03/05/2026
Hello, everyone! It's been a while since I posted on Facebook, though for this it's good to watch the video and get it straight from the source. Links below from points of the Feb 17 2026 Sibley East School Board Meeting.
Thank you Bud for giving public comment before the meeting!
Bud Bruhjell's Community Member Comment - https://www.youtube.com/live/Wk2w5kghcpc?t=153&feature=shared
Item #3 (Video Link - https://www.youtube.com/live/Wk2w5kghcpc?t=2991&feature=shared ): Recommend the board authorize the superintendent to work with Wendal Companies and Ehlers to submit all required information to the Commissioner of Education to Request Review and Comment for acquisition and/or betterment of school sites and facilities for the August 2026 election.
The Closed Captioning is fairly accurate if you can't understand the audio. You may need to enable it from the Settings gear icon, or some users may have a dedicated CC button to press.
(How to enable Closed Captioning https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/100078)
In Short: The School Board is going forward with the process that we have compelled them to do. They have quotes for options with the space, they're preparing the report for the state to review, and soon (if not already) they'll submit the report for review.
A proper inspection of and quote for the pool was required to get accurate data for the report. While Wendal Companies provided the additional quote for free, the initial cost is coming out of the General Fund (meaning the taxpayers). One could argue this cost would have been unavoidable to do anything with the space. However, delaying the submission at this point would end up costing taxpayers more for needing a special election.
A copy of the updated Pool Analysis Agreement can be found here - (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qp9so8EbKtW45aWwUnfhW00LkK52-2NB/view?usp=sharing)
It's unfortunate we hadn't started with more force sooner to compel a district vote after past promises sneaked passed, though at this point "hurry up and wait" is our path forward. That doesn't mean we can't keep the buzz going!
I thought about doing another music event to spread awareness and raise funds (would be great if we as a committee donated what was left of our funds once we're done to offset compelled costs 😊).
Tell your pro-pool friend to run for School Board, or maybe we could convince them while dancing to tunes. ☺️
Tell your friends and family. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns or comments.
Keep Swimming!
Ben Wieman
The Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Sibley East Regular School Board Meeting
