Edina City Council — Transcript
Monday, September 9, 2024
Story
Edina School Board Approves Bond Refinancing to Save Taxpayers Millions
Public Health Concern: Head Lice Outbreak
Summer 2024 Programming Review
Legislative Policy Alignment
Votes (3)
Intent to Issue General Obligation Capital Notes and Facilities Maintenance Bonds Series 2024A
Dissent: None
Moved by Elliot Bergman [1:21:56] · Seconded by Karen Gable [1:22:04]
Director Mert Woodard and Jody Zesa (Ehlers) explained that the refunding of 2014 and 2015 bonds is contingent on a true interest cost (TIC) of 3.46% or lower. The move is tax-neutral for the district's budget but provides direct relief to property tax levies.
2024-2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement: MSEA Paraprofessionals
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [1:24:57] · Seconded by Unknown [1:25:01]
The agreement includes step advancement, retroactive pay to July 1, 2024, a $30/month increase in health insurance contributions, and two additional paid holidays during spring break to level out income distribution.
Public Comment: Head Lice Mitigation
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Parent Laura Lucans reported that local lice clinics were 'incredulous' at the number of cases from Edina Kids Club. She urged the board to treat lice not just as a nuisance but as a significant financial and disruptive event for families.
Notable Quotes (3)
The expression that was used in our discussion was 'take your winnings off the table' meaning that we can book now savings of at least 5.2 million... it's a win for our taxpayers.
Our negotiation teams worked collaboratively to reach a settlement that values the important work that our paraprofessionals do and also respects the school board's financial parameters.
Treating a family of five costs over $1,000. This is simply not feasible for many EPS families.
Ordinances & Resolutions (4)
General Obligation Capital Notes and Facilities Maintenance Bonds for refinancing and bus replacement [16:25]
Public participation and community comment guidelines [10:27]
Assessment, Grading, and Reporting policy updated for secondary school GPA clarity [1:11:04]
Labor agreement for paraprofessionals, including a 10.99% package increase [1:24:45]