Dear Editor,
EV BOARD APPROVES FACILITY (FIELD HOUSE) PLANNING COMMITTEE
Below is a transcript of the board meeting discussion on Formation of District Facility Planning Team to give residents of EV an understanding that although over 60% of the voters decided against a Field House the EV Board/Admin will be moving forward to continue their quest to build a Field House. I only wish the board/admin would spend as much time and energy on scholastically increasing test scores as they are spending on erecting a Field House.
Transcript:
Chris Fee: As we discussed last month, we wanted to start on the ground floor, revisiting conversations about the facility needs in the district. While we’ve explored things in depth in the past and took a vote to the community, which did not pass our intent was to approach the process very much like we intended to do so in the first place, until some of the timing and legislative changes kind of forced us into a position where we had to make a decision to proceed or hold off.
And so, what our discussion has been is to bring in community representatives to just kind of look at everything that we’ve explored in the past and get more eyes on it. Everything from budget, finance, the needs, existing infrastructure, future needs that we would project. And so, in order to do so, we get a broad representative group of our school community. We ask the board members to share a name with us that would be able to serve on that committee.
So, I do have those names. So, Joe Kilburg. Some of you recommended several. I assume in case there were duplicates or anything like that. So please correct me if I misunderstood the first names that you intended to share Joe – Tyler Shannon the first one on your list. Dylan, I had Nick Roe on your list. Chris Matissen had Brandon Marburger. Walt King had Seth Lawson. Jody Meyer recommended Davey Smith. Dana Olsen recommended Nicole Christiansen. And Craig Thines recommended Jesse Budden.
So if you remember, we had this discussion last month. Adam was out of town. And since our last meeting, we have had some additional discussion. What we would like to do, instead of the district, you know, Adam myself, or administrators or anybody that is even employed by the district, making recommendations for additional representation.
Because if you recall, including our community reps and then board and school district employees we wanted to try to keep that number to a manageable group somewhere in the range of 20 give or take, one or two there and so our recommendation tonight is to approve the seven members that have identified schedule a meeting for first facility plan meeting, bring them together, get everybody’s ideas not just the thoughts of all of you, but the thoughts of these individuals as well.
Last meeting, we looked at kind of a breakdown of different demographic groups that we’d be looking at different stakeholders that represent different interests within our community. And what we’d like to do is brainstorm as a group, get names of these individuals that we’re pointing tonight would think would serve well on that committee. And then Adam and I would work with that committee and then board reps that join us for that conversation to come to some consensus on the additional you know, eight to ten community representatives that we would bring in. So, we just felt like that was a great way.
All of you are elected officials by the community. You identify one person, they come to the table, and we can make sure that we check every box, so we considered that input of additional people to build this team. Are there any thoughts, questions, or concerns about that approach?
Board Member: I mean, I guess, I’m sure we can be even more sure that they’re all going to sit on the committee, which is very great to like, at least a massive thing. Yeah, or even especially
you know, a special meeting, I want to know who those people are.
Are you looking to get this meeting together prior to what it needs to be?
Chris Fee: That was the goal, just so that we can keep things moving and try to put ourselves in a good position for our timelines.
Board Member: Has everyone checked with them and
they confirmed? I think we need to go back and get them confirmed, and then we’ll have to have a special meeting.
My other question is, if we get these confirmed, and they’re on the committee and you get your other 30 people total or whatever that you can break down into smaller committees one of those budget being one of those construction of those whatever I have a suggestion.
Chris Fee: These individuals certainly have different areas of expertise and potential interest in what our facility needs might consist of.
After this the board unanimously approved the names stated by Chris Fee to the new Facility Planning Committee.
I believe creating a committee like this doesn t address the elephant in the room which is EVCSD scholastic aptitude state scores have been lower than the state average for quite some time. Shouldn t there be lengthy discussions on how to fix this ongoing problem at each and every board meeting? Just a remind the primary purpose of an educational board is to provide the students with a stellar education. Where are the extensive discussions on what we are doing to increase the scholastic aptitude of our students? Shouldn t we be heavily focusing on education and putting everything else on the back burner? It seems as though we continue to forget the entire purpose of a school and contrary to the above discussion it is not a Facility (Field House) erection. It Is Education!
