Steering committee members tempered their enthusiasm over the decision to go for a new elementary school Tuesday night with the knowledge that getting public approval will be a monumental hurdle.
While the advantages of a new elementary would seem to make the issue a slam-dunk for both educational purposes as well as economic development always in the back of members minds is the overwhelming failure of the $52 million school bond issue in 2014 and how to avert the same outcome.
Now in their ninth meeting with engineers and architects with Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey of Wichita, a core group of about 20 local citizens have found consensus that needs can best be met by taking small(ish) steps that eventually address the entire district over the course of several years.
Were in the conundrum that everything needs to be addressed, said Stacey Fag-er, superintendent of schools. Now we need to take some things off the table. We have to find the best option that the public will approve.
To that end, members decided the districts first priority is an all-inclusive elementary school for grades pre-kindergarten up through fifth grade. Its possible location has been narrowed to three sites. Members are counting on weigh-in from the public to show what the majority prefer.
For older grades, needs include a storm shelter, an upgraded heating and cooling system for the middle school and new environs for the high schools science curriculum, including chemistry, physics, physical science and biology.
Long term, members agreed a new high school is needed, with plans to keep it in the current vicinity.
Members struggled with how to put all the wide-ranging issues into one acceptable package and at the same time address pressing needs. If they could keep the bond issue at $25 million, that would cost the owner of a $75,000 home about $15 a month in increased property taxes. That alone would pay for a new elementary school, but not answer other needs for the middle school and high schools.
After proposing numerous scenarios, members arrived at the decision that not everything need be answered at this point and that through meetings with the general public the answers will come to fore.
Oftentimes those people come up with ideas that we can incorporate into the plans, said Chuck Apt. We are there not only to speak, but to listen.
GETTING THE public to the table is the next pressing issue.
Apt said hes been disappointed that we havent had more business leaders participate in the process up to date. I think its essential that leaders from the city, the college, major industries, Iola Industries, sit down with us. This is the most important economic development issue that we have going on. We need these people to say they need good schools to help attract employees and to train their employees.
Ryan Sparks remarked on how over the months the steering committee has transformed from a group of diverse members to a team.
Many of those who have been faithful in this most recent endeavor and have found consensus, voted against the 2014 measure for myriad reasons.
Weve found a path that we believe is acceptable, Sparks said. Probably none of us would define this as a perfect plan, but were realistic enough to realize that the perfect plan probably would not pass with voters.
