Kyle Zierke, a member of the BEA School Board, is shown voting during the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The BEA Board passed three resolutions dealing with the election results for the district.

The Blue Earth Area School Board had not one, not two, but three resolutions to vote on at their meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, which dealt with certifying the recent election results.

The first resolution had to do with canvassing returns of votes of the School District Special Election.

That ballot question had to do with funding a new K-6 school building near the current high school building, as well as making some improvements to the high school building, also.

The bond referendum failed to pass with 2,604 no votes to 1,655 yes votes.

A list of election results for the district that was released at the meeting shows that the BEA referendum failed to pass in all but one of the 24 voting precincts that comprise the BEA School District area.

The one set of voters who gave it more yeses than nos were in Brush Creek Township, where it was 12 to 5 in favor of the bond. Every other precinct had more no votes than yes votes.

Even in Sterling Township and Walnut Lake Township the vote was one no vote and zero yes votes. And in Seely Township it was two no and one yes votes.

In Blue Earth Ward 1 the vote was 308 to 244 not in favor. In Ward 2 it was 329 to 313 not in favor and in Ward 3 the vote was 316 no to 242 yes.

In Winnebago the vote was 425 no, to 222 yes. Elmore was 151 no to 84 yes, Delavan was 56 no to 41 yes.

Most of the townships were not really close, with usually a lot more no votes than yes votes.

The second resolution dealing with the election at the board meeting was to canvass the returns of votes for the School District General Election.

On this ballot four persons were running for the three open seats on the BEA School Board.

Ted Armon was the top vote getter with 2,317 votes, Lindsay Mensing was second with 2,215 votes and Gary Armon was third with 2,162. Those three were elected. The fourth candidate, Jeffrey Eckles, had 1,972 votes. There were 7,808 people in the school district who voted in the election.

The third resolution dealing with the election was to authorize issuing certificates of election and directing the school district clerk to perform other election related duties.

All three resolutions passed on unanimous 7-0 voice votes.

During her superintendent’s report, BEA superintendent Mandy Fletcher said the district’s No. 1 goal had been to inform the voters of all the facts about the proposed referendum. She listed all of the ways that was done, including a mailing of information about the proposed school sent to every resident in the School District.

The cost of all the prep work for both the plan for the new school and the information sent out for the election came to $18,000, Fletcher reported. About $10,000 of that amount was for the inspections and plans created by ISG. That money will be refunded should the School District ever move forward with a new building.

Also at the meeting, the board heard reports from several administrators.

Activities director Travis Armstrong gave an update on the start of winter sports and activities.

“We have 62 boys out for basketball in grades seven to 12,” Armstrong said. “And we have 30 girls out for basketball in grades seven to 12.”

In gymnastics Armstrong reported that there are 15 girls out, but there are more still deciding on joining the team or not. Wrestling practice has not started yet but they expect 26 to be out for the sport, which is similar to last year’s number.

Armstrong also gave an update on some numbers for various clubs at the school.

“Our Business Professionals of America group is up to 63 members,” Armstrong said. “That is 10 more than last year.”

In addition he said the Robotics Club is at 13 members, and a new HOSA Club (Health Occupations of America) is just starting out and has 14 students as members.

In other business at the meeting, the BEA Board:

• Approved having principal David Dressler be designated as the LEA representative for BEA School’s Title I program.

• Approved the 2024-2025 Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness report. It was previously called the World’s Best Workforce.

• Approved several personnel changes including the retirement of high school technology teacher Mark Wickersham effective Jan. 13, 2025; hiring Patricia Boman as a paraprofessional; leave of absence for high school teacher Brittany Eckhardt starting Feb. 18, 2025.

• Were reminded that the district’s annual Truth in Taxation hearing will be held on Dec. 9, at the start of the board’s regular meeting, at 6 p.m.

• Decided to hold a mid-year superintendent evaluation at 5:30 p.m., as a special closed meeting before the regular meeting on Dec. 9.