Although the focus of our program is not the competitive success, when you are rewarded from a competitive standpoint, it kind of reaffirms that you are doing the right things.”

Josh Walhstrom, Percussion Director

ISD 200 School Board members voted 6-1 to approve the new civic arena contract for the 2025-2026 school year which includes the increased “premium usage fee” rate for the school district.
“No one wants to beat this dead horse?” asked school board Chair Carrie Tate before the vote.
And board members didn’t, voting to approve the new contract without discussion. The vote comes after months of discussion and argument that have spanned school board, city council, and joint powers agreement meetings for more than the last year.
Philip Biermaier was the dissenting vote criticizing the process that ended with the new contract and ice time rates: “From A-Z it was improperly done […] our job as a school district is not to support the bond rating of the city of Hastings.”
The increased rates come due to construction on the civic arena including a new refrigeration system, new roof, and the installation of solar panels on the roof.
This $5.3 million project came before the school board last August when City Administrator Dan Wietecha asked the district to pay 30% or roughly $1.6 million towards the total project cost.
That amount was based on the longstanding “handshake” agreement of a 70/30 cost split that the city and district has used for the construction of new infrastructure like Vet’s Park soccer field in 1990-1991, and lighting for Vets Park baseball fields in 1995-1996.
Board members unanimously rejected that request in August citing the handshake agreement was for new construction rather than maintenance as well as lack of communication between the city and district on the project: “I feel like this should have been a conversation we had three to four years ago,” said School Board Chair Carrie Tate at the Aug. 7, 2024 work session.
In June of this year the city council proposed an additional rate increase, beyond the rate increase for all users, specifically for the school district as a “prime user” in order to raise the funds it had previously asked for from the district.
While school board members railed against being singled out by the city, especially since the district is not the majority user of the facility, keeping Hastings hockey in Hastings was always the goal.
Board members did discuss the possibility of finding another venue for the district’s hockey programming, but with the signing of the agreement, that will not be the case at least this year.

Marching Band
The board recognized the Hastings Marching Band and their show “Becoming the Tin Man” which recently won second place for the state class AA youth in music.
Across all the shows the Hastings Marching Band competed in this year, the band placed either first or second.
“Although the focus of our program is not the competitive success, when you are rewarded from a competitive standpoint, it kind of reaffirms that you are doing the right things,” said Josh Walhstrom, Percussion Director.
The board also heard from Marching Band Director Emily Chandler who was recently inducted into the hall of fame of marching band directors. Chandler has been with the Hastings Marching Band for 25 years.
Members of the marching band captain squad spoke to their experiences in the band as a way for incoming freshmen to meet older students even before their first day at the high school, as well as to the time spent practicing not just during the school year but during the summer.
“They work hard for themselves and they really, really work hard for the group,” said Tom Wentzler, Assistant Coach.
For many, marching band started in middle school which has allowed coaches to work with students across ages.
“The biggest thing is just seeing these kiddos grow,” said Chandler.
“Hats off to you for continuing to sow the love of music in the district,” said Director Elaine Mikel-Mulder.