Hartland, Hyman, Willhelm Garbers Elected to Hopkins School Board; Referendums Pass
Voters in the Hopkins School District elected three school board members Tuesday night and approved two school referendums.
Five candidates ran for three open Hopkins School Board seats. The winners included Rachel Hartland, the lone incumbent, as well as Johanna Hyman and Sara Wilhelm Garbers.
Hartland received the most votes, leading with 7,364 or 23.97 percent.
Johanna Hyman came in second with 6,894 votes or 22.44 percent.
Wilhelm Garbers finished with the third highest total with 5,624 votes or 18.31 percent.
Candidate Eric Mandel narrowly missed out on election with 5,567 votes or 18.12 percent, finishing fourth. Tim Molepske finished fifth with 5,066 votes or 16.49 percent.
Incumbents Jason Ross and Jen Westmoreland did not run for reelection.
The Hopkins School Board is comprised of seven members who serve four-year terms.
Voters Approve Two Referendum Questions
Voters also had to decide the fate of two referendum questions, including one that would increase taxes to provide safety and security upgrades. A question of whether to renew an existing capital project levy was also on the ballot. Both were approved.
The vote was 10,225 votes yes, or nearly 73 percent in favor, for the safety and security upgrades. There were 3,792 votes or 27 percent against.
The capital project levy was also approved overwhelmingly. It received 10,890 votes or nearly 78 percent in favor, while 3,095 or 22 percent voted no.
The security and safety referendum would provide $140 million in bond funding to modernize outdated facilities, according to the district. It will cost the average homeowner an extra $7 per month.
In addition to security and safety upgrades, the bond will provide other facility investments. They include:
- infrastructure repairs and replacements
- learning space modernization such as updated classrooms, career and technical education expansions, special education spaces, and ADA accessibility improvements
- outdoor and recreational facility upgrades, such as playgrounds, outdoor learning areas, athletic fields and lighting upgrades and improved parking lots
Voters also renewed a capital projects levy that supports technology infrastructure and cybersecurity updates. The levy, which was first approved in 2017, generates about $10 million annually for network infrastructure, cybersecurity and data protection, and curriculum and technology.
A small portion of the renewed levy will go toward increasing access to off-campus learning experiences and supporting an upgrade to music instrument inventory, the district said.
The capital projects levy, according to the district, would not cost voters any additional dollars.
