Little Falls Schools Prepare For Crucial April Referendum

LITTLE FALLS (WJON News) -- People looking to get more information about a Central Minnesota school referendum can do so next week. Little Falls Community Schools will be holding a meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24th, at the high school to provide more information about the April 14th referendum.

The two-part question is asking for $34 million to remodel parts of the high school, and an additional $9.5 million to build a new gymnasium. After the meeting, people will be able to take a tour of the high school to see why the improvements are needed.

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Middle School students would transition to the high school and Lindbergh Elementary.

Superintendent Greg Johnson says the tour is an invaluable way for people to get more details:

"I can talk all day about the 53-year-old air handling unit on the second floor of the high school, but when you come in and see it firsthand and look at the sheer size of it, and we can talk about the inefficiencies that exist there, and I think it's much more impactful."

Johnson says there will be an overall presentation and small group sessions about the project and its potential tax impact.

He says the school has also come to a purchase agreement for the Dr. S.G. Knight Elementary building in Randall, which they had to close this past summer.

Johnson says Briggs Properties wants to continue to make the building a community asset:

"The goal, his goal, is to be able to convert it into senior living and preserve many of the resources that are there from the playground that's outside to the baseball field that the Randall Cubs use, and hopefully being able to utilize the gymnasium on a consistent basis for community members."

Johnson says Briggs has a history of converting buildings into new productive spaces for the community, so the board thinks people will be excited as they learn more. The agreement with Briggs Properties could be finalized by June.

Little Falls Arts & Crafts Show

The Little Falls Arts & Crafts show is one of the last big events of the summer. The show continues to draw people in from around the state and crafters from across the country. Check out these photos from its 51st year.