CdA schools: Use facilities before asking for more

An open letter to the trustees of Cd’A School District 271, 271 administration, and the taxpayers of the city of Cd’A:

I once served on the District 271 School Board and I understand very well the intense pressure and stress that comes along with the job of dealing with the public’s children, and their money.

The current administration, led by Superintendent Matt Handelman, is proposing that the board should float a $25-$30 million bond/levy to the public to build some new schools to deal with the district’s growth situation. I made the motion to hire Mr. Handelman as superintendent and I consider him a friend, and I respect him as an educator and as an executive.

The administration is also inclined to follow the direction of a volunteer citizen committee, which does not recommend re-opening the closed Hayden elementary school, due to costs associated with “bringing it up to code” (Americans with Disabilities Act.)

Several members of the board have disclosed to me that they question the wisdom of floating a big levy at the present time, especially if all of their current school assets are not being fully utilized. (Full disclosure — I am friends with some of these board members and I respect them immensely.)

The points that I would like to make are:

Mr. Handelman and the administration are correct that the district is growing, and at some point in the pretty near future, as many as three new schools will need to be built. This is a good problem.

The board is demonstrating great common sense in performing its “due diligence” by being reluctant to float a bond that requires a two-thirds vote plus one at the present time, without first reopening the closed Hayden school.

I realize that the school is not ideally located to handle the areas of growth in a perfect fashion, but it is just common sense, and frankly, good politics, to make sure that the public cannot accuse the board of trying to raise taxes until all the schools it currently owns are open and being used.

Bryan Martin, the district’s maintenance supervisor, is a very capable fellow, and he could do most of the ADA improvements at reasonable cost. Area contractors can do the rest, and I’m positive that they would not try to be unreasonable in what they would charge to bring bathrooms up to date, etc.

The board should request more input from the general public, including business leaders, and formulate a well-received plan to build the new schools, including where they would be built and why.

The board is right about its feelings that the voting, taxpaying public would be reluctant to pass a big bond/levy until and unless all of the district’s current schools are open and doing business. When all of these issues are dealt with, and a solid plan is in place to float the bond, I will fight for its passage, and there will be small danger of any organized effort to defeat it, which would be an unmitigated disaster for the district. Thank you for considering my opinion.

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Jim Hightower is a Coeur d’Alene small businessman.