— by Martha Farish —
The issue [of the School’s Phase III bond proposal] needs broad public input.
Everyone involved is trying to do the “right” thing. A historical note: before Orcas Park and Rec was formed the school board took on responsibility for (donated) Buck Park largely because they were the only ones able to do so at the time. When school funding, enrollment and the economy went south, deferred maintenance at the park began–and went on. Now,years later, a large portion of recently funded Park and Rec budget (tax dollars) will be spent addressing the results of that deferred maintenance. In defense of the decisions to defer, school funding is crazy variable. When dollars disappeared, the school board rightly focused on their core business which was after all, education, not park maintenance.
The proposed track has an appeal for both school and community use, very like what was originally proposed for Buck Park. The Henigson family’s extraordinary offer (and decades of support for Orcas education) adds a desire to honor their vision for a track much like we honored the Buck family for their vision for what became Buck Park. Still the voters must decide. What’s the best we can do now? What is a bit of a reach, but not too far? Is your choice useful and sustainable for the school and thus worthy of asking your fellow citizens to vote for the bond? The current round of meetings before the school board are attempts to determine what is absolutely essential (HVAC) and what is worthy in addition (like a track and/or music room) and to put price tags on all of it.
Can we afford everything? Or? Activists and advocates hold disproportionate sway in public meetings. I urge those who don’t like to attend public meetings to “talk it up”anyway, weigh in perhaps in Orcas Issues or with a school board member. Input is needed.
Are there materials somewhere that specify the construction costs of the track and the anticipated maintenance costs as well as the number of students who participate in track versus music programs?
Martha is certainly right – everybody including both those with and those without children in school is/are trying to do the right thing when it comes to educating and providing opportunities for our next generation, but … nearly all our priorities and wishes and materials and buildings and facilities etc. etc. looks like we have unlimited funds to make it all happen. Trying to make it all happen is the ultimate adventure in being burdened with a task too hard. A “blivet” for sure. So what is the answer? Is it not a fact that the more we offer the more we have to water down something already in place? I am the ultimate sports fan. I played and love football, but the cost alone is a real burden on the school system as small as Orcas and do we really need it? Answer is probably a conditional “yes”. We can’t be the only school system in Washington that is faced with not being able to fund all the things that we want our children to have. Our school board does a truly remarkable job of stretching the funds available and in fact produce a high rated result admired by anyone’s rating system. The rub is that what you did yesterday is old news and what we expect for the future is just plain not possible. From where I sit, the answer is more simplistic to say than getting it done but involves being absolutely sure that what ever is offered to our students is not being watered down by things that both they and we could do without. Back to sports. So where does football and track (as examples)) stand in the high priority basket? When this problem faced small schools in Colorado several years ago they scaled their schools by size and invented 8 and 6 man football. Both, by the way, a lot more exciting and a lot less cost than traditional 11 man. Isn’t there a “small” class of school where that makes sense in Washington? Can that same logic to other things? How about an “indoors” size track – half the size of the traditional quarter mile facility with jump pits in the center and maintained by volunteers. Music on the ferries? Aw, com’n Charlie.
I am unable to attend the public input meeting but am hoping someone could pass on my comments. I fully support broadening the sports program at the school, as sports are one of the few positive activities available to high school age kids on the island. That said, I have real concerns with the condition of what is already existing and how well it is or is not being maintained. The conditions of the already existing playing fields are poor. Who will be responsible for paying and providing the ongoing maintenance of a track system. Additionally, driving to the high school and through the high school parking lot is like putting your life in danger with the grand-canyon of potholes! I am afraid a small child will fall in, never to be seen again.
If care is not being taken with what already exists, how can it be expected that care will be taken with additional facilities?