The Fulda Public School District will be holding a Special Election on May 13, 2025 to ask for voter approval in authorizing a bond not to exceed $ 35,300,000 to address building needs. After investigating all aspects of form and function of the present school facilities including mechanical, safety, indoor air quality, accessibility, age of the facilities, operational costs, and programming needs, along with evaluating the data gathered by the Community Survey, the School Board has determined the best way forward is to move towards a one building PreK-12th grade school campus.
In April of 2023 the School Board and the District Superintendent decided to seek outside professional help in assessing the needs of the district’s buildings. In August of 2023 a team from Apex Facility Solutions conducted facility and site surveys and presented their findings to the School Board in March of 2024. The comprehensive survey identified an excess of $22.9 million dollars of needed repairs and or improvement to maintain our current two buildings. With this survey data Apex also provided the district with the estimated cost of converting into a one building school campus to be approximately $ 35.3 million.
In May of 2024 the School Board authorized a Community Survey to seek community input on two options regarding repair and or construction of new facilities. The survey response rate was very good with over a 30% response rate. Following the November 12, 2024 Community Survey Results Public Meeting, the School Board approved moving forward on the $ 35.3 million plan.
The School District has informed all counties within the school district boundaries, and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) of the planned Special Election and is currently waiting on the project Review and Comment findings from MDE. The Special Election will take on May 13, 2025, with early voting beginning on Friday, March 28, 2025. The first of three planned Public Meetings to discuss the $ 35.3 million referendum is scheduled for Monday, March 24th at 7:00 pm in the High School Cafeteria.