Guest Column: After Failed School Bonds, What’s Next?

By Fred Klein

Getting to “YES!!” for the schoolchildren of Orcas island

Dear Fellow Orcas Islanders,

I write this open letter as an individual, as a concerned citizen-taxpayer of Orcas Island, a 24 year island resident, with no affiliation with the Orcas Island School District other than having two granddaughters currently in high school…(Go Lady Vikings!)

The present condition of the buildings which house the classrooms and related facilities of the Orcas Island School District (OISD) begs for the attention of everyone in the community who cares about the learning environment we provide for our children.

I’m told that experts have determined that, for a variety of reasons, a host of problems need to be addressed…problems ranging from worn out plumbing, heating, and ventilation systems, to lack of earthquake-resistance construction, high energy usage, premature deterioration due to moisture penetrations, suitability for current curriculum,  and adequacy for current activities. Some of these problems may seem minor, but if they are not addressed in a timely fashion, will progressively require more and more resources to fix.

There is a broad range of opinion among islanders as to:
*  how serious are these problems? *  how credible are the recommendations of “the experts”? *  how much money needs to be spent to address them? *  how much information is needed to make wise decisions? *  how much money are the citizen-taxpayers willing to pay?, and *  how much trust is warranted to ensure that the funds would be spent wisely?

As a consequence of differing opinions on various issues, island voters did not support two attempts at passage of school bonds intended to fix these problems. Over a 4 year period, significant amounts of time, energy, and money have been expended, both in support of…and in opposition to…the levies. Today, we are at an impasse and the problems remain. What can be done to move ahead?

Instead of engaging in a “tug of war”,  what could we accomplish together if we all were pulling on the same end of the rope?

One approach would be to gather a cross section of citizen-taxpayers committed to reaching a consensus on a way to move forward…a modest goal, which can be accomplished within the time constraints of several meetings within ONE WEEK’s time. The premise being that such a consensus…reached by say 50 to 60 islanders…would reflect and embody the fundamental values, priorities, and wisdom of the community at large.

I have presented this idea to the OISD, and their response has been a supportive and grateful endorsement. The current chair of the school board, Janet Brownell, has said, “I would welcome the opportunity to pursue a strategy which has the full support of our community.”

An outline for this consensus process follows; (Editor’s note: draft proposal for a community consensus-building process to address the adequacy of public school facilities, accompanies this article) please consider participating in this event and contributing your insights and wisdom towards a solution. Feel free to send this information to friends and neighbors. If you would like to assist in making this event happen, participating in it, or would like additional information, please contact me via telephone (376-5377) or email: fklein@orcasonline.com; please use “schools“ as subject line of email.

Thank you for your kind attention.