Lakeland to run $7.52M levy in May

SPIRIT LAKE — The Lakeland Joint School District has voted to run a $7.52 million levy election in May.

Trustee Bob Jones, still at home recovering from a medical procedure, called in via telephone Wednesday night to change the levy's fate when he cast the tiebreaker in a 3-2 vote that almost didn't happen.

After some discussion during the special meeting of the school board at Timberlake High School, Trustee Randi Bain made a motion to accept Superintendent Lisa Arnold's recommendation to re-run the levy for $7.52 million. Bain made the motion with modifications to the superintendent's recommendation that would remove the more than $161,000 in garbage and counseling services from the reduction list and instead task the two high school principals with reducing their staff by $85,000 to make up the difference.

Bain and Trustee Dave Quimby voted in favor while Chair Michelle Thompson and Vice Chair Ramona Grissom cast dissenting votes, which failed the motion.

The crowd grew restless. One frustrated audience member loudly asked when Jones would be back and questioned why Jones wasn't included in the vote.

"We need him to be here to vote," the person said. "This is really important for him to be here, and you guys can't just ..."

Thompson banged the gavel.

"I'm sorry you can't be speaking to us like that," Thompson said.

Bain then announced Jones was calling in, which moved the audience to applause. He was put on speaker and Bain once more put forth her original motion, which garnered three votes. Thompson and Grissom voted against the motion.

"Three in favor, two opposed. The motion carries," Thompson quietly announced.

Bain motioned to approve the draft ballot language with the aforementioned changes, which received another 3-2 split vote.

The meeting quickly adjourned.

    Jones