I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Dec. 16, 1999
By Devlyn Brooks
Kelliher ... "Yes."
Laporte ... "Yes."
Cass Lake ... "Yes."
Voters in three separate school districts largely approved at the polls similar bond requests Tuesday.
In Laporte and Cass Lake, the bond issues revolved around the fact that each district is property poor and would have a hard time improving their schools without help from the state.
The "yes" votes cast in both districts essentially guarantee the schools will be able to build multi-million dollar projects while paying only a percentage of it through local property taxes.
A tremendous amount of the money needed for both projects will come from the state's capital loan program because of the approved votes.
In Kelliher, school district residents were asked whether they would allow the district to take advantage of a state loophole diverting up to $395,000 over 10 years for targeted uses within the district.
Here's how and what Tuesday's voters voted for:
By a 382-214 margin, Cass Lake's voters approved a $10.8 million new middle school project to be built adjacent to the district's new high school. However, the project shouldn't raise local property taxes.
About $3.2 million of the funds will come from local taxes, but $7.5 million will come from the state's capital loan fund.
Because the district is designated as "property poor," it is already levying the maximum amount allowed it by the state.
The money from the state loan to pay for what cannot be paid for by local tax dollars will be repaid over a 50-year period based on the district's property value and tax capacity.
As long as the school district is levying its maximum amount allowable, the state will pick up the remainder of the cost.
"We were very pleased with the results," Cass Lake Superintendent Mary Helen Pelton said after the election. "The margin (of victory) shows our community really, really does support our children."
The Laporte district residents voted 439-192 in favor of a bond issue very similar to Cass Lake's.
Because the Laporte School District also is considered property poor, it too will receive help from the state's capital loan program.
Laporte's $9.5 million project -- of which only $2.5 million will be paid by local property taxes -- would replace the original 1934 building with a new high school and various other buildings.
"The busiest time that I've heard of at the polls was between 11:30 a.m. and noon," said Laporte steering committee member Winnie DauSchmidt early Tuesday.
As of noon, 225 -- about one-third of voters -- had cast their votes in Laporte.
And finally, in Kelliher, residents voted 123-43 in favor of reshuffling some of its funds on paper.
Under the same capital loan program cited earlier, Kelliher built a new high school two years ago and is levying the maximum under the formula.
But, should local taxes raise more dollars through changes in property value or an increased tax base, that extra would still go to the state.
Tuesday, voters agreed instead for the district to create debt for any excess money available. The money would then be diverted from the state back to the district.
Under the proposal, the money can only be used for technology equipment or facility improvements -- not for operational or salary costs.
Cass Lake voters reject Sunday liquor
Residents of Cass Lake voted by a small margin Tuesday not to allow their city council to issue licenses to serve liquor on Sundays.
The measure lost by a 70-61 vote, which represents the second straight loss for such a measure in Cass Lake. Voters rejected the idea two years ago by one vote.
Presently, Cass Lake's ordinance does not allow for the issuing of licenses to sell liquor on Sundays, but the Big Tap bar is excluded from the ordinance because its license is issued to the Leech Lake Reservation. Therefore, the establishment remains open on Sundays.
North Country Junction owners Linda and Paul Reimer pushed for the issue to be placed before the voters this year.
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