Oct
18
An invitation
October 18, 2006 |
I’ve been asked to comment on some new topics. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about a couple of them.
So here’s the deal…
I’m inviting you to do more than just respond to posts and leave short comments. Make your own post. The topics (for now) are:
1. A new high school - Good or bad? Why?
2. The issues surrounding the Menlo school building - What’s wrong? How can it be fixed?
3. World Series - Who will win? Which team’s fan base has the most money to spend on tickets? How many hours will I end up working for the month of October? What’s it like scalping tickets to one of the premier sporting events in the country?
I might answer some of these questions myself sometime down the road, particular the scalping related ones. Send your posts to nate@ticketsolutions.com. You can sign them if you want or anonymous posts are ok too. I’ll publish all the submissions as soon as I can.
Ready, set, go!
Comments
25 Comments so far
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A couple things about Eric Tiernan need to be cleared up before we keep going here.
1. He does own 50+ acres NW of the proposed school site, but the properties are not connected. If a new school is in fact built on that site, Eric will actually lose his driveway.
2. If Eric hadn’t agreed to do the tech house the first time around, the class was going to be dropped. He stepped up to the plate again this year when no one else would. I’d say that counts as giving back to the community/school.
3. Eric has for many years taken a very active role in improving Stuart as well as the school district as a whole. I am on his side when it comes to making Stuart better, and a new high school is a huge part of that. If only a few more of us were so forward-thinking…
Still no other suggestions on where the school should be built?
I’m not suprised
need a napkin?
Napkin?
to wipe tiernans feces off ur face.
Nate, did that come straight from the horses ur Tiernan’s mouth?
It’s straight from my mouth. Number 1 and number 2 were verified by more than one person. Number 3 is my opinion.
I covered more bond issues than I care to remember working for the paper, and as I recall, a second site was examined in great detail by a contingent of citizens from all four towns.
The “second site” was located near the athletic fields, which would make a great campus, but the site was found to be unusable by that group of citizens for multiple reasons.
The primary site makes a lot of sense: it is in the center of the district based on population. It is relatively close to the athletic fields. It is covered by full-time emergency services, such as police and paramedics.
The Dexter building as a district-wide elementary makes decent sense, based on the funds available. The old Redfield building as a middle school is workable, although not neccessarily the best option.
I think the board has made plenty of “good faith” gestures by pouring money into those two buildings, now it is time for everyone to get off their butts and do something positive for the larger community…West Central Valley.
You know…Stuart can pass a bond issue on it’s own, if only people would get out and vote YES.
The Menlo building, in the last bond issue, was slated to be used as an alternative high school campus, which I think is a great use of the building. I think the last bond issue was the most sensible, coherent one I have seen yet. I was deeply saddened when the citizens of the community chose to vote it down.
I think it is ridiculous that people are still arguing about the windows vs the land. Big deal. Move on. Get over it.
I would love to see the town I grew up in just ONCE do something progressive.
How many attempts have been made by Stuart to build a new HS?
It’s obvious to all that the agenda has little to do with the kids but mostly with economic development for some business owners in Stuart. I would be in favor of putting on an addition to the present HS. The present facility makes a lot of sense too. It’s close to the athletic fields. (You won’t need to bus students to the field) It’s also covered by full time emergency services. Also, it would save a lot of tax dollars for those who pay property tax.
That is such typical Stuart small-time thinking. Build on to an antiquated building with old wiring, a leaky roof and no air conditioning. Excellent idea. Nevermind that there is no land left to build on at the current site. Don’t worry about accessibility for handicapped people. Don’t worry about the inability to utilize technology to it’s fullest potential because the wiring can’t handle it.
Ignore the fact that the classrooms are too small, the science labs nonexistent.
Typical of Stuart. Think small, act small and then be cocky about your mediocrity.
Economic for “some” businesses in Stuart? Are you joking? How about an expanded tax base that lightens YOUR property tax load? How about a modern, top of the line education system for your children; something you can really be proud of?
Wouldn’t it just be the end of the world if local businesses prospered? My goodness, they would then be able to offer more local employment and pay a better wage. They would be able to shell out even MORE money from their own pockets to support the school fundraisers, the Scouting program, the Chamber of Commerce, Good Egg Days, etc. etc. etc.
You’re obviously one of those people who has a world view that is basically this: I have nothing, and therefor I don’t want anyone else to have anything either. There is not enough of anything for anyone, so if someone else prospers, I lose. I hate anyone who dares to take a risk to make their lives better.
Denying the community a decent school system simply to ensure that the local hardware store owner doesn’t make any more money is ridiculous non-thinking.
“save tax dollars.” That phrase always blows me away. By how much will your tax bill increase if we build a high school with the best plan we have available? A hundred dollars a year…MAYBE? If you would pay more than that, you’re a HUGE landowner with many resources to pay the tax bill.
Don’t hide behind the tax excuse.
Yeah lets throw redfield and dexter a few scraps of meat, they won’t realize that Stuart got the T-Bone.
Common Sense is dying.
Susan Wagner: I’m all in favor of a new HS in Stuart. However, I believe you are adding fuel to the fire by discrediting people who disagree with your opinions. If this bond referendum is going to pass it’s not going to happen with the name calling as in previous elections. Just state the facts and make sure those facts are correct.
exactly.
A few thoughts about a new school:
A new HS is badly needed. When I first came in 1981, I felt that the facilities were good, but as time goes by, they get worse.
Who is to blame? Not the District, because there are more demands being placed on us in order to make education compatible to the 21st century.
Computers were not available when I started teaching in 1977—heck, calculators were as big as a book and had to be plugged in! We have to make room for computers in the classroom beside computer labs.
Society has forced the government to come down hard on schools to upgrade—make them accessible to people of all abilities; safe and secure, etc. Plumbing, electrical work, doorways, ramps, ventilation, lighting, etc., etc. all need to comply to strict regulations.
Our current building comes in 4 parts: the west wing is the oldest, built in the 1940’s?, followed by the gym, then the main part of the HS (1961) and the voc-tech addition (late 1980’s).
It is not feasible to add on to the current building because it is outdated. The cost to upgrade it would be cost-prohibitive—replace wiring and plumbing; add an elevator; replace windows; add A/C and a new heating system, etc.
When the bond issue comes up, we will be bombarded with a negative campaign that will come from several sides:
1) East siders will complain that the town of Stuart wants everything (even though over $3 million is being spent on the Dexter and Redfield buildings) and they feel that the building needs to be “centrally located—as in being central between Stuart and Redfield (so students living on the west part be damned)”. They also feel that the building has to be in Dexter, or in between Dexter and Redfield or just in Redfield because Dallas County is growing and more people will move to Dexter and/or Redfield despite the fact that Stuart has a bigger business/tax base, an excellent access to I-80, a larger % of the student population, etc.
2) People around Stuart and Menlo will argue that the farmers will have to pay an unfair share of the costs and the method that has been in place for over 100 years needs to be changed FIRST before they will vote yes. They claim that they will experience an unrealistic hardship due to increased taxes—if so, how come NOT EVERY farmer votes no?
3) There will be those who refuse to think that the facility needs to be replaced. If it was good for them (20-30-40 years ago), it is good enough now.
4) There will be those who will spread a “doom and gloom” forecast by saying that people on fixed incomes will lose their home. That sob story has been dredged up for every issue that may result in increased taxes (street paving, etc.). I sincerely doubt that has ever occurred. Please prove to me that I am wrong.
5) There will be those in Menlo who do not want to lose their school—if the school goes, so does their community. The best option is to use the gym and newer wing for an alternative school. The interest is there for an expansion of the program that we already have. With that type of facility, we could develop a 28E agreement with neighboring school districts to send their students to our program. More teachers would be hired as a result.
If, and I say if, the Dexter building was converted to a district-wide elementary, then the old HS in Stuart could be sold to the City of Stuart for a city hall, library, police station, etc.
The school board will have their hands full trying to convince the naysayers of the importance of passing the bond issue. The members who represent the east side have supported the plans to put a building on the land east of Stuart—they need to convey this need to those who have successfully thrown a wrench into the machinery (WCV school district).
However, the board members who represent Stuart and Menlo will have their hands full as well.
Both of my boys are now in college so they won’t be able to benefit from a new facility. However, that won’t stop me from supporting this measure (yes, I am biased because I would benefit from a new classroom—larger, safer lab space and storage space). It would be nice to get to teach in a new facility before I retire.
I apologize for going beyond a “few comments”.
Ok, I have to respond to Mr. B.’s comment.
Everything he is saying is absolutely true! From each town complaining about whatever, to what citizens will think of their taxes.
The only thing I would do different is not sell the old high school building to the City of Stuart, because we need a new facility that is better than the onea that are currently in use.
However, a DMACC learning center would be perfect. I have heard a few people around town saying that we could have this easily with teachers that have their master’s+, such as our current English teacher and other teachers, that can teach for “dual credit,” teach at this DMACC learning center. One person even said that it would more than likely ATTRACT a ton of more students to WCV, since we would have a whole learning center focused on college credit classes. WCV would be hopping!
The only problem I forecast would be getting those teachers who can teach for dual credit to come to WCV, but if we try hard enough we could do it.
Just a thought.
Susan and Todd, and Tyler, you have excellent comments here, (and I’m not going to put this in capital letters since someone think’s they are a shrink..duh). Susan, you hit the nail right on the head, thus why nothing gets done, and a lot of the knotheads spending time on this blog exposing their real IQ will never change. Sad to say, it is a real possibility that it is the same for Stuart. I hope not.
Anonymous at 3:49pm: Yes, I do believe you just exposed your IQ.
Here is my opinion. I think the school should be built over by the greenhouse in between Dexter and Stuart. Instead of a high school, it should be kindergarten through 12th grade. Just like Adair-Casey’s is. I have heard alot of people saying that they would vote for a whole school before they will just a high school.
anonymous at 9:07 AM: I totally agree with you. This makes more sense then having buildings scattered throughout the district!
the bonding capacity is not high enough. people gripeing about taxes has made us not able to raise them any higher. there is no way posssible that would allow the district to build a huge campus.
it would be great if we could though.
This district is way too large to have one K-12 building. If the towns wanted the school to be together, it might be possible to have several buildings at the same location… like a college campus. That’d actually be nice. But there is no way this district can afford it.
Susan Wagner said: “ By how much will your tax bill increase if we build a high school with the best plan we have available? A hundred dollars a year…MAYBE? If you would pay more than that, you’re a HUGE landowner with many resources to pay the tax bill. Don’t hide behind the tax excuseâ€.
According to the Superintendent the “best plan†is $13.3 million with a bond levy of $4.05 per $1,000 valuation of property. Now Susan, I don’t believe your statement that if you would be paying more then $100.00 per year you would be a HUGE land owner. The majority of the district doesn’t live in a $25,000 home. Does anyone know what length of time the taxation would apply? 10 years? 20 years? So if you live in a medium priced home in the district you would probably be paying at least $300.00 per year for how many years?
she doesnt care.
We most definately need a new high school. The past school boards have already bought land and put in some new windows. So what? It was all a plan to move forward. As long as everyone sits and picks apart petty stuff, the district as a whole will never move ahead.
Our kids will continue to open enroll to different schools and eventually they will shut alll 4 community schools down. So, go ahead everyone keep the war going.
We need to move beyond what each community thinks the other communities have done to each other. When will everyone open their minds and hearts and start thinking about the district as a whole. The majority of kids are from Stuart. But the board did pick a centralized location for a high school. The current board is renovating existing buildings. This is finally a step in the right direction. I wish for once that the districts could have some adults step forward to resolve and work out the differences vs. the petty little kids that seem to keep coming forward throwing their tantrums.