a plan to move Southern Plains Education Cooperative from Winnebago to the former Lincoln School building in Fairmont.

The board voted 3-1 against the proposal on Tuesday.

SPEC is a joint powers organization that provides special education and alternative learning programs to six districts including Blue Earth Area, Fairmont Area, Granada-Huntley-East Chain, Martin County West, Truman and United South Central.

SPEC believes it must leave the Winnebago site because of major maintenance concerns.

All six districts were asked to vote on whether to approve the SPEC move to Lincoln School. The other five districts had already approved it, with the understanding that the Lincoln School building requires a number of renovations as well, with the cost estimated at $10.8 million.

In order to pay for the project, it was decided that 70 percent of the cost to each district would be based on enrollment of the schools, while the other 30 percent would be based on a district’s usage of the co-op.

Truman would have been responsible for $743,523. The cost of the project would be on a 20-year payment schedule.

According to current numbers, it was reported that two students in the Truman school district will be enrolled at SPEC next year, but board members are aware the number can change at any time.

The cost of the project would use up the majority of Truman’s levy dollars for the next 20 years. Truman’s new superintendent, Lisa Shellum, said she believes the district would need to cut back elsewhere to pay for the project.

“Every kid deserves a good school, that’s not the question here,” said board member Darrel Drevlow. “It’s whether or not we can afford this as a district, and whether we’re going to put this burden on our taxpayers right now.”

Board member Mike Pfiel, who was the lone supporter of the move, reported he had worked on coming up with ideas over the weekend regarding how the district could make the project work financially. Pfiel talked with Sarah Mittelstadt, director of SPEC, and they came up with a proposed payment plan in which Truman would not pay more than $8,800 per year through the 2023-2024 school year. That is the amount Truman is currently paying for the building in Winnebago.

But board member Paula Keester pointed out that this option plan would just delay the payment of the project. It would not be any cheaper for the district.

Board member Donna Kotewa was not present for the meeting, while board member Allison Klassen abstained from voting because she is an employee of SPEC.

A special meeting with the five superintendents from the districts that have approved the move has been called by Mittelstadt and will take place today in order to discuss options.