JCI is busy selling new buildings and air conditioning to school district’s all over northern Minnesota. I’ve been fielding calls from residents of the St. Louis County School system who don’t trust them. I’ve also read criticial stories about JCI from Brainerd. I know they busy selling to the Ely schools also.
I was sent this story from the Mille Lacs County Times. The email’s subject heading was “sounds familiar” and this excerpt telling another school board how they could skip a referendum. Sad to say that they could only come up with $8 million worth of expenditures that could be imposed without a referendum. A $293 millioin rip off only comes once in a lifetime.
An excerpt:
The representatives from Johnson Controls Inc., suggested the school board members send the completed analysis to the Minnesota Department of Education to be considered for the Alternative Facility Bonding Program or as a health and safety project.
The lengthy laundry list assembled by Johnson Controls on the items that need to be repaired, replaced or constructed within the schools was estimated at the meeting to be about $8.2 million.
School administrators and Schiltz are confident some of the repairs will be approved by the state under the health and safety laws or the Alternative Facility Bonding Program.
Meaning, if approved, the school will be able to levy the taxes due to school district residents.
Without a public majority vote.
At the Monday, July 21 meeting the school board members decided to approve superintendent Barbra Zakrajsek and Schiltz meet with the Department of Education to discuss the work that needs to be done.
All items identified will be presented to the state as necessary projects.
Schiltz said that the state will then decide what projects qualify for health and safety funds or the Alternative Facility Bonding Program.
“I encourage you to do your picking and choosing of projects after the state weighs in,†Zakrajsek told to the school board members.
The motion passed.
