[Winona Online Democracy]
Roy, The idea of a collaborative for local units of government was actually
implemented in the late 80's (my vintage there)when the Winona County Board
set out to develop an Intergovernmental Council. I know it still exists for
at least the mayor of cities in Winona County and the County Board. We had
representatives of the School District #861 attend (Joliene Olson will
recall.). We were interested in sharing heavy duty equipment to maximized
the investment made by local units of government, doing bulk purchasing,
and to work to strengthen the partnership wherever possible. The current
commissioner representing the County Board is Judy Gilow. I heard her
mention this effort during some of the candidate meetings. This would be a
good story to tell the public. I do not think the individual organizations
ever included WSU but there is no reason to exclude them either. In the
growing pains of developing new collaboratives, I have found the lack of
consistent attendance often poses serious communication problems. Maybe
that has improved. I would venture that progress has not moved to include
financial planning, but that does not prevent us from suggesting that it be
explored. Thanks for raising the issue. I hope someone presently serving
on the Intergovernmental Council will bring us up to date.
Lee Luebbe
-----Original Message-----
From: Roy Nasstrom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Wednesday, November 01, 2000 1:35 PM
Subject: [Winona] School Funding & Collaboration
>[Winona Online Democracy]
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>Considering the options available for financing the schools, the local
>community seems to be the best bet (a highly relative term) right now for
>any significant improvement next year. Greater equity in state support may
>yet come to out-state school districts, but I even if it does, many
>financial problems will remain. In fact, out-state services as a whole in
>almost all states suffer some financial deprivation, and regardless of the
>political party in power, things are not likely to get better soon.
>
>Here in Winona, immediate local support for an override levy for schools
>may be highly problematical if local governments also need money to solve
>their problems. A mad scramble for money within a short time could nullify
>the needs of all groups.
>
>This situation leads to a question. Have local governments (the county, the
>cities) and the school district ever established a body to collaborate on
>meeting financial needs? Perhaps priorities could be developed or
>particular needs and plans could be laid out in such a way that some
>coordination could be established. Even Winona State University could be
>included. Although it cannot itself issue bonds or raise taxes or
>establish tax increment financing, its decisions and requirements often
>have a large impact on the tax base.
>
>It would be na�ve to think that interests of disparate groups could be
>melded together to form a body in which conflict would be eliminated. Some
>interests will inevitably clash. People look at finance from their own
>perspectives. Moreove, state decisions and actions by school districts
>other than 861 within the county might skew any local decisions. But an
>ongoing body consisting of representatives of governments and the school
>district might produce at least partially coordinated local financial
>decisions. For example, a plan for needs assessment and cyclical
>fund-raising could be developed. Such a plan might reduce the negative
>reaction of citizens being faced with large, unrelated tax increases within
>a short period, a recipe for funding difficulties even during prosperous
>times.
>
>Although I assume some informal consultation on financial needs has
>occurred on an ad hoc basis, I have not heard of any regular collaborative
>procedure in Winona. Has one existed in the area? Does one exist in some
>form now? Does the history of the area make the effectiveness of a
>collaborative group possible? Or is the issue really relevant now?
>
>
>Roy Nasstrom
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>~Roy Nasstrom, Chair, Department of Educational Leadership [507/457-5347]~
>~ Department of Educational Leadership Web Site ~
>~ http://www.winona.msus.edu/educationalleadership/ ~
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
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