Columbia Heights School Board Mulls Adding 7th Member

The Columbia Heights (District 13) School Board held a public forum Tuesday night to gather community opinion on whether the number of school board members should be increased from six to seven.

Acting Board Chair Scott Bardell opened the discussion by stating that the board had received "some community input” that the number of board members should be increased.

The board has been , the votes being 3 to 3. However, that has not kept the board from doing business, according to most of the comments from the six citizens who showed up to speak at the meeting.

Mona Anderson, House District 50A Republican Party chairperson, said that an even number of board members encourages thorough debate and eventual consensus.

“With six members a supermajority of 4 to 2 is required to approve an issue. If there were seven members only a simple majority of 4 to 3 would be needed. That would stifle healthy debate. Most of the votes are 6 to 0 anyway.”

Columbia Heights City Council Member Donna Schmidt also spoke against adding another member, making the point that a tie is, in effect, a “no” vote. She cited the increased expenses a seventh board member would create for the district and added, “You’ve had six members for many, many years and you’re doing a wonderful job.”

Bill Holmgren, District 13's director of finance and operations, laid out the costs of an additional member, adding salary, per diem and conference expenses totalling $10,736 per year. Holmgren said it would cost about $40,000 to hold a special election on the issue and about $10,000 to put the question on the ballot in a regular election.

“I believe the public should be given a chance to vote.” said Columbia Heights resident Chris Nutting.

Minnesota Statute 123B.09 requires six members and most of the 355 school districts in Minnesota have that number, but there is provision for a seventh member to be added.

The school board must decide whether to put the question on the ballot. Voters would be asked if they would approve adding a seventh member. The next regular election to do that would be November 2012. If the question was approved, then candidates for the new seat would appear on the ballot in the following election: November 2014.

“The board is not advocating one or the other, but merely responding to some questions or concerns.” said Karen Kepple, school district attorney.

The board itself did not discuss the issue and did not indicate whether there would be further opportunities for public comment.