[Vision2020] Bond Levy for New University Of Idaho

[Donovan Arnold]

Don,

I am aware that most the things I said about the Bond are true, that is why 
I put them in there. But I know it is not possible to replace the entire 
University and fix all of our problems with $500 Million.

I think Mr. Huskey if you disagree with the bond you should vote against it. 
The plan is not a good one and it ignores 3/4 of the problems.

I agree that we should not remodel West Park and Russell, we should replace 
them.

Here is what I would do.
1) Build a new Elementary to replace Russell on Joseph St., and replace West 
Park on the same site but bigger.

2) I would knock down the HS 1968 annex and replace it with a new three 
story building with state of the art science lab, Disability Resource Room, 
expanded cafeteria, media center and make the area in front of the 
Auditorium the main formal entrance.

3) I would make renovations to the rest of the HS and Lena Whitmore. Then I 
would make additions to McDonald and MJHS along with any renovations.

4) I would build a new Alternative High School, probably on a corner of the 
Joseph St. lot. This would also include the vocational and technology shops 
and take them out of the current High School to make more room.

5) I would turn the entire area including 5th street from Van Buren down 
into a giant parking lot with the county court house.

6) I would restructure the grade system as follows.

Elementary K-6
Junior High 6-9
High School 9-12

I would allow parents, based on availability of space, to move their child 
to the next level or school based on the individual child's development.

If a child is ready to move to the Junior High in sixth grade, they can. If 
they are not, they can stay in the elementary setting. Which every is better 
for that child.

Same goes with the High School. Some 9th grades are ready, other are not.

Even if this plan was more expensive, at least it would not be throwing 
money down the gutter or giving people a half-finished High School and 
remodeling two buildings that should be retired.

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold



>From: DonaldH675 at aol.com
>To: donovanarnold at hotmail.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Bond Levy for New University Of Idaho
>Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:49:56 EDT
>
>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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