Leasing Basics for Minnesota Charter Schools
January 18, 2011 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Authored by: Jeffrey S. Johnson and Kristin N. Blenkush Introduction For the uninitiated, commencing negotiations on a complex charter school lease can be overwhelming. These materials are intended to provide a basic overview of some of the most important provisions likely to be found in a charter school lease. Leasing Guidelines Specific to Charter Schools Because charter schools may not use state money to purchase land or buildings (Minn. Stat. § 124D.11, Subd. 7), gaining an understanding of basic leasing concepts is important. In addition to the general education revenue provided to charter schools, charter schools may be entitled to additional public funding through building lease aid. Under Minnesota law, charter schools may apply for building lease aid in order to rent a building or land for instructional purposes. Minn. Stat. § 124D.11, Subd. 4. The Minnesota Department of Education reviews and either approves or denies a applications for lease aid using certain criteria specified by statute. These criteria include (1) the reasonableness of the price (the rent) based on current market values, (2) the extent to which the lease conforms to applicable state laws and rules, and (3) the appropriateness of the proposed lease in the context of the space needs and the financial circumstances of the charter school. Minn. Stat. §…
Read MoreUnderinsured/Uninsured Coverage – What Is It and Why Should You Give It Some Thought?
January 12, 2011 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Most people do not understand it and fail to appreciate its importance to them and their family. Underinsured motorist’s coverage insures you and your resident family members if you or they are injured in a motor vehicle collision and the other driver does not have sufficient liability coverage to adequately compensate you for your injuries – medical bills, wage loss, physical disability, and pain and suffering. Uninsured coverage protects you and your resident family members from situations where you are injured by another driver who does not have any liability coverage on his or her automobile. Unfortunately, in this day and age a surprising number of people do not carry any insurance or only carry the statutory minimum. Under Minnesota law, that statutory minimum is $30,000.00 for liability coverage and $25,000.00 for underinsured and uninsured coverage. It doesn’t take much for an injury to create damages that far exceed these minimal coverages. You should look at your policy to see what type of coverage you currently have to determine if you believe the coverage you are carrying is adequate. If you are not sure what amount of coverage you should carry, you can always consult with your insurance agent and/or also talk to your attorney. Obviously, any decision on the amount of coverage…
Read MoreCar Accidents and Unintended Consequences
January 4, 2011 | Jon P. EricksonSome times when a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident they end up getting a traffic ticket such as a careless driving ticket. This can happen even if a police officer didn’t witness the accident. They might give you a ticket there at the scene of the accident, or send you one in the mail. A careless driving ticket or other misdemeanor moving traffic violation is a crime with a statutory maximum of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. The potential biggest problem from a conviction for such an offense is probably the collateral consequence of its effect on your motor vehicle insurance rates. It may make sense financially to hire a lawyer to fight this charge to try and prevent such a conviction. There may also be problems should you be sued civilly by the driver(s) of the other motor vehicles involved. We at BGS recommend you talk to our lawyers about this to help you make a decision on what to do. There are even potential felony charges from being involved in a motor vehicle accident such as Criminal Vehicular Homicide or Injury charges. One should always hire a lawyer in these types of cases. We have the legal expertise to handle both your motor vehicle accident…
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