[Vision2020] Bond Levy for New University Of Idaho

[Pat Kraut]

My children attended Troy Idaho schools in the late 70's to early 80's when they had tried to 'remodel' the school. One of the boys attened a 'gifted and talented class' in the furnace room! But, there were those who insisted that the building was 'good enough' then. The building is old in so many ways that it isn't safe! We need a new school! Our taxes, rents all will go up no matter what we do. My hope is to pay for something that I really want and not another 1912 building so I will be voting for the new school. 
PK

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DonaldH675 at aol.com 
  To: donovanarnold at hotmail.com ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Monday, April 18, 2005 7:49 AM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Bond Levy for New University Of Idaho


  Dear Donovan'
  I worked at facilities as the university engineer responsible for reviewing new building plans for mechanical/electrical installation and to provide input on the same subjects as well as utility upgrades (electrical, water, sewer, power plant, etc.) for several years (20) and if you would like to check the records you will find that virtually everyone of your reasons for the supposed "new University of Idaho" are true. Why do you think we tore down so many old buildings and opted to build new rather than remodel? And just for starters I seriously doubt that you could even fix all of the deficiencies of the present buildings for the amount you have proposed let alone build a new campus. When I retired about six years ago the documented deferred maintenance list exceeded 300,000,000 dollars. 
  As a facilities person I would like to ask you a question? Do you repair your cars over and over and over until they are absolutely so out of date that they are no longer functional or do you buy a newer car when the old one no longer meets your needs? Buildings follow the same functional obsolescence pattern and need to be replaced when they no longer meet the needs of the present.
  My wife attended Moscow High School in the late 50's/early 60's and it was inadequate then so they remodeled. It remained inadequate.
  My children attended Moscow High School in the 80's and 90's and it was inadequate then so they remodeled. It was still inadequate.
  My grandchildren are attending now and it is still inadequate and people still think they can fix it by remodeling. In my mind taking the same action over and over and expecting different results are a good definition of delusion if not outright mental illness or maybe just plain ignorance.
  I also have some problems with the current bond plan but am willing to continue the mental illness with Russell and West Park (why are we remodeling two ugly, functionally obsolescent buildings when for roughly the same money we could get a new elementary school) if we get one new facility. In my opinion the only justification for remodeling is a historic example of a particular style of architecture or an old building that is so well built that the remodel can bring it to modern standards of functionality.

  Don Huskey
  Captain, USMC (Ret)
  BSEE, MPA, MBA
  "One cannot level one's moral lance at every evil in the universe. There are just too many of them. But you can do something, and the difference between doing something and doing nothing is everything." Daniel Berrigan




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