Letter to the editor: Jensen

Letter to the Editor  

More than 400 people are killed on Minnesota roads each year and the cause behind many of these deaths is drinking and driving.

As a law enforcement officer, I have responded to a number of alcohol-related crashes. I’ve seen the results of these preventable tragedies.

In Dodge County over the last three years, alcohol-related crashes accounted for two deaths and four serious injuries. During this same period, 309 impaired drivers were arrested for DWI.

Please do your part to keep our roads safe by not drinking and driving.  Whatever your plans are to celebrate this holiday season, celebrate safely-make plans for a safe and sober ride.

Remember, preventing unnecessary deaths on Minnesota roads is everyone’s  responsibility. Don’t risk getting behind the wheel after drinking too much-impaired motorists will be arrested and face the consequences. Drive sober or get pulled over.

Sincerely,
Jim Jensen
Sheriff of Dodge County

Letter to the editor: $1

Letter to the editor:

I read with interest Editor Randy Carlsen's comments in the December 7 issue of the DCI regarding the 1918 Kasson school open house that took place recently.  He stated that "...the city should drop the price on the building to $1 to give some incentive to a developer..."  I was struck by this suggestion because this is exactly what Princeton, MN did in the sale of its (would you believe 1918  high school?)  It was sold to a developer who did a great job creating comfortable apartments and adding a very modern physical fitness center, indoor swimming pool and gymnasium for community use.  Daily senior meals open to the community are also served there.  My wife and I were very impressed when we toured the Princeton facility this past summer, so much so that I mailed this information along with a brochure to Kasson Mayor Tim Tjosaas.  Princeton is a community of approximately 4,000 people located an hour north of the cities.  I realize that one size doesn't fit all and that every community is different,  but I found it interesting how the incentive in Princeton seems to be working.

                Dick Lawrence
                Brooklyn Center

Day Care Unions

Shame on Governor Dayton. He has pushed home based day care centers into a corner. Eventually there will be a vote to unionize home based day care centers and the governor tried to put it to a vote, but a Ramsey County judge blocked the order until January 16. The problem is only subsidized day care center operators can vote. It would be like the teachers union having a vote on an issue and saying only the female teachers can vote, but the vote is going to affect all teachers.

The DCI is running a front page story on the subject and I called several local home based day care centers. I tried to be objective in my search, but could not find a single one that was in favor of unionizing. In fact the ones I talked to were most upset by the fact they did not have a vote.

If it's not broke don't fix it and I feel home based day care operators around here feel just that way. I know the governor is very pro-union, but take this one off the table. If there is a vote then all 11,000 home based day care centers should be voting-not just the 4,300 subsidized ones proposed to vote.

DANGER: Trouble Spot

The other day I was driving past the Greenway Elevator and came to a complete stop at the stop sign. To my left were train cars, completely blocking my vision to the east. The only way I could see the main rail was to inch out on the side track, a mere few feet from the main one. If a train were coming at the exact wrong moment there is no way a person could react and stop in time.

In the last couple of days I took that route twice and each time held my breath as I  inched out and looked to my left. Can parking train cars like that be legal because it's anything but safe.

When the trains go through town they do sound the whistle before an intersection, but that still is no assurance people will have time to stop. It gives me chills driving through that intersection with the blind spot. I wonder if an accident/death has to happen until someone figures out the intersection is very unsafe in this situation.

Letter to the editor:

Letter To the Editor:

What Europe and America have in common Europe and the USA have many things in common, one of which noted currently is the massive debt crisis both are experiencing because of politicians who fail to learn from history. George Santayana noted that those who fail to learn from mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. In both Europe and the United States, power-hungry politicians have been trying to buy votes with money we don’t have, taxing not only this generation but every generation in the future, guaranteeing a lower standard of living for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. These short-sighted politicos, thinking only of the present, seem to think they can go on forever, steadily increasing the public debt, by just printing more and more money without an equal increase in goods and services, hoping to find someone to buy our consequently less and less valuable bonds. As history has repeatedly shown us, this does not work. Every society that has tried this has collapsed. A prime example is the Soviet Union. If socialism were a better systems, we would all be speaking Russian. Previously democratic civilizations and nations that have tried this have collapsed into dictatorship. Some noteworthy examples are the Greeks, the Romans, and the post World War I Weimer Republic of Germany, the latter printing so much money that its currency became virtually worthless, bankrupting the country, and the resulting in the establishment of Hitler’s Nazi (National Socialist) party dictatorship that brought on the horrors of World War II.

It is time to rid ourselves of such history-ignoring, out-of-touch-with-reality, power-mad politicians, ousting them from power, and never let them in office again.


                Harold Bob Jones
                Blair, OK

Four things you may not know about Salvation Army

Letter To the Editor:

Four things you may not know about Salvation Army:

1) If you mail a check to the Salvation Army anywhere but to Wells Fargo in Dodge Center or to Semcac in Kasson, we do not get it; our local Salvation Army does not benefit.
2) If you give in Rochester or elsewhere, it will never help a Dodge County person.
3) Bell ringing has begun! It will be at Erdmans on Fridays and Saturdays until the last week before Christmas, when it will be every day. We need ringers! Call Marty at 634-4350 to sign up.
4) Counter kettles will be at Caseys in Mantorville, Hayfield (old 4 Corners), and West Concord, John's in Dodge Center, and Claremont Gas and Groceries. A stationery kettle will be at the Hubbell House.
Call me with any questions. Thank you for the support you give to all our helping programs!

        Sincerely,
        Marty Pogalz
        Dodge County Salvation Army Chair

Letter to the editor: Triton Facilities Referendum

Letter to the Editor

One very important aspect of the Triton Facilities Referendum is for elementary classroom space. The referendum calls for 14 additional classrooms. With no rooms available, how are we going to handle the following numbers?

At the present time in kindergarten we have 109 students in five sections, which averages out to 22 students per room. This number should be under 20 for this population. Next year this number will be higher with 128 four year olds in our district. What will happen to class size?

At the present time we have 120 three year olds in the district. That is a total of almost 250 students entering school the next two years. We have well over 200 one and two year olds and that number will grow.

Also, at the present time we are using four classrooms in the high school for our fifth graders. It is planned to bring them back into the elementary wings as the HS needs the space.

Elementary specialists are working under conditions that are not conducive to learning. For example, the art specialist works from a cart traveling from classroom to classroom instead of having her own room to set up and teach from.

For those of you who have young children in school and entering in the future, this should be of great concern to you. Actually this should be of concern to all of us. I feel that on November 29th we have only one choice and that is to vote YES.

With construction costs looking to be favorable, bond interest low and the opportunity to accomplish this with our school taxes remaining at the same level as they are now, it is a great time to pass this referendum!

                Roy Henderson

Additional info found at the following web site: http://www.triton.k12.mn.us/se3bin/clientschool.cgi?schoolname=school243

Triton Upgraded Theater

Tonight at 7 Triton High School debuts their fall play, Harvey. It's a lighthearted story about a man (played by Jimmy Stewart in the 1950 movie) and an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit.

Imagine if Triton plays were held in an upgraded theater. Grandparents with mobility issues wouldn't have to navigate the concrete stadium steps. Everyone would enjoy more comfortable seating. Local restaurants and stores would enjoy a larger after-theater crush of customers. And the students would be performing in a venue that reflects their talents -- talents they'll draw upon in life again and again. Job interviews. Making business presentations. Even running for public office.

An upgraded theater is one component of Triton's Facilities Referendum. Supporters can't be invisible like Harvey. If you're going to the play tonight, wear your Vote YES! badge and make your presence known!

Worth Mentioning

K-M Superintendent Mark Matuska started a KoMet Kommendations to recognize individuals for going above and beyond the call of duty. For example, a month ago a family was recognized for helping to pick up KMTelecom Stadium after a football game. They were not asked to do it. They just did it without expecting any compensation. At the last school board meeting three high school seniors were recognized for being National Merit Commended Scholars.

Here are a couple more situations worth noting. "DCI Distinctions" if you will.  Before the HVL championship volleyball match with Stewartville junior Bre Barrett suffered what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury while warming up. The Stewartville team was very sympathetic, especially Coach Dzubay. In fact they later sent a team letter to Bre with words of encouragement.
Bre in turn sent a letter to the Stewartville Star thanking the team and coaches for their concern and support. That's how I found out about the support shown by players, coaches and Tiger fans. Stewartville has been one of the top volleyball programs in the state for many years. It goes to show that being the best can be more than showing your ability on the volleyball court. What happens off the court can also be a reflection of the quality of a team.

I strongly believe coach Hegerle has also instilled in his players the importance of showing respect for an opponent and that the way players  handle themselves on the court is a reflection of what they are off the court.

My second comment is on the K-M girls soccer team. They suffered a disappointing loss to La Crescent in the section semi-final, but still set a record for wins in a season (14). What I found to be most impressive about the soccer team did not come to light until after the season was over.

The team was the recipient of the All-State Academic Silver medal. They had a team grade point average of 3.73. That is High Honors status. I did a little research and of the 17 girls on the roster 12 were on the high honor roll the fourth quarter last year and 15 of the 17 were on the fourth quarter honor roll.

So for those of you who contend athletics and brain power don't mix, check again. In fact one study showed that students out for extra-curricular activities scored an average of one grade point higher (B compared to C for example) as those not out for an activity. So apparently youth out for activities do find time to get their homework done!

A thank you to Mary

Letter to the Editor

A year ago the DCI ran a front page news article on how the library had cut the hours of Mary Kramer and closed the library on Saturdays because of “budget cuts”. At a special meeting of the Kasson Public Library Board on Oct. 21, 2011; the board voted to terminate Mary Kramer’s job as the circulation librarian that she has held for 20 years. The board did not even give Mary a verbal “thank you” for the years of dedicated work for our library and they did not allow those of us in attendance to speak and say “thank you” to her. So I am writing this letter to publicly say “thank you” to Mary Kramer for her skillful work in serving our community. She has helped countless people over the years with her knowledge of books and media that cannot be replaced. The library patrons have suffered a big loss of service by her dismissal.

I wonder how Kasson can afford a new larger library that will require more staff and a larger budget when we can’t afford Mary and we can’t be open on Saturdays.

            With deep sadness,
            Clint Patterson
            Past President
            Friends of the Kasson Library
   

Click it or Ticket!

Letter to the Editor

Click It or Ticket

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for people between the ages of five and 34.  Crashes also cause millions of serious injuries each year. Every 10 seconds, someone is treated in an emergency department for a crash-related injury.

The simple act of buckling up is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries from crashes. In a crash, wearing a seat belt reduces your chance of being killed or seriously injured by half.

During October 14-27, law enforcement is conducting increased “click it or ticket” seat belt patrols. Officers will stop and ticket unbelted drivers or passengers. This campaign aims to increase belt use and stop preventable deaths and injuries.

Wear your seat belt on every trip, no matter how short, and insist that everyone else in the car is buckled too.

Remember, every person, every seat, every trip… “Click-It.”

       Guy Kohlnhofer

Letter To the Editor:

Dear Dodge County 4-H families, county commissioners, school personnel, businesses, community members, newspaper editors and friends.

It seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in the basement of the Wells Fargo Bank in Dodge Center interviewing for the position of the Dodge County 4-H Program Coordinator. I remember that I got teary eyed when they asked me why I wanted the position. I explained that 4-H had been an important part of my life and that in particular, my 4-H agent, Cindy Grass, had a huge impact on me because she believed in me, helped build my self-confidence and taught me life skills that I still use today and that I wanted to have the opportunity to be someone's "Cindy Grass."

With ongoing problems with seizures and being recently diagnosed with Lupus I cannot make a commitment to giving 100% to my job. So as you can imagine, it is with great sadness that I must tell you that it has been decided that it is in the best interest of the Dodge County 4-H Program that a permanent Program Coordinator be hired. I will remain on unpaid leave for the next two years in the hope that my health will become manageable. At which time, I can explore other opportunities at the University.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the youth, parents, adult leaders, businesses, fair board members, auction buyers, school personnel, community members, and county commissioners who have been a vital part of the growth and success of the 4-H program in Dodge County. It has been so rewarding to watch fourth graders I worked with graduate from high school, and to see some of the youth I have worked with go on to college to follow their dreams. Watching the youth who had struggled finding that one thing that they were really good at and once they found it watching the ripple effect that success had on everything they did was amazing. The support I received from the parents and adult leaders and the entire community was second to none and made it possible for me to do my job – without all of you - it would have been impossible. I wish nothing but the best for all of you. All of you were like an extended family to me. I hope that the new program coordinator will appreciate how lucky he or she is to be a part of such a great community.

My final thought is that I hope that in the nine years that I served in Dodge County, I touched the life of at least one youth, and was their "Cindy Grass" and helped them feel more confident, taught them life skills that they will use for the rest of their lives and gave them the feeling that someone in addition to their parents and teachers, believed in them.

Thanks again from the bottom of my heart!   
  
            Sincerely,
            Diane Whalen

The Fire Departments of Kasson & Mantorville urge residents of their respective communities and rural fire districts to take steps to prevent home fires

A fire at home can occur in just about any room of the house and even outdoors. While one can't account for natural disasters or other unforseen problems, there are many steps homeowners can take to prevent fires.

• Check the cords on all appliances and electronics. Replace any frayed or damaged cords or wires.

• Do not overload outlets or rely heavily on multi-plug power strips.

• Keep cords out of the reach of children and pets.

• When cooking in the kitchen, always be present while food is on the stove or in the oven. Flare-ups can occur at a moment's notice.

• Don't store items over the stove. They can fall and ignite.

• Turn pot handles so that children can't reach them and pull them over, risking burns.

• Be sure appliance vents have room to "breathe."

• Have the chimney checked and cleaned regularly.

• Use a metal or glass fireplace screen to block embers.

• Limit the use of portable space heaters around the home.

• Use extreme caution with cigarettes and ashtrays. Empty them frequently when signs of heat and burning are gone.

• Use light bulbs that are at the recommended wattage for a fixture.

• Don't place any electrical items by water in the bathroom.

• Store flammable materials in a locked metal container in the basement or garage.

• Service the furnace and hot water heater on a regular basis.

• Do not store items too close to the furnace.

• Be sure every level of the home is equipped with working smoke detectors.

• Keep one or two fire extinguishers charged and at the ready.

There will be a special guest at the Kasson Fire Department open house Wednesday, October 12 from 6-8 p.m. “Flash the Fire Dog” will be on hand. He will be a special guest of Johannes Marsland, owner of Vigilant Fire Protection of Kasson.

DCI web site poll question

Last weeks poll had a great response, and wanted to share the results and comments.

Question: Would you be in favor of a referendum to take down the 1918 school in Kasson and replace it with a new public library?

A. Yes, that would be the best use of the space (34.6%)

B. No because I am not in favor of taking the school down (52.34%)

C. I'm tired of hearing about it. I don't care what they do. (13.08%)

Comments provided through the web poll:

Kelly     -
I love seeing the old elemenatry school still standing. Can't imagine Kasson without it. How sad it would be to see it missing.

Amy     -
SAVE THE SCHOOL! It has a lot potential...don't let the City of Kasson make the decision.

Sherry     -
HHmmm, I am pretty sure that there already WAS a referendum that we voted on to take down the school OR reuse the school - several years ago. Everyone was invited to vote at that time, there were no exclusions - all Kasson residents of voting age were asked to vote. The vote was in favor of tearing down the school that time. Would it do any good to have another vote?????

Kent     -
Sherry,
The Nov 2006 vote had nothing to do with tearing down the school. No where in the ballot language was the work Demolish used. The first vote was supposed to have occured in July 2006. The poorly worded language on that ballot, which did mention demolition, was deemed illegal by the MN attorney general!! Yes, an illegal ballot OKed by Kasson's city hall So a new ballot was formulated for Nov 2006. By that time the citizens were very confused. The entire process has been poorly managed by the city staff from 2006 until recently.

Kathy     -
Reuse of the school can create a couple of positives for the community as a whole>
1.) Go green-reuse-recycle...what are we communicating to the younger generation. It is OK to tear down something that is historic, and able to reuse. That anything "old" is not good, productive. Even without a current plan in place to even reuse the area. (no vote for a new library has taken place or approved). What message about "when it gets old, just get rid of it, don't repair or try to help it along so it can survive into the next generation. The memories, the majestic of the building should be considered.
2.) Teamwork: A little team work between the city, KARE, and the community this could be used for the library, senior center, meals on wheels, a live theater production center, shops, and the list can go on and on. Teen center...something this community has needed for a long time. Get the youth involved. Teacher's, bring this question to your classes, what do the youth think of this school and ideas?
3.) Tax credits, grants, we can obtain both with the reuse of a historic building. Is the city interested in this? Ask your Mayor. Why not?
4.) Jobs for the community, new life to main street. Lets get the blood line back to our main street. Keeping this building going will help with this as a whole. Bring in people from out of town to visit the area. Make this an example of what a productive town we can be, by pulling together to help other's remain in this community to do the shopping. Make us the destination of other's, not our towns people leaving to go visit other towns of interest.


Kathy     -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasson_Public_School
Information on the school available for you...

K-M Middle School honors 9/11 victims

The K-M Middle School honored the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and the victims by having all 677 students make pinwheels while discussing the events of that tragic day.

Friday, September 9 a student played Reveille while head custodian, Joe richardson, a marine Corps veteran, raised the middle school flag while the entire student body stood in silence. Afterward, a group of students placed all of the pinwheels around the flagpole at the new KMTelecom Stadium for the grand opening of the stadium for the football game between K-M and Pine Island.

School Start

Hard to believe the school population at K-M is 2,150 which I believe is an all time high. The population of the city of Kasson when my family moved to town in 1964 was under 2,000. Talk about growth and change. Another thing to note is this school population includes Mantorville kids as well. In my day we did not see the Mantorville kids (in a school hallway) until seventh grade at the junior/senior high.

That was by the way, the newest building we had having been built in 1957. The elementary buildings were both built around 1920. We had no new buildings or facilities for extra-curricular activities including athletics. For some that may still be okay but now we live in a competitive society and communities are competing for families with children due to open enrollment.

What K-M has for facilities is a big plus and a reason why the district is not having the financial struggles others may be experiencing. People may feel sorry for what a district does not have or they may be envious of what a district does have. Other communities might just wish they had the same problems as K-M when those problems stem from growth

Letter to the editor: Preservation of the Kasson School building

Letter To the Editor:

I have been following with great interest the situation concerning the preservation of the Kasson School building. I have not lived in Kasson for many years, so I know that I have no say in the outcome.  However, as Kasson is my home town... where I grew up, I feel that I can at least offer my opinions. 

There are many reasons for saving fine old buildings such as this. We should value our heritage, and protect our history. And frankly, tearing down a building in such good shape, just to have something shiny & new, is incredibly wasteful.

But these are not the arguments I present here against the destruction of this building. I understand that people will have differences of opinion on these issues, and may not value our history as much as I do.  I’m sure that there are many current residents of Kasson who did not spend their youth in the classrooms of this building, whose fathers did not play for basketball championships in the Gym, and whose grandfathers did not sit through many what I’m sure were interminable school board meetings there. I understand that.  Instead, I will argue that the destruction of this building goes against the long term economic interests of Kasson. 

The City of Kasson has an opportunity.  An opportunity that most cities of its size can only dream of. You have this huge, impressive, remarkably well-preserved facility in the middle of town, with so much potential. It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to think of countless uses for this building. (Retail shops, the library, service businesses, a community center, apartments, a senior center, etc, etc).  It does however require vision and the type of forward-thinking that I hope the leaders of the City of Kasson possess. Given the correct mix of public use and private investment, this building can and should be utilized for the betterment of the community. I see no reason why a proper mix of public and private use could not only pay for the continued maintenance of the building, but in addition, leases or private partnerships/investment could go a long way towards covering the costs for any public usage, such as a library, community center or other uses that would benefit the city. The building is plenty large enough to house multiple public and/or private enterprises. The city just needs the vision to realize the potential here. Yes, it would take work and short term investment by the city, but the long term returns seem obvious to me. Perhaps the city could even fund a small business incubator out of part of the building... in exchange for commitments from the successful tenants to open their businesses in Kasson...  think jobs!

The leaders of the City of Kasson have an obligation. An obligation to plan for the future prosperity of it’s residents and the community. In the past 30 years, Kasson has become more and more a bedroom community for Rochester. When I was growing up, there were three new automobile dealerships in Kasson... now there are none. There were three farm implement dealers... now there is one. There were at least three grocery stores... now there is one. There were eight or nine full service gas stations or auto repair shops... now there is one or two?   There were three hardware stores... now there is one. There was a men’s clothing store, a women’s clothing store and a shoe store... all gone. There was a music store... gone.  A furniture store... gone.  All of these businesses provided a tax base for the community, and a decent living for their owners; these businesses kept their families fed and sent their kids to school, and allowed them to spread their income within the community... which allowed the community to prosper. Now, I know there are many factors that caused these changes, and am not naive enough to think that saving and re-purposing this school building is going to magically restore all this.  But I do think that this would be a good place to start.  The city leaders have an obligation to consider the long term improvement of Kasson; to consider the use of this facility as an engine to kick-start Kasson’s economic future. Perhaps with the right uses and occupants, you could even get folks to drive from Rochester to Kasson to visit (as they do to Mantorville) instead of the other way around!

The City of Kasson has a choice.  It can utilize a large, multi-use existing building; an extremely well-built facility that has stood for almost 100 years; that with reasonable maintenance will be in just as good shape in another 100 years.  Or, it can knock it down, and build a much smaller, single-use facility.  One that (due to new building costs vs available funds, and current construction techniques) I guarantee will not still be in use 50 years from now; regardless of the maintenance done.  Short term, maybe you’ll save a bit of money, but if you think long term, it’s an easy choice.  The existing building is the clear winner.  It is my understanding that it will cost Kasson taxpayers at least $200,000 to demolish the school (and personally, I think it will be more than that). That money would be better used as funds to kick-start the process of reusing the building. Hire a professional to manage the project. Save this historical building and provide a venue for economic growth at the same time.
The leaders of the City of Kasson have a test.  Will you have the vision required to see the potential here? Will you be forward-thinking and plan for what is best for Kasson long term...  beyond next year?  Or will you just knock down this fine building, this great potential set piece for Kasson’s future?  Will you pass or fail this test?  If you fail, I believe that the next generations will look back with profound disappointment... not just for the loss of a big part of Kasson’s history, but also because of the wasted opportunities for economic growth and for the public good.

Mark Patterson
Eau Claire, WI

Letter to the editor: Elementary Teacher's "Point of View"

Letter To the Editor:
A former Kasson- Mantorville  Elementary Teacher’s “Point of View”

Dear Citizens and Elected Officials:

My life career was being an elementary school teacher for 40 years, spending the last 25 years at the Kasson- Mantorville Elementary School located in Kasson located in Kasson.

The main philosophy of being a teacher to me was to help all of the students in my classroom to become proficient in whatever they learned so they could do whatever they chose to do with their lives.
The elementary school is like the students ‘second home’ the first being with their parents.
During my career at Kasson-Mantorville Elementary I sometimes had as many as four children from the same family in different years. Near the end of my teaching career, I began to teach children of previous students I had taught here. ‘Kids of kids’ so to speak.

There was a time in the 1960s when my students and I knew every ‘nook and cranny’ in that Kasson- Mantorville Elementary School because of what was going on in the world, we needed to go for drills to the lower level furnace room for safety’s sake. Therefore we found out about the inner bowels of the school-namely- the furnace room. This gave us an idea of how well constructed that school was.
The Kasson- Mantorville Elementary School was put on the National Historical Register in December 2007.

The watertower on the northwest corner of the school grounds was saved and is listed on the National Historical Register because interested citizens worked with getting Minnesota Historical Society (grants) plus other methods to help with incurred debts.

The historic Kasson School could also apply for federal and state grants, federal and state tax credits and interest investors to help with the rehabilitation of the historic school.
Construction of a new building on this site would not be eligible for grants and funds available to rehabilitation of a historic structure.

Recently the Library Building Committee presented to the Kasson City Council three options for a new library. Option one was to reuse the entire old school. Option two was to reuse the building but remove the second floor. Option three was to demolish the historic school. It should be noted: in the John Lauber reuse study report in 2009 there was an option to reuse part of the historic school for a new library and community center.

An important question I would like to ask: How can so few people-namely- the Kasson City Council, Kasson Library Board, and the Kasson Building Committee feel comfortable wishing to demolish the historic Kasson Elementary School which is seven years away from being 100 years old and used for 87 years, besides being listed on the National Historical Register since 2007. Some families in this community of Kasson go back generations even before or at the time the school was built in 1918.
I feel that the entire Kasson community should play a part in such a tremendous decision as the demolition of the school instead of being decided by so few.

That historic Kasson School has once been the heart of Kasson and once demolished there will be no going back to a building that has been very dear to the community.

                Blanche Neseth

Letter to the editor: to the community of Kasson

Letter To the Editor:

To the Community of Kasson, Minnesota-

I was raised in the community of Kasson, Minnesota. The pleasures and learning experiences of growing up in a small town in America's Upper Midwest have been happily carried with me ever since I left the area over fifty years ago. There is no question that I have a great sentimental attachment to the old Kasson, the Kasson Mantorville, Public School building. My sisters and I received most of our pre college education in this building, my mother was a substitute teacher as well as frequent declamation judge in the building, her close friend Amanda Otterness was school librarian, and our close family friend John Southworth was a major figure on the Building Staff.

But I do not wish to dwell on the sentimental aspects of preserving this beautiful old building, but rather the financial impact that its destruction could very well have on every property owner in Kasson.
During my adult life away from Kasson, I have lived in three very special and unique communities: Sausalito, California, Woodstock, New York and Greenwich Village, New York. Each of these communities has based the character and charm of its village life on its historic heritage and its wise reuse of its historical buildings. Each of these communities now has residential property value that is among the highest priced in the nation. This is directly related to the citizens of these villages honoring and preserving  its historic buildings. In Greenwich Village our local library, The Jefferson Market Library, is the reuse of a Mid Nineteenth Century courthouse. It is not only a model of building reuse, but one of great historic and architectural treasures of New York City, honored, loved and photographed by people from the four corners of the earth.

Each community has faced men and corporations who have wanted to "modernize" these communities by destroying the communities’ history and replacing it with condo developments and shopping malls. Each of these communities has banded together and defeated these "modernizers" while with self satisfaction; they have sat back and watched their property increase in value. (In Greenwich Village during the current recessions we were one of the few communities in the United States where property prices actually went up as the nation's residential property values declined!)

The home you own most likely represents the largest investment your family has. With the destruction of the Kasson School building you put not only a beautiful piece of history in danger, but the security and future of your own families’ financial security.

Please unite to stop the destruction of this building. It is not only a part of Kasson History, it's also a part of Minnesota and United States History, but it's also an important part of your own financial security. Remember there in strength in unity, and only in the United States does the individual have the power to decide the destiny of the community in which they live.

Stand strong on the side financial security and respect for our history.

With kindest regards
David B. Lostegaard
212-254-1008

Biographical Note: David B. Lostegaard was raised in Kasson, Minnesota. He was graduated from Kasson Mantorville High School in 1959. He attended the University of Minnesota. Since that time he has owned and operated Grand Central Telecommunications, a national telecommunications company with offices in San Francisco, CA, Santa Fe, NM, Colorado City, CO, Minneapolis, MN, Miami, FL and Washington, DC. His work in the Off Broadway Theatre includes:
And Puppy Dog Tails (1969-Playwright), Ubu Roi and Ubu Bound in Repertory by Alfred Jarry (1973-Producer), The Women’s Representative by Sun Yu,(1974-Adapter, Producer-First play from The People’s Republic of China to be presented in the United States, American representative to Pan American Theatre Festival), Mother Courage (1975-adapted from Berthold Brecht), The Marilyn Project (1976-Playwright), About Bernard Carlton (1999-Playwright, Director), All’s Well That End’s Well by William Shakespeare (2000-Director-Production awarded Audience Favorite Award, New York International Fringe Festival), Dead End by Sidney Kingsley (2001-Director-Production awarded Audience Favorite Award, New York International Fringe Festival) and Stonewall Stories by Carol Polcovar (2006-Director-Named Year’s Best Docudrama by Playbill Magazine and New York Drama Critics Assn). He has also worked as marketing consultant to Madison Square Gardens, Radio City Music Hall, American Ballet Theatre and The New York Philharmonic, in addition to many Broadway and Off Broadway productions.   

Letter to the editor: article to read

Letter to the editor:

On Friday, August 12th, the Rochester Post Bulletin Editorial Staff had an excellent article in their paper concerning the Kasson Historic Elementary School and replacing it with a single story 20,000 square foot library. If you haven’t read this article please look it up and digest its contents. What happened at the Kasson City Council meeting last Wednesday evening is only preliminary and we as taxpayers still have a voice in the final decision. As stated in the Post Bulletin editorial, “in 2006 voters rejected a 3.9 million proposal to turn the old school into a library, but we don’t know if that opposition indicated voter’s desire to demolish the building or their reluctance to raise their own taxes”. The question at hand now is how much money should we invest into a brick and mortar library at a time when technology is dramatically altering people’s reading habits.

Again, let me quote the editorial article, “don’t demolish the old school until a firm decision has been made-and funding obtained for whatever structure will replace it”.
KARE is open to your comments and questions.

Lorraine Spading
KARE, Vice President

Letter To the Editor: In response to Mayors Memo 7/27/2011

I was disappointed when reading the Mayor’s Memo from 7/27/2011 that Mayor Tjosaas chose to use his Memo space to, as I read it, attack the KARE organization. There are many great things going on around the town of Kasson. I feel that the Mayor’s Memo column should be informative for the residents of Kasson as well as impartial. If Mayor Tjosaas felt the need to personally defend himself, I feel a letter to the editor would have been much more appropriate.

I too have my own opinion regarding the reuse of the former Kasson elementary school. I have faithfully been following both sides of the issue; and in my estimation, it is a stately and extremely usable and useful building. One well worth saving.

I feel that in our society we are very quick to do away with anything “old”. I would love to see our community show pride in that building. I would love for our community to show our young citizens that just because something is old does not mean that it is useless. Many young people, certainly not all, are not being taught the value of doing with what you have. They are not being taught the value of “older is wiser”. This is true in many areas; buildings, literature, music, letter writing, titles (Mr. and Mrs.), etc. We want our children to respect their elders, but instead we show them that things that are old (elem. school) even if they are still useful are not necessary. A little elbow grease could make it good are new, but wouldn’t you like to have something brand new instead? Hello landfill, next stop Walmart.
Will saving the school cost more for the tax payer in the long run? I’m not sure. I feel the building will have many more money generating options than a single building built specifically for a library. I also have other reservations with a library specific building. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace (ex: the NOOK), will the public library be as much of an asset to a town in the future as it is today? I certainly hope that it will continue to be. My kids and I certainly enjoy using it. But with budget cuts and advancing technology, the question begs to be asked. What will the town do with a library specific building that may need to be downsized due to budget cuts? I am not being insensitive. I am being practical.

One last thing I would like to comment on in regards to the Mayor’s Memo: Mayor Tjosaas pointed out that he offered KARE half ownership in the building and all they would be responsible for was raising half of the remodeling expense. I feel that asking and expecting a citizens group to come up with 4 million dollars is not only outrageous but also intentionally setting them up for failure. Is the citizens group that is looking into the new swimming/aquatic center for Kasson going to be asked to fund half of the cost for the project?

I do not want to see this issue divide our town. I am proud to call Kasson my hometown. I want to see it survive and prosper. I want to see Main Street alive and utilized by its citizens. I want to see life come back to that beautiful “old” elementary school building.

Erica Gillis

What's happening around Town?

Flo:  Hey, Joe, Did you see all those Model “T’s” that gathered at America’s Best Value Inn in Rochester?

Joe:  Yes, I did!   The annual Model T Ford Club International Tour (MTFCI) actually came through Kasson with a stop for lunch while on their way to Mantorville where they spent the rest of the day partaking in a walking tour of the historic buildings. The Opera House also put on two shows for them entitled, “Affording a Ford” or “All’s Fair in Love and War.”  It was written by Sandra Hennings Miller and a Model “T” Ford was actually built and set on the stage!

Flo:  How about all the good eating places at Mantorville?

Joe:  The  historic Hubbell House welcomed them with open arms, staying open all afternoon as well as the County Seat and the  historic Old School Cafe and let’s not forget the Chocolate Shoppe for the lover of sweets in all of us.

Flo:  Did they tour the antique shops?  You have both the Memorabilia Antiques and the Mantorville Square, don’t you?

Joe:   You are so right and did they ever have a good time. I saw them carrying out treasures to take home plus they loved the Mantorville Art Guild and did you know Mantorville Farms sell gifts made in the USA,  and that most of the items are made right there in Mantorville?

Flo:  Wow!  Sounds like Mantorville went all out for them.  What did they see at Kasson?
Joe:  They saw the Event Center and Mantorville Avenue’s tree-lined street as they traveled north through town on their way to spend the day in Mantorville.

Flo:  Isn’t it a shame that Kasson has not restored their 1918 Historic School!  Wouldn’t it have been nice if they could have seen a Children’s Learning Center there; maybe a new spot for the library. Can you imagine how neat it would have been for them to visit a Museum of Kasson History and the surrounding area while in the historic school?  Perhaps the Kasson could have entertained them with a concert, perhaps….…a good old country western jam session?

Joe: Or what about gospel or rock?   We have a lot of musical talent in this community including the younger generation.  I’d love to see them jamming with the seniors or having times where they could have an evening there just for themselves.  It could open up a lot of possibilities!  

Flo:  Sounds like a novel idea. Say, Joe, how many Fords were in Mantorville?

Joe:   Do you realize there were 240 Model T cars carrying 500 people in that group?  This year they decided to visit Rochester and tour the surrounding towns of interest.    On their list of towns was also Lanesboro.   I wanted to see the cars on the move so I waited in Chatfield and parked in front of Potter Auditorium. While waiting I had a nice tour of the auditorium.   I was told by a nice lady there that it was built in 1936, was a part of the Chatfield School, and that the newer part, that had been a grade school, has now been torn down. Now that they have received funding of a State Grant it will be renovated in different phases to be compliant with all building codes and then will be offering opportunities for future expansion as both a community and regional arts center.  Of course, that will involve more fund raising.

Flo:  Yes, renovation will be major adding air conditioning, replace and up-grade electrical service, stage lighting, lighting control board, and house lighting; many more interior renovations including auditorium seating, acoustical and  sound system, sound control board and make it compliant with handicap accessibility.  There will be some new construction as well, which will include a lobby area, rest rooms, etc. and will include a community room.

Joe:  Sounds like a major undertaking, but what a wonderful addition to the already active community.  I hear our own Kasson City Planner, Mike Martin,  along with other Potter Committee members headed to St. Paul to hand out 201 letters clarifying the Potter Auditorium project for the House and Senate members and taking time to talk to the capital press corps, who have offices in the basement and who report for major news sources.  Do you suppose he would be willing to go to bat for Kasson’s Historic School and apply for a grant for us?

Flo: Wouldn’t he have applied for a grant for the school by now if he really wanted to do that for your town of Kasson? There certainly has been plenty of time since your reuse study for that to happen.

Joe:   I still say, when the Historical School is completely renovated with all the exciting ideas KARE has  come up with, Kasson could once again be the hub of Dodge County, bringing visitors to town and look at the business it could bring to our downtown merchants!

Flo: It is well documented historic buildings in operation bring in the tourists and add revenue to the area.

“What’s happening around town” by Jo and Flo is
sponsored by KARE (Kasson Alliance for Restoration).
For more information call 634-7435.
The information contained in “What’s happening around town?” does not reflect the views of the
Dodge County Independent Newspaper.

Mayor's Memo: KARE

As I noted in my last Mayor Memo the “simulated conversations” taking place in the DCI in regards to the Old School need to be looked at objectively and within the context of the original document or conversation.  In last week’s edition of the DCI, KARE, has liberally taken my words out of context.
The letter and offer to partner with the City was refused by KARE.  I did reference a public-private partnership, however, KARE chose not to accept because, in their words, they did not want “ownership”.  So, I met with two of their board members and offered to remove all ownership from the offer AND it would have still allowed them to go and get all of the grant money and do all of the fundraising they could to save the building.  This was a simple 50/50 partnership in which the City would have had all of the risk.  We would have owned the building; we would have maintained the building.  We would be responsible for the building and its tenants.  All KARE was responsible for was to fund/raise 50% of the cost to remodel.  I did not feel this was unobtainable due to their repeated statements that grants and tax incentives are readily available.

So why would they refuse to work with us?  Even after ownership was removed upon their concerns, why did they not wish to work with us? Why would those board representatives state they would gladly take my proposal back to the KARE Board but never get back to me with the results of their meeting?  Could it be that even though they continue to state that there are all of these grants available that even they understand there is a competitive market for them?  That $100,000 grants sound great and some may be higher but many are much less?  And that even at $100,000 each they would need 39 grants to cover their 50% of the partnership. Just think about that - 39 grants at $100K each.  Does that sound so simple and easily obtainable?  Furthermore, I find it interesting that KARE rarely mentions the cost to remodel the building from the Lauber study – $7 million to $8.2 million depending on year in which the project would begin. (The cost rises each year.) You don’t see Flo or Jo “chatting” about that.  On another note, I need to point out that the City Council never approved the Lauber study.  We simply received the report from the consultants at their presentation.  From the City Council perspective there are issues that the study did not address adequately.

I personally find it interesting that in the five years or so since the failed referendum, both the city and I have often asked KARE to come up with a plan, find a development partner, work on creative financing, basically do something to show us they actually want to do the work needed to save the building. All the fancy drawings and articles in the paper unfortunately do not do anything to forward their stated goal of saving the building -- it only distracts from the larger tasks at hand.  Such as, what is best for the community as a whole?  How long do we wish to continue “chatting” and delaying the work needed to turn that almost perfect setting into a larger and fully functional library? 
So, residents of Kasson – how long do we wish to continue debating this issue as we watch the costs to do anything with that area rise? 

While “Flo & Jo” may be “entertaining”, I encourage you as responsible residents to research the facts.  As always feel free to contact myself or City Hall if you have questions.

In your service,
Mayor Tim Tjosaas
mayor@cityofkasson.com

Letter to the editor: Government Shutdown II

­­Letter to the editor:
With the state shutdown well under way and the government officials trying to appeal to the individual voters to be reelected in the next elections, I feel as though, we the proud people of Minnesota are being somewhat ignored. We all seem to work hard to put food on the table and have a strong sense of community values. I personally have seen people around our area when the Red River comes up in the spring, to tornados ravaging cities, the people of Minnesota have come out to lend a hand to show that together we the people can climb the highest mountains, we the people have the ability to correct the wrongs.

Lately I’ve been listening to MNPR and they’ve talked about how our state government needs to budget, how they need to cur costs in order to maintain an effective government. One day I walked into the local library and the local women who work there are volunteering their time to insure a brighter future for generations to come. By insuring the people in our local community get the books they need to become knowledgeable about the world around them. ( I thought; wow, these people understand the importance of knowledge, which, in turn brings people together.) From farmers to bakers, to children to the elderly, of any race, or gender; this is a place for all people to come and benefit for the good of all. This is just one of so many other services in the state budget that doesn’t just affect one group, it affects us all. From people helping others find work, to public parks every service is a part of our American life; sure it’s easy to say we don’t need it, we could manage without it, but they’re still pieces of a whole without those services we wouldn’t be American. We could be Afghans, we could be Somalians, and we could be North Koreans; without strong public services the weak get weaker and the strong get stronger. Long has blood been spilled for the freedoms we hold so loosely today, we the American people have the ability to change, to grow, to invent, and to speak freely. As the great societies that have stood before us we ought  not to make the same mistakes. We should understand that educated populations are most acceptable for the longevity of a republic. As the Greeks educated all of their citizens to make a stronger nation, so we should do the same as inventors and entrepreneurs, engineers and architects, we ought to have painters and sculptures, but it is impossible with an under educated community of citizens. The more everyone knows and understands the better we all are to stand to make a world a better place for generations to come. (Instead of passing the debit to one generation to another, our forefathers understood this well and until the early nineteen hundreds the taxes for the rich were 92%.)

Rome on the other hand at its time of destruction decided to heavily tax the masses and the rich ruled in key family units. They cut out public bath houses and educational centers, they cut out places to make and produce stable incomes. The general population became angry and the nation of such great feats came crashing down. What we have is worth fighting for, for most it’s worth dying for, but we aren’t Greeks and we’re not Romans. We are Americans we can vote and every vote counts. We must increase the taxes for the rich in times of depression, in order to push them to invest in the working classes, so you and I can keep working and we may keep the freedoms we have. The rich make their money on the backs of the poor and middle class so it is only fair for them to pay more.

If ten people were stuck on an island and one person counted and distributed the wealth to all, from the fish caught, clothes made, houses built, to the inventions, that person didn’t sweat all day working his heart out. That one person decided who got what and everyone was ok with how much he should get, just a little bit of everything. Sadly if a rich man has three hundred businesses and he’s taking a little from everyone he should stand to be highly taxed but with recent tax laws he’s not, he’s taking a majority of the wealth for himself and what was to be taxed and go back to the public as a whole is cut. Increasing the taxes on the richest Americans will force them to hide their money and most of them will be smart enough to invest it in you. If a rich man is being taxed at 32% now and the taxes go up to 72% that man will try and hide his wealth, he most likely will invest in small businesses or new inventions, and by expanding our tax revenue we can pick up and begin to grow again. Please I ask you call or email Governor Dayton to stand up and fight for what’s right, tell him Don’t Back Down.

Contact info: Email: mark.dayton@state.mn.us
        Telephone: (651) 797-1850
        Website: http://mn.gov.governor/contact-us/
Physical address: Office of the Governor
               130 State Capitol
               75 Rev. Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
               St. Paul, MN 55155

Your Friend,
Hallock City Councilman
Alex J. Gustafson

Letter to the editor: food fight punishment

Letter to the editor:

As many of your readers are undoubtedly aware, there was a food fight at K-M high school on June 3, 2011, the last day of school. From a lunch room of dozens of participating students, 21 were identified, by staff and video surveillance, and singled out for punishment. Seven of these 21 students were issued citations by Officer Peck, in collaboration with Principal Reker and Superintendent Grant, for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and will be referred to the criminal justice system for those charges. A misdemeanor conviction requires disclosure on job applications, college applications, student loan forms and military service. Examples of other misdemeanor crimes are: DWI, driving on a suspended license, assault, and minor drug possession. The remaining 14 students received letters from Officer Peck indicating the need to complete four hours of community service with the K-M school maintenance staff before August 1st in order to avoid disorderly conduct citation and court referral.

Student athletes were subsequently called for a meeting with Activities Director Wilke, under the direction of Principal Reker and Superintendent Grant, to sign a Notice of Violation of MSHSL extra-curricular bylaw(s). Consequences for the violence range from missing two-nine athletic events and at least two weeks of school activities. This penalty is equivalent to or exceeding recommended sanctions issued for "mood altering chemical violations.''

There were no school wide warnings made to the student body regarding the consequences of the food fight which has been a recurring event at K-M High School for years. Likewise, no announcements were made to parents using the automated system about the event or its possible consequences. It is evident that the administration and staff were aware of the plans because there was a notably increased staff presence for that lunch period. Parent requests to view the surveillance video have been denied. Staff statements were taken by Officer Peck; student statements were not collected. A report is on file at the Kasson Police Department.

There were no injuries or destruction of property resulting from the food fight. Although one staff member, an excellent and well-liked teacher, was hit with food, this was undoubtedly the result of mere proximity to the activity rather than malicious intent. Staff who remained on the periphery of the lunch room avoided a similar experience.
The school board meeting scheduled for July 18, 2011 at 7:00pm at the middle school is an opportunity for parents and students to gain information and express their concerns. Superintendent Matuska is planning to be in attendance.

As a parent of two high school students, this letter is submitted for publication with  significant reservations about future prejudice.

Respectfully,
Polly Lewis

Letter to the editor: Peter Grant

Letter to the Editor:

As I complete my last few days at KM, I want to make sure I thank the many people of the community for their great support of the District.  The KM School District is a recipient of many people who provide support with their finances, volunteerism, great kids, and attendance to the many of the events the schools put on.

I have enjoyed my six years working with so many great employees and members of the community.  Working alongside individuals who are dedicated to the education of our youth is the reason why I have been in education for 34 years.  KM has wonderful teachers, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers and assistants.  All of these people help make possible the successful efforts to educate our students and provide for them great facilities and opportunities to succeed in the and out of the classroom.

The last few months the District has had to deal with some controversy.  An article in the DCI the week of June 27 mentioned the results of an investigation due to accusations made by some former employees.  It is the second investigation since 2004 with similar claims of wrong doing.  And the result of the investigation produced the same results – the District and administration have performed within the boundaries of its policies and conducted appropriate actions addressing personnel issues or complaints.
Public employees have an entitlement to due process when accusations of harassment or if job performance issues invoke termination procedures.  Those entitlements are in state statute.  However, once the results of the investigation or a hearing officer’s determination for termination have been divulged, and the outcome is not in favor of the complainant or employee, that entitlements ends.  Then it is time to move on and accept the outcome.  The employer needs to move on as well as the individual.  The outcome should not be considered successful or a failure upon the personal perspective of the employer or individual.  Independent investigations and hearings serve the purpose of finding the facts and making a decision.  Those decisions need to be respected for what they are.  

The KM School District is a very good District.  Those who serve on the School Board provide great service to the students, parents, staff and members of the community.  It is a thankless service.  The present times we are seeing in education make serving on a school board very difficult.  It is critical these people are supported for the decisions they make which are in the best interests of the District.  At times it may not be easy to give that support, but it must be done.  

District 204 has a great future ahead.  Be sure to take pride in what is being accomplished.  If you look throughout the state, the KM School District is one of a handful that is showing growth, producing outstanding student achievement results and managing it finances in great fashion.  Yes, there will be challenges, but those should be looked at ways to improve and not obstacles.    

Peter Grant

The call is clear!

• By Senator Asst. Majority Leader Dave Senjem, District 29
serving Dodge & Northwestern Olmsted counties

Dear Friends,

The call is clear! It’s time to get this budget completed. A state shutdown is the absolute worst case-scenario, and no one wants to see that occur. We are working day in and day out to engage the Governor and find consensus on the state budget. I am just as concerned as each and every one of you about the negative implications on state workers and many others who depend on state funding, if an agreement is not reached.

The truth is, only Governor Dayton has the power to call a “game saving” special session. He has been asked many times to call us back, which at the very least would enable us to pass a “lights-on” bill to avoid a shutdown and continue negotiations. As of today, with only six days until July 1st time is running out. What is also true is that multiple offers have been presented to the Governor on the budget.

These include meeting 100% of his Education funding requests and moving $200 million in tax relief proposals to other spending areas of the budget. So far, there has been no interest in talking about passing these bills and moving forward on the rest. Make no mistake about it, a government shutdown would represent a terrible failure of the system. We passed and presented the governor with a balanced budget that lives within our means and provides a ground work for future job growth and a new prosperity.
The governor’s proposed tax increase is both unnecessary and counterproductive to future economic growth and prosperity. Our focus needs to be on things we can agree on and I am committed to negotiating with the Governor and finding common ground. I remain confident that it will be found. Keep the faith!

In the unlikely, inexcusable and unfortunate event of a government shutdown, I will not be accepting a salary and per diem. With over 30,000 state workers out of work and countless other Minnesotans negatively affected by a shutdown it would be incredibly inappropriate for me to be paid albeit, rest assured my work on behalf of our state and its people will not diminish.

I welcome citizens to contact me by phone (1-888-509-1290) or email (sen.david.senjem@senate.mn) with opinions on the budget crisis or other matters of concern.  Thank you so very much for the very special opportunity to serve you in the Minnesota Senate.  

Kasson-Mantorville School Investigative Report

 On January 3, 2011, five former employees of the Kasson-Mantorville school district spoke during the open forum time of the regular school board meeting. All of the five former employees communicated concerns regarding the recent termination of a school district employee.

On February 15, 2011, the school district received two written complaints. The first complaint alleged that a current School District administrator was engaged in harassment towards a former School District employee(s) and member(s) of the community. The second complaint alleged that the school board was failing to follow its policy of investigating complaints and misinterpreting the Minnesota Data Practices Act.

Additional violations were alleged during the course of the investigation and these allegations were investigated also.

The school board appointed the law firm of Reppe Law, PLLC to investigate the matter and make a report to the school board. Interviews of witnesses were conducted by Jonathan K. Reppe. Neither the investigator nor the law firm had any personal or professional relationships with the complainants, the school board,  or the administration of the Kasson-Mantorville school district.
Witness interviews were conducted at the convenience of witnesses. As a result, the investigation has taken approximately three months. The investigator interviewed approximately twelve witnesses seeking information relating to the complainants' allegations. The list of witnesses was provided to the investigating attorney by the complainants and school district administration. Additional witnesses were identified during the course of interviews of the original list of witnesses. Those persons interviewed included members of the school district administration, former employees, and citizens.
The investigating attorney was not limited in any way by the school district in terms of witnesses to be interviewed or the manner in which the investigation was conducted. Rather, the investigating attorney was given free reign in proceeding with the investigation, and all interested parties were cooperative in meeting with investigators in providing their testimony. Some of the interviews were conducted in person at witnesses' homes and some were conducted by telephone at convenient times for the witnesses. The last interview was concluded on June 10, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.
The investigation was concluded on June 14, 2011.

School District Policies

The following recitation of School District Policies is not a full listing of School District Policies but only a citation of the pertinent sections of the policies at issue in the instant matter.

413 HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from religious, disability, gender, racial or sexual harassment and violence. The school district prohibits any form of religious, racial or sexual harassment and violence.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

A.  It shall be a violation of this policy for any pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel of the school district to harass a pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel through conduct or communication of a sexual nature or regarding religion and race as defined by this policy. (For purposes of this policy, school personnel include school board members, school employees, agents, volunteers, contractors or persons subject to the supervision and control of the district.)

B.   It shall be a violation of this policy for any pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel of the school district to inflict, threaten to inflict, or attempt to inflict religious, disability, gender, racial or sexual violence upon any pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel.

C. The school district will act to investigate all complaints, either formal or informal, verbal or written, of religious, disability, gender, racial or sexual harassment or violence, and to discipline or take appropriate action against any pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel who is found to have violated this policy.

514 BULLYING PROHIBITION POLICY

I. PURPOSE

A safe and civil environment is needed for students to learn and attain high academic standards and to promote healthy human relationships. Bullying, like other violent or disruptive behavior, is conduct that interferes with students' ability to learn and teachers ability to educate students in a safe environment. The school district cannot monitor the activities of students at all times and eliminate all incidents of bullying between students, particularly when students are not under the direct supervision of school personnel.

However, to the extent such conduct affects the educational environment of the school district and the rights and welfare of its students and is within the control of the school district in its normal operations, it is the school district's intent to prevent bullying and to take action to investigate, respond, remediate, and discipline those acts of bullying which have not been successfully prevented. The purpose of this policy is to assist the school district in its goal of preventing and responding to acts of bullying, intimidation, violence, and other similar disruptive behavior.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

A. An act of bullying, by either an individual student or a group of students, is expressly prohibited on school district property or at school-related functions. This policy applies not only to students who directly engage in an act of bullying but also to students who, by their indirect behavior, condone or support another student's act of bullying. This policy also applies to any student whose conduct at any time or in any place constitutes bullying that interferes with or obstructs the mission or operations of the school district or the safety or welfare of the student, other students, or employees. The misuse of technology including, but not limited to, teasing, intimidating, defaming, threatening, or terrorizing another student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of the school district by sending or posting e-mail messages, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures or images, or Web site postings, including blogs, also may constitute an act of bullying regardless of whether such acts are committed on or off school district property and/or with or without the use of school district resources.

B. No teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of the school district shall permit, condone, or tolerate bullying.

C. Apparent permission or consent by a student being bullied does not lessen the

D. Retaliation against a victim, good faith reporter, or a witness of bullying is prohibited.

E. False accusations or reports of bullying against another student are prohibited.

F. A person who engages in an act of bullying, reprisal, or false reporting of bullying or permits, condones, or tolerates bullying shall be subject to discipline for that act in accordance with school district's policies and procedures. The school district may take into account the following factors:
1. The developmental and maturity levels of the parties involved;
2. The levels of harm, surrounding circumstances, and nature of the behavior;
3. Past incidences or past or continuing patterns of behavior;
4. The relationship between the parties involved; and
5. The context in which the alleged incidents occurred.

Consequences for students who commit prohibited acts of bullying may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension and/or expulsion. Consequences for employees who permit, condone, or tolerate bullying or engage in an act of reprisal or intentional false reporting of bullying may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or discharge. Consequences for other individuals engaging in prohibited acts of bullying may include, but not be limited to, exclusion from school district property and events and/or termination of services and/or contracts.

G. The school district will act to investigate all complaints of bullying and will discipline or take appropriate action against any student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of the school district who is found to have violated this policy.

III. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this policy, the definitions included in this section apply.

A. "Bullying" means any written or verbal expression, physical act or gesture, or pattern thereof, by a student that is intended to cause or is perceived as causing distress to one or more students and which substantially interferes with another student's or students' educational benefits, opportunities, or performance. Bullying includes, but is not limited to. conduct by a student against another student that a reasonable person under the circumstances knows or should know has the effect of:
1. harming a student;
2. damaging a student's property;
3. placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or property; or
4. creating a hostile educational environment for a student.

B. "Immediately" means as soon as possible but in no event longer than 24 hours.

C. "On school district property or at school-related functions" means all school district  buildings, school grounds, and school property or property immediately adjacent to school grounds, school bus stops, school buses, school vehicles, school contracted vehicles, or any other vehicles approved for school district purposes, the area of entrance or departure from school grounds, premises, or events, and all school-related functions, school-sponsored activities, events, or trips. School district property also may mean a student's walking route to or from school for purposes of attending school or school- related functions, activities, or events. While prohibiting bullying at these locations and events, the school district does not represent that it will provide supervision or assume liability at these locations and events.

IV. REPORTING PROCEDURE

A. Any person who believes he or she has been the victim of bullying or any person with knowledge or belief of conduct that may constitute bullying shall report the alleged acts immediately to an appropriate school district official designated by this policy. A student may report bullying anonymously. However, the school district's ability to take action against an alleged perpetrator based solely on an anonymous report may be limited.

B. The school district encourages the reporting party or complainant to use the report form available from the principal of each building or available from the school district office, but oral reports shall be considered complaints as well.

C. The building principal or the principal's designee or the building supervisor is the person responsible for receiving reports of bullying at the building leveL Any person may report bullying directly to a school district human rights officer or the superintendent.

D. A teacher, school administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other school employee shall he particularly alert to possible situations, circumstances, or events that might include bullying. Any such person who receives a report of, observes, or has other knowledge or belief of conduct that may constitute bullying shall inform the building principal immediately.

E. Reports of bullying are classified as private educational and/or personnel data and/or confidential investigative data and will not be disclosed except as permitted by law.

F. Submission of a good faith complaint or report of bullying will not affect the complainant's or reporter's future employment, grades, or work assignments, or educational or work environment.

G. The school district will respect the privacy of the complainant(s), the individuals) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the school district's obligation to investigate, take appropriate action, and comply with any legal disclosure obligations.

V. SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTION

A. Upon receipt of a complaint or report of bullying, the school district shall undertake or authorize an investigation by school district officials or a third party designated by the school district.

B. The school district may take immediate steps, at its discretion, to protect the complainant, reporter, students, or others pending completion of an investigation of bullying, consistent with applicable law.

C. Upon completion of the investigation, the school district will take appropriate action.
Such action may include, but is not limited to, warning, suspension, exclusion, expulsion, transfer, remediation, termination, or discharge. Disciplinary consequences will be sufficiently severe to try to deter violations and to appropriately discipline prohibited behavior. School district action taken for violation of this policy will be consistent with the requirements of applicable collective bargaining agreements; applicable statutory authority, including the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act; school district policies; and regulations.

D. The school district is not authorized to disclose to a victim private educational or personnel data regarding an alleged perpetrator who is a student or employee of the school district. School officials will notify the parent(s) or guardian(s) of students involved in a bullying incident and the remedial action taken, to the extent permitted by law, based on a confirmed report.

VI. REPRISAL

The school district will discipline or take appropriate action against any student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of the school district who retaliates against any person who makes a good faith report of alleged bullying or against any person who testifies, assists, or participates in an investigation, or against any person who testifies, assists, or participates in a proceeding or hearing relating to such bullying. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, harassment, or intentional disparate treatment.

VII. TRAINING AND EDUCATION

A. The school district annually will provide information and any applicable training to school district staff regarding this policy.

B. The school district annually will provide education and information to students regarding bullying, including information regarding this school district policy prohibiting bullying, the harmful effects of bullying, and other applicable initiatives to prevent bullying.

C. The administration of the school district is directed to implement programs and other initiatives to prevent bullying, to respond to bullying in a manner that does not stigmatize the victim, and to make resources or referrals to resources available to victims of bullying.

D. The school district may implement violence prevention and character development education programs to prevent and reduce policy violations. Such programs may offer instruction on character education including, but not limited to, character qualities such as attentiveness, truthfulness, respect for authority, diligence, gratefulness, sell-discipline, patience, forgiveness, respect for others, peacemaking, and resourcefulness.

VIII. NOTICE 
The school district will give annual notice of this policy to students, parents or guardians, and staff, and this policy shall appear in the student handbook.

206.1DM COMPLAINT PROCEDURE FOR INVESTIGATING AND REVIEWING COMPAINTS MADE BY STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, AND OTHER PERSONS
PURPOSE

The school district takes seriously all concerns or complaints voiced by students, employees, parents or other persons. At the same time, the school board recognizes the importance of conducting neutral, orderly and efficient investigations, or follow-ups and the need to communicate to a complaining party what determinations are made regarding the complaint.
The purpose of this policy is to provide procedures to assure an orderly follow-up, investigation and review regarding complaints voiced by students, employees, parents or other members of the public, as well as to protect the due process and privacy rights of individuals under the law. If a specific complaint procedure is provided within any other policy of the school district, the specific procedure shall be followed in reference to such a complaint. If a specific complaint procedure is not provided, the purpose of this policy is to provide a procedure that may be used.

II GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

A.   Students, parents, employees or other persons may report concerns or complaints to the school district. While written reports are encouraged, a complaint may be made orally. Any employee receiving an oral report must reduce the complaint to writing. The employee receiving the complaint must forward the written complaint to the employee's principal, immediate supervisor and the superintendent.

B.   Any complaining party may forward a complaint directly to the superintendent or school board without the need to present the information to the building administrator or school employee directly involved in the concern. If the building administrator is the subject of the complaint, the written complaint must be forwarded directly to the Superintendent or the school board without the need to present the information to the building administrator.

C.   The superintendent shall make an initial determination as to the seriousness of the complaint and shall determine the nature and scope of the investigation or follow-up procedures and designate the person responsible for the investigation or follow-up relating to the complaint. The designated investigator shall ascertain details concerning the complaint and respond promptly to the superintendent concerning the status or outcome of the matter.

D. The superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall respond in writing to the complaining party concerning the outcome of the investigation or follow-up, including any appropriate action or corrective measure that was taken. The response to the complaining party shall be consistent with the rights of others pursuant to the applicable provisions of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 (Minnesota Government Data Practices Act)or other law.

E.  In the event that the complaining party is dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation or follow-up, including the action or corrective measure taken the complaining party may file a request for review of the complaint to the complaint review committee. The request for a review shall be in writing, shall detail the areas of dissatisfaction and must be delivered to the school district within twenty calendar days of the date the school district issued its initial response.

F.  The complaint review committee shall serve as an advisory committee to the school board. The committee will be comprised of three school board members and a member of the school district leadership team, none of whom have a direct involvement with the complaint. The school board members will be appointed by the school board chair, and the leadership team member will be appointed by the superintendent. The complaint review committee shall meet twice a year to review complaints. However, at the committee's discretion or the school board's direction, the committee may convene whenever necessary.

G.   The complaint review committee shall review the action taken by the school district and determine whether additional action is needed. The committee's decision regarding the review of the complaint shall he communicated to the complaining party in writing and shall be consistent with the rights of others pursuant to the applicable provision of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13 (Minnesota Government Data Practices Act) or other law.

H.  The decision of the complaint review board may be reviewed by the school board in its discretion. A request for school board review of a decision of the complaint review committee shall be submitted to the school board chair, in writing, within twenty days of the date of the decision of the committee. The school board shall notify the complaining party of its decision to review or not review the decision of the complaint review board in writing.

Discussion

There are three categories of allegations contained in the complaints.
The first category of complaints alleges a violation of school district policy by a school district administrator.

The second category of complaints contains allegations that school district administrators and the school board are violating school district policy by failing to follow-up or investigate citizen complaints.

The third category of complaints contains allegations that the school district is misinterpreting the Minnesota data practices act and/or violating the act.
It is the intention of the investigator to address each of these allegations specifically with
the following preface.

A. Five former employees spoke during the open forum session at the regular January 3, 2011 school board meeting. Many of the concerns raised by the former employees were addressed an investigation conducted in 2004. It is clear that many residual issues still remain.

B. Several of the witnesses had very strong and sincere views of school district
administrator wrongdoing. Witness comments can be categorized into two areas. First, issues that have been previously addressed by the 2004 investigation. Second, issues focusing on administration style or management rather than misconduct or violations of school district policy.

Allegation One

A. Allegation One: Violation of the school districts harassment policy.
1. The complainant alleged that the school district superintendent. Peter Grant, violated the school district's harassment policy.
2. Incident 1. Facts as provided by witness(s): Mr. Grant telephoned a public agency administrator and informed the administrator that one of his employees was using her computer and e-mail to send political messages.
3. The public agency contacted by Mr. Grant has an employee policy that prohibits employees from using the employer's computers or e-mail to communicate political messages.
4. The complainant acknowledged that she violated the public agency's employment policy.                                 
5. Mr. Grant acknowledged e-mailing an administrator of a public agency regarding an e-mail that was forwarded to Mr. Grant. Mr. Grant identified two public agency employees who were using their e-mail to forward political speech regarding an upcoming Kasson-Mantorville school district referendum.
6. Witness(s) did not report that they believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by employee's gender, religion, or race.
7. Incident 2. Witness alleged an incident of harassment of an employee during her employment. The employee voluntarily resigned in 2007. Facts as provided by witness(s). Employee had experienced a high level of anxiety and stress working at the high school. Employee stated that she was physically ill due to the stress and anxiety. Superintendent Peter Grant scheduled a meeting with Employee and other administrators. Employee stated that she left work because she felt physically ill. Witness(s) stated that
Mr. Grant called employee's husband at home to verify that employee was at her residence.
8. Mr. Grant acknowledged calling the employee's residence. Mr. Grant indicated that he called the employee's residence to speak with employee about her absence from a scheduled meeting. Mr. Grant reported that he did not intend speak with employee's husband but did so when informed that employee was not available. Witness(s) did not report that they believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by employee's gender, religion, or race.
9. Incident 3. Witness alleged an incident of harassment of an employee during her employment. Employee requested adjustment of her schedule amongst High School and Middle School to move to a full time position rather than a non-full-time position.
10. Mr. Grant acknowledged that after speaking with the separate school administrators that they agreed that the employee request for full-time status did not align with the needs of the School District. Witness(s) did not report that they believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by employee's gender, religion, or race.
11. Incident 4. Witness alleged an incident of harassment of an employee during her employment. Employee's responsibilities and duties were modified. Employee's performance was questioned.
12. Mr. Grant acknowledged that there were concerns regarding employees performance and attitude after she was denied a move to a full-time position. A meeting was scheduled to address the employee's concerns but never conducted due to employees resignation. Witness(s) did not report that they believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by employee's gender, religion, or race.
13. Incident 5. Witness alleged an incident of harassment of an employee during her employment. Witness alleged that Mr. Grant requested to meet with employee after employee wrote an editorial to a newspaper. Witness never met with Mr. Grant but was told the purpose of the meeting was to discuss School Board Member concerns regarding the content of the editorial. Witness reported that an email discussion was conducted with Mr. Grant.
14. Incident 6. Witness alleged that during a conversation with Mr. Grant. Mr. Grant continually referred to employee by the wrong name. Witness(s) did not report that they believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by employee's gender, religion, or race.
15. Incident 7. Witness(s) alleged multiple incidents of harassment and bullying by students against another student and the failure of the School District Administrators to address the issue.
16. Incident 8. Witness(s) alleged gender discrimination of an employee while employed at the School District.
17. Incident 9. Witness(s) alleged violations of medical procedures and regulations for School Nurses and the failure of School District Administration to respond.
18. Incident 10. Witness(s) alleged that former School District Administrator or current School District Administrator contacted another School District and reported that former employee was a "trouble maker”.

Finding

Allegation One

A. Violation of the school districts Harassment policy.

Incident One

1. The school districts harassment policy does not cover incident number one. Under the general statement of the policy, individuals who are protected under the policy are limited to pupils, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel. At the time of incident number one, the complainant was no longer an employee of the school district.

2. The acts described by complainant in incident number one are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Superintendent Peter Grant notified an administrator in a public agency of inappropriate activities by public agency employees. Superintendent Grant's actions cannot be described as harassment. In addition, Mr. Grant's actions cannot be viewed as inappropriate. Reporting a violation of a public agency's policies is within the scope of responsibility of any individual citizen. Mr. Grant's position as a Superintendent of a School District does not prevent him from acting as a normal citizen outside of the responsibilities of his position.

Incident Two

3. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number two are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. It is not uncommon for managers to follow-up on an employee who has left work and missed a meeting due to illness. In addition, the action cannot be defined as inappropriate. Calling an employee at home after leaving work during the work day, is a duty within the normal scope of responsibilities, for a School District Administrator.

Incident Three

4. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number three are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. It is not. uncommon for managers to deny an employee's request to modify their work hours either by increasing the hours or decreasing the hours. The decision to grant an employee full-time status is in the purview of management responsibilities. Employees may disagree with the decision and question the logic of the decision but never-the-less, the decision is
a management decision. Furthermore, Public Employees are afforded numerous employment rights by statute and by contract. The complainant had the right to grieve any perceived negative employment action or alleged violation of her contract rights but did not do so. In addition, the actions of Mr. Grant as reported, fall into the normal duties and responsibilities of a School District Administrator and cannot be defined as inappropriate.                                         

Incident Four

5. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number four are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. It is not uncommon for managers to adjust or modify an employee's work duties and responsibilities. Public Employees are afforded numerous employment rights by statute and by contract. The complainant had the right to grieve any perceived negative
employment action or alleged violation of her contract rights but did not do so. In addition, the actions of Mr. Grant as reported, fall into the normal duties and responsibilities of a School District Administrator and cannot be defined as inappropriate.

Incident Five

6. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number five are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. Mr. Grant's request to meet with an employee regarding an editorial the employee wrote to a local newspaper. The editorial addressed issues about the School District. Mr. Grant's request to talk to the employee about the editorial cannot be defined as inappropriate. A meeting between management and an employee cannot be assumed to be disciplinary in nature. Mr. Grant's request for a meeting and communication to the employee, that School Board Members voiced concern about the editorial, are legitimate administrative duties and cannot be defined as inappropriate.

Incident Six

7. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number six are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. The complainant indicated that they did not believe that Mr. Grant was calling them by the wrong name on purpose but due to lack of familiarity. The complainant's first and last name may easily be confused by an individual who is not familiar with the complainant. Mr. Grant's actions are excusable as unintentional.

Incident Seven

8. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number seven are covered under the harassment policy. However, the complainant forwarded her/his complaint to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. The Department of Human Rights has investigated the complaint and the complainant has provided documentation to the investigator in this matter. Any determination regarding Incident Seven is outside the scope of this particular investigation.

Incident Eight

9. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number eight are covered under the harassment policy. However, the complainant filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Documentation regarding the complainant's Minnesota Department of Human Right's file was provided to the investigator. The Minnesota Department of Human Right made a finding of no probable cause regarding the allegation of harassment due to gender or discrimination due to gender. 1 he Minnesota Department of Human Rights found that the School District Administrator's actions were
in the nature of legitimate management duties. The current investigation has found no additional evidence to refute the findings of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
Additionally, at least one complainant had further opportunity to report alleged harassment and violations of School District Policy during the employment grievance and arbitration process. That arbitration decision was provided for review. The arbitrator found no harassment nor violations of School District policy. The current investigation has found no additional evidence to refute the findings of the Arbitrator.

Incident Nine

10. The acts described by witness(s) in incident number nine are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that Mr. Grant's actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. Witness (s) acknowledged that School District Administrators responded and took action regarding their concerns. However, complainant and witness(s) were not satisfied with the nature of the response by School District Administrators. Complainant(s) filed a complaint with the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Any investigation conducted or determination made by the Minnesota Board of Nursing is outside of the authority or scope of the current investigation.

Incident Ten
The acts described by witness(s) in incident number ten are not covered under the harassment policy. The harassment policy defines harassment based on religion, race, sexual harassment, and violence. Complainant did not report that he/she believed that School District Administrators actions were motivated by complainant's gender, religion, or race. In addition, there is no evidence from either complainant or witnesses that any School District Administrator actually made contact with another School District in any manner regarding the former employee.
Allegation Two

B: Violation of the school districts bullying prohibition policy.
1. Complainant claims that incidents one through six and eight, nine and ten also violate the school districts bullying prohibition policy.
Finding
1. The stated purpose of the bullying prohibition policy is to attain a "safe and civil environment for students". The intent of the policy is clearly to protect students. The policy is not intended to protect other parties.
2. The bullying prohibition policy does not apply to incidents one through six and eight, nine and ten
3. In addition, the actions complained of in the incidents cannot be viewed as inappropriate under the circumstances of Mr. Grant's duties as a School District Administrator.
Allegation Three

C. Allegation three: failure of School District to follow complaint procedure.

1. The complainant alleged that the school district failed to follow the complaint procedure policy because no one from the district responded to concerns raised by five former employees at the school board meeting of January 3, 2011.
2. Two of the five former employees who spoke during the open forum of the January 3, 2011, school board meeting reported that they had requested to be contacted about their complaint. Neither individual was contacted by the school district.
Finding

1. The school district is in compliance with the complaint procedure. Initiating and contracting for the present investigation provides compliance with the school district's complaint procedure.
2. The complainant and other witnesses could not provide specific circumstances in which school district administration had failed to conduct or respond to complaints.

Allegation Four

D. Allegation Four: Complainant alleges that the school district is misinterpreting the Minnesota data practices act.

1. Complainant alleges that citizens speaking during the open forum of school hoard meetings are not allowed to comment or speak regarding employee issues specifically in connection with a particular employee.

2. Complainant could not provide any specific incidents.
Finding

1. The Minnesota data practices act prohibits school districts from providing confidential information to the public. There is no restriction on citizens making complaints or providing information to the school district in a public forum. However, the School District has a legitimate concern that they may incur liability to creating a forum in which the Data Practices Act could be violated. The school district should clearly communicate the requirements of the Minnesota data practices act. School board members and administrators are prohibited from responding publicly to these open forum comments.
Residual issues

1. Residual issues from 2004 citizen petition and investigation: Many of the witnesses contacted commented about experiences and issues that either arose prior to 2004 or were similar in nature to issues investigated in 2004. The witnesses, who were former employees, communicated continued hard feelings towards the high school administration. Several issues were reported that are frankly beyond the nature of this investigation. This investigation was initiated on the basis of allegations of misconduct. Many of the comments by witnesses were described as leadership issues, management issues, and perceived lack of community participation. Several of the former employees indicated that they had never received an exit interview. Many of the witnesses indicated that they perceived a management problem at the high school because of a high turnover rate of staff secretaries and school nurses. One former employee reported that the school district has utilized the management consultants in the past.

Recommendations
A. Address residual issues from 2004 investigation by creating opportunities between the School District and members of the community to develop working relationships rather than adversarial relationships.
1. Community members (witnesses) restated that the only opportunity for feedback was the school district open forum. Participation in less public communication may lead to greater community satisfaction Create alternative, less formal opportunities for community feedback.
2. Encourage community member participation on advisory committees.
B. Educate public on restrictions of Minnesota Data Practices Act and provide alternative to public to provide information on employee issues.
1. Create a notice to School Board Meeting public forum speakers regarding the Minnesota Data Practices Act and an alternative complaint procedure.
C. Modify complaint process to provide recommended timelines to provide feedback to complainant. Notifying parties that the complaint is being investigated is a requirement of a effective complaint procedure.
D. Notify witness(s) and complainant of completion of investigation and provide copy of public report.
E. Modify complaint process to provide alternative complaint procedures. If the complainant is complaining about school district administration, assign a School Board Designee.
F. Provide training to School Board Members regarding complaint process. It is recognized that School Board members often are approached in public regarding School District issues. At times comments from citizens are indistinguishable as statement or requests to investigate.                                           
G. Make exit interviews a practice within the district.