Barnes County North considers centralized location

Taxpayers in a rural school district have voted against a centralized site for the third time. Some say time is running out for a decision to be made. The Barnes County North School district wants 1 campus, not 3.

Students in the Barnes County North School District are split up into three rural campuses, so the superintendent is looking into one, central, convenient spot.

Doug Jacobson - Superintendent: "90% of patrons believe we should be under one roof."

Jacobson says with low interest rates and construction costs, now is a good time to build new. The switch could save more than one million dollars.

Doug Jacobson: "Cost savings by reducing staff, we would reduce about 14-15 certified teachers."

Those against the centralized school building say it’s not necessary to build a whole new building, when the one just north of Rogers can already fit the school district's more than 300 students.

Cheryl Jewett – Against Central Site: "We need this school, we need the kids under one roof. Not denying that, but we feel there's a perfectly good facility, adequate, 40,000 square feet here."

Salon owner Cheryl Jewett, who lives in Rogers, says that while the school is looking at selling bonds through a building authority to pay for a new school, for her it's not about the money.

Cheryl Jewett: "The taxes going up hasn't been a huge pusher...it has been the common sense of a very good system here.”

The location's a big decision because it affects most children's commutes.

Doug Jacobson: "Anytime that you move a location of a school it's a little further away and everybody like their hometown."

Cheryl Jewett: "And it might not be fair or centrally located, but life isn't fair."

There's a discussion in Spiritwood about the proposed central site Wednesday night at seven at the school.

Tags: k-12 education, barnes county north, kelsey roseth, news, rogers, reporters