South Clay residents' questions answered

South Clay dissolution commission committee members Barry Anderson, Joe Hoffman, Mary Jo Smith, Gary Johnson and Jim Wischmeyer, from left, listened intently as an area property owner posed a question during Monday's public hearing regarding the Clay County school district's dissolution following the 2009-10 school year. (Photos by Kris Todd) [Order this photo]

The first of three public hearings surrounding South Clay's dissolution following the 2009-10 school year was just like a lot of church services in that the front row filled in last. But the Webb Community Center filled to a standing-room-only capacity Monday night as 46 residents and area landowners gathered to be informed about what lies ahead for their students and land, as well as have their questions answered.

Superintendent Dave Schulz and a seven-member dissolution commission committee hosted the meeting. Barry Anderson, Joe Hoffman, Amy Burkhart, Gary Johnson, Jim Wischmeyer, Mary Jo Smith and Marcia Langner are charged with redrawing the school district's boundaries within the contiguous districts of Spencer, Sioux Central, Ruthven-Ayrshire, Clay Central-Everly, Laurens-Marathon and Terril/Graettinger.

The South Clay school district -- which currently sits between the rural Clay County towns of Dickens to its north, Gillett Grove in its middle and Webb to its south -- covers 181 miles. Its land and students rest within a 25-mile north-south range and an eight-mile east-west span.

"Obviously, we're all here because we have a vested interest in South Clay," Superintendent Schulz told those who'd gathered.

The district's building in Gillett Grove hosted 42 families' prekindergarten through sixth grade students last school year. Approximately 31 families are expected to be represented within the school building's classrooms this year. Between 42 and 45 students are projected to register for classes at South Clay for the 2009-10 year.

Schulz indicated when South Clay went from being a K-12 building to an elementary school in 1993, the district had a certified enrollment of 235 K-12 students, 109 of which were hosted in the educational program offered in the Gillett Grove school building. By 2008, the school district's K-12 certified enrollment had dropped to 154 students, 62 of which were enrolled in the PK-6 program in Gillett Grove.

"We've had 17 years of providing the students of South Clay in Gillett Grove a nice, quality education," Schulz said.

The superintendent went on to say that the rural school district's declining enrollment over the years can be attributed to three things: Less families living in Iowa's rural areas, families wanting all of their children to attend the same school district and the increasing number of K-6 students open enrolling out of the district into surrounding schools.

As committee member Mary Jo Smith pointed to a slide showing the contiguous school districts' fourth grade reading scores, she suggested, "Our children are going to be at a relatively level playing field" when they go elsewhere next school year. Her Monday night presentation also included student-teacher ratios and dual credit class offerings at Spencer, Sioux Central, Ruthven-Ayrshire, Clay Central-Everly, Laurens-Marathon and Terril/Graettinger. [Order this photo]

By 2008, 62 students had open enrolled out of the South Clay district and a mere four students had open enrolled in. Of the families who requested open enrolling their students into other districts, it was noted that none stated education as their reason for doing so. Rather, the reasons listed included the extracurricular activities offered elsewhere, as well as families wishing to keep all of their children enrolled in the same school district.

The contiguous school districts' property tax rates garnered several questions from landowners who attended Monday's public hearing. Committee member Johnson relayed all the surrounding districts' rates will be higher than South Clay's current $10.52 per $1,000 assessed valuation. When Tom Hanson of rural Linn Grove asked how South Clay's boundaries being changed might potentially affect the contiguous districts' tax rates, Johnson said he'd asked the county auditor the same question.

"It's going to change," he answered. "But it's like shooting in the dark, because we don't know who's going to go where and how much (property) is going to go where yet."

"They're benefiting from our loss," Smith added in reference to South Clay's property and students.

Mike Raynor then asked how the committee would make its decision on where to redraw the district's lines. He questioned if tax rates or students would receive a greater weighting. While those attending were told the committee will need to follow some guidelines, such as no islands or doughnuts being redrawn among the district's sections or boundaries, Anderson said the assessor's office had requested that the new lines be drawn straight.

This received a laugh from those who'd gathered.

"All of us who are on this committee know there are going to be people who are going to be unhappy," Burkhart said. "But the assessor and the AEA office want lines straight. We want our community, our friends, our neighbors and our families to be happy. We are going to do the best we can, whether it makes the assessor mad or the AEA or whatever. We're going to do everything we can because we have that power -- as long as we get a yes vote. If we don't get a yes vote (on Feb. 2, 2010, the state will come in and draw those new lines straight)."

Following Monday night's public hearing about the pending South Clay school district's dissolution, landowner Cindy Kress took time to fill out a piece of paper committee members will use to redraw the district's boundaries. [Order this photo]

Area property owners were also informed that absentee landowners will not be allowed to vote during the Feb. 2, 2010, special election, which will occur in Gillett Grove. While the district's 742 registered voters will also have the opportunity to cast ballots earlier at the Clay County courthouse, all those who gathered were strongly encouraged to make their opinions known during the upcoming election. Schulz indicated the most votes cast in a board election during his 21-year tenure with South Clay, as a teacher and as the district's superintendent, was 35.

"Come Feb. 2, when the people of this district get to vote, it'll be the people who show up on that date who will get to help make the decision," Smith said. "If you're an absentee landowner, you don't get to vote on this. Only we the people who live in this district and our registered voters get to vote."

As one attendee asked what would be done with the district's school building in Gillett Grove, Anderson answered that decision will rest with South Clay school board members. The committee and South Clay school board member reported they'd already discussed three options: Placing the building's contents up for auction, selling the building to an interested person or parties, and demolition.

"This committee doesn't have any power over that. That's something the board will have to act on and handle," Anderson said.

Additional public hearings are scheduled in the Gillett Grove school gymnasium at 7 p.m. tonight, as well as in the Dickens Community Center/fire station at 7 p.m. Wednesday. South Clay dissolution commission committee members are to offer their proposal for the district's redrawn lines to the South Clay school board by Oct. 19. Another public hearing is then scheduled for Dec. 9 in regard to the new boundaries which South Clay voters will vote on during a Feb. 2, 2010, special election.