FARGO, N.D. (KFGO) โ Nervous about the impact COVID-19 is having on the economy, the Fargo School Board has voted down a plan for a new middle school, at least for now.
The district has been looking at whether to redraw school boundaries or add a new school in order to alleviate overcrowding in several south-side schools.
School board member Jim Johnson says facing an โunknown revenue future,โ itโs time to postpone the decision to build a new school. Johnson says a variety of factors, including the significant drop in the price of oil will impact state revenue dramatically and itโs likely foundation aid to schools will take a hit. In addition,
Johnson expects delinquency rates on local property taxes to go up, based on the economic disruption to so many households. Johnson says there needs to be a public vote on what would be a $60 million project.
Board member Kristi Ulrich disagreed. She says the district has been dealing with this for three years and thereโs never a โgoodโ time to make a major decision like this. She says, โItโs really hard and tough to table this until we are in-person because we donโt know when thatโs going to be.โ
The 4-to-5 vote not to proceed with the building project followed lengthy debate during a virtual meeting, conducted on Zoom.
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