(Fwd) Re: [Vision2020] Smoke and Mirrors

Tue May 3 11:59:24 PDT 2005

--- Michael Curley wrote:
"But, more significant than that, doing band aid
maintenance or half-assed remodel now is just wasting
YOUR MONEY and mine.  I know some people don't want to
move the HS to another site. Fine.  But I sure don't
want to waste my tax dollars on having to continually
repair a building (and the HS isn't the only one of
course) that is educationally inadequate and a money
pit to maintain.  I want the best
bang for my buck."

Mr. Curley, where are you getting your information?
There is not one piece of evidence out there that
shows the High School is falling apart. If there is
ONE document showing that the school is falling apart,
please let us see it.

It is my understanding that the only portion of
building in structural jeopardy is the 1968 portion of
the building. 

The Matrix report shows that we would get more bang
for the buck if we renovated the building we have now
then to build a new one. 

If you want to argue that the building needs more
classrooms, better science labs, a media center, a
music room, and more ADA friendliness, ok, I will
agree. Replace the 1968 annex with a building with
that stuff. However, let us not run around like
Chicken Little saying the High School is falling when
it is just fine. It is not as we someone built the
building in 1939 and we did nothing to the building
since then. We have put millions into that building.
It has been made new twice. To toss all that money and
a good building to build a new building that will be
falling apart too in a few decades is a bigger waste. 

Buildings can last hundreds and hundreds of years is
properly maintained. Fortunately, despite what others
would like to think, we have competent people
maintaining that building. And the school district has
never produced any documentation saying the school is
falling apart, unsafe, or unable to last many decades
into the future with proper care and maintenance that
any building needs, even the new ones. 

If you build a new building because of technology
changes and maintenance reasons, you are always going
to be building because technology is always changing
and buildings always need maintenance. You build
because of needed space and structural failure. The
school population has not increased and the building
is fine.  

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold

> Phil:
> You make a leap of logic that isn't accurate here. 
> Yes, he was asked
> to do a comparable building at the existing site. 
> That does not mean
> that he could not reuse anything in the current
> structure, state of
> the art or otherwise.  He was given no such
> instruction.  And, to the
> contrary of your assertion, I recall that certain
> parts of the
> structure would be retained.  That is, they didn't
> plan on leveling
> the entire structure and starting from scratch.  
> 
> If your point is that there should ALSO have been a
> "remodel only"
> estimate, okay.  But, as much as you blame others
> for ignoring your
> questions, I have to say that I mentioned to you
> several posts ago
> that it isn't quite as simple as saying "give us a
> remodel figure." 
> You'd have to tell the architect, just for example,
> what you want in
> the way of a band room, the cafeteria, and science
> labs (all of which
> are significantly inadequate now).  If you aren't
> going to make them
> consistent with current design and construction
> standards, how do you
> want them?  There are a practical infinity of
> possible packages that
> could have been requested.  
> 
> But, more significant than that, doing band aid
> maintenance or half-
> assed remodel now is just wasting YOUR MONEY and
> mine.  I know some
> people don't want to move the HS to another site.
> Fine.  But I sure
> don't want to waste my tax dollars on having to
> continually repair a
> building (and the HS isn't the only one of course)
> that is
> educationally inadequate and a money pit to
> maintain.  I want the 
> best
> bang for my buck.  And a significant part of that is
> the practical
> longevity of the building for the purpose for which
> it is constructed
> or remodeled.  I would be happy to participate with
> you in a study by
> a competent architect to look at the HS and tell us
> whether we get 
> the
> best dollar/year return by simply remodeling the HS
> or constructing a
> comparably "new" structure on the existing site. 
>  And I'll make a little side wager with you on the
> outcome if you'd
> like.
> 
> In short, there was good reason economically--for
> the sake of your 
> tax
> dollar and mine--to present the comparative figures
> that were given. 
> If you don't want to fund a new building anywhere,
> okay.  But this
> particular attack on the folks who donated their
> time to bring you 
> the
> information is unwarranted.  By the way, you are
> aware that there 
> were
> local business people just like you on the
> committee, right?  People
> who questioned every decision and piece of
> information.  It wasn't
> just educators, administrators, and school board
> members--it was
> pretty well balanced.  I respect your not agreeing
> with their
> suggestions, but I have difficulty with you
> attacking their motives. 
> NO ONE that I'm aware of stood to gain a single
> dollar from any
> possible proposal.  They all just wanted to
> RECOMMEND what they
> thought best for the community as a whole.
> 
> Phil, I appreciate your continued interest in the
> issues.  I think
> there is something useful that can be gained for
> everyone to continue
> a dialogue.  I just ask that you give some extra
> thought to whether
> there was really a grand conspiracy afoot here and
> whether everyone
> whoever participated in or observed the process  is
> necessarily a 
> dope
> with nefarious ulterior motives.  (in fact, if they
> were all that
> stupid, do you think they could put such a
> complicated plot 
> together?)
> 
> Take care--and join the damn committee.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 2 May 2005 at 21:49, cjs wrote:
> 
> > ....... The architect replied that he had been
> given the
> > instructions to do a cost analysis for the high
> school remodel that
> > would make it equivalent to a brand new building.
> That meant that he
> > could not reuse anything in the entire structure
> that was not
> > current  "state of the art."
> > 
> > and we want these people in charge of educating
> our children?
> > 
> > Phil
> > 
> >
>
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>      
> >           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> >
>
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> 
> ------- End of forwarded message -------
> 
>
_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step
> Internet, 
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. 
>  
>                http://www.fsr.net                   
>    
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>
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