Iolan Jen Taylor, who has spearheaded the local campaign to have new elementary and high schools in Iola, spoke about several school-related issues Tuesday with Iola City Council members.
Taylor is chairwoman of the Yes For Iola Kids Yes campaign.
Taylor briefed Iola council members about the positive economic impact a new schools project would have on the Iola area. (See county commission story for details.)
She also fielded several questions from City Councilman Don Becker.
Among Becker’s queries:
— Are there plans for new sports facilities at the school site?
While the new schools would have gymnasiums and practice areas, the bond does not include money for football, baseball, softball, track and field or other competition facilities, Taylor responded.
— Why does the district need more than 90 acres for the schools?
With one elementary school for pre-kindergarten up through sixth grade students, sufficient space surrounding the building is necessary to segregate car and bus traffic, Taylor said. Additionally, some space near the high school would be reserved for a new middle school years down the road.
— Will the old schools be torn down?
Each of the old buildings will be put up for sale for a year or so, Taylor said, with one company already expressing interest in using Lincoln and Jefferson elementaries as senior housing complexes. If the buildings don’t sell, they will be demolished, with playground equipment remaining. The high school gymnasium, commons area and lecture hall, built in 1989, would be kept.
“They’d like to sell them, but there is bond money to have them torn down,” and the property landscaped, Taylor said.
— Will removing schools from downtown Iola adversely affect property values of nearby homes.
Taylor said she posed that exact question to local appraiser Larry Wilson.
His response: “Absolutely not.”
“He’s done lots of appraisals in Chanute around where the schools used to be, and there was no negative impact on property values.”
— Why not convert Iola Middle School into an elementary school, while building one campus for junior and senior high school students only?
The IMS complex is not big enough, nor is there enough adjoining land — without condemning nearby properties — for a single elementary school, Taylor said. The bond includes spending about $1 million to maintain the middle school for now because adding it to the construction project would have made it too expensive to sell bonds.
— Will the district take steps to ensure roofs of new facilities won’t leak?
“I can comment on that,” Becker said, answering his own question. “Roofs only leak for three reasons: 1. Design is wrong; 2. Installation was wrong; 3. it has not been properly maintained. I know flat roofs don’t have to leak, ever. It’s just a matter of doing it wrong. You get what you inspect, not what you expect.”
— Why do the schools apparently have mold now, and not 10 or 20 years ago?
“I worked at school maintenance for 18 years,” Councilman Gene Myrick interjected. “Mold has always been an issue, but not as widely publicized as it is now because of the number of health concerns. They’re making more of an issue now than they did 15 or 20 years ago.”
Taylor noted mold and water issues stem from groundwater.
Taylor said new facilities would offer up more efficiency in the forms of lower utility costs and fewer expenses for such things as curriculum materials, to the tune of nearly $700,000 annually. Software licenses must be purchased per site. With fewer buildings, fewer licenses would be required.
“I’d hope the district would have money to maintain new schools,” Becker concluded. “If we don’t, we’d wind up in the same place. I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not quite satisfied with that.”
“If we build another school in another 100 years, I’d think that’s pretty successful,” Councilman Jon Wells interjected. “The maintenance is great, but (the high school) is still a 100-year old building.
“Nobody likes old buildings in town — well, maybe, except for Donna (Houser) — than I do,” Wells continued. “I have a fond appreciation. I’ve devoted my life to the study of the past. I think they’ve done a great job of keeping up the buildings. Pretty buildings are great, but that’s not the function of education any more.
“I know we generally stay neutral,” Wells continued. “There’s a favorite quote of mine from Dante. To paraphrase: ‘There’s a special place in Hell for those who don’t choose sides.’ I’m firmly in support and have been from day one. This has been a heated issue, and I’d like to commend everybody on the civil discourse.”
— Would the city need to widen or extend roads to accommodate the new schools?
City Administrator Carl Slaugh said a traffic study will be completed if the bond issue passes to determine if a turning lane is necessary at Oregon, or if State Street would need to be altered. The schools could prompt the city to look once again at extending Cottonwood Street through the new Cedarbrook Addition, where several homes and a senior living facility have been constructed in recent years. The city could use a portion of added sales tax revenue for the projects, Slaugh said.
— Councilman Steve French also wondered if the city would need to take another look at improving North Kentucky Street, with the schools and new hospital. French said he still harbors concerns about ambulance safety along North Kentucky during icy weather.
— Myrick asked if local vendors and contractors would be used during construction.
The aim is to include as much local participation as possible, Taylor responded, noting roughly 15 companies responded to a school meeting with local businesses earlier this month.
She noted Universal Construction, the construction manager, is helmed by Steve Smith, an Iola High graduate, who has expressed an interest in finding locals to help with the project.
Advocate for new schools fields questions at city meeting
