Letter about the proposed ball fields

SAN JUAN ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT

Letter from Superintendent and Board Chair

Dear Editor,

posted 08/03/05
After several weeks of listening to the opinions and concerns of all the stakeholders involved in desiring to provide athletic fields for community use, last night the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors determined that it would be irresponsible to proceed with the development until several questions are answered:

1. What are the actual development costs? Development costs cannot be fully known until the conditional use permit is processed and approved by the Town Council. Then, and only then, will the costs for adjacent road improvements, etc. be known. These costs along with true field development costs, based upon engineered specifications, must be documented.

2. What are the sources of funding to meet identified development costs? The Board must be able to review the funding sources to determine that, in fact, the project can be completed to the engineered specifications.

3. What are the sources of funding for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the athletic fields? The Board must be able to review the funding plan documenting sources of ongoing revenue necessary to operate the fields.

Over the past several weeks inconsistent historical memory, errant "factual" information, and opinion have fueled the debate regarding this project. Here are the facts as we know them:

1. The actual committed donation from the gravel pit is for 1,000 - 1,500 cubic yards of pit run at a value of approximately $12,000 - $18,000. No commitment was made for any additional material, including sand. However, Doug Higginson said, "there may be some material available at the end of the reclamation process." The rumor of a donation reported to be $200,000 - $300,000 is false.

2. The estimated need for material is 14,000 cubic yards according to engineering estimates. The committed donation from the gravel pit is only 7% of the actual material needed. Additional material expense must be included in the project development costs.

3. There is no urgency to move material to the field site. Doug Higginson has agreed to store any donated material at the gravel pit until we can use it. If the County becomes the owner before we need the material, Randy Gaylord has assured us the material will be continue to be stored for us.

4. The District filed the conditional use permit over three months ago pending the traffic study promised by Don Galt. The study will be complete in 2 weeks. The application will be advertised for 30 days. The Town Council will hold a hearing to determine if the permit will be approved, and what, if any, conditions will be placed upon the development.

5. The District has designated the project to be completed in two phases, three fields at a time, to ensure that they are properly developed, and that there is sufficient funding for maintenance and operations. 6. Island Rec's current commitment to maintenance and operations of the fields is to participate in the development of a community-based plan for funding. There is no current plan for funding maintenance and operations. Annual costs are estimated to be $50,000 - 70,000 (assuming irrigation water provided by wells).

The School District continues to be committed to making the 30 acres available to our community for athletic fields. However, before proceeding with approving groundbreaking we will insist upon approval of the conditional use permit, a comprehensive plan detailing all development costs, documentation of adequate funding for development, and identification of resources for the ongoing maintenance and operations. Would you expect any less oversight of a community asset and a major development project?

Boyd C. Pratt
Michael Soltman

Board requires consensus

Dear Editor,

posted 07/17/05
A primary mission of the San Juan Island School District is to provide excellence in teaching and learning, and to provide outstanding co-curricular experiences for our students. We have written several articles outlining the District's current choices and challenges relative to shrinking operational budgets, and other budget challenges such as high cost special education placements. We have acted responsibly to make the difficult program cuts necessary to ensure a balanced operating budget for the 2005-06 school year.

A secondary mission of the District has been to provide the only public athletic field facilities available to this community. In fact, the School District is the primary provider of such facilities as described in the Town's comprehensive plan. The voters generously approved the capital bond in 1997 providing the 30 acres at Carter/Larson for a future school building, and for the developing of additional community athletic fields. We continue to be committed to making this land available for community field development.

Some have raised the possibility of selling the property to solve the District's financial challenges. No real solution here - by state law capital assets cannot be used to support operational budgets. And frankly, it would be imprudent to sell off the District's only capital asset for future growth or expansion. School enrollment rises and falls. We've only owned the land for 8 years and could never replace it once sold.

At our school board forum on June 16th two clear messages were heard from those in attendance. The first message was a broad consensus that the fields are needed and should be developed. The second was deep concern on the part of each neighborhood that could be impacted by traffic, noise, drainage, etc. Many suggested possible access to the property through neighborhoods other than their own. Several pointed to the possibility of access through the Town and Country Trailer Park that may never be realized (it is private property and access is subject to continuing negotiations with the owner).

These are the facts: Access can be available through Carter Avenue that dead ends at the property. Access can be available through Beaverton Valley/Larson entering the property near Fox Hall. An emergency access can be located at Coho Street in the Village Grove neighborhood. And, at some future date, there may be a possibility of access through the trailer park subject to negotiations with the owner. There are no other current options for access.

Accessing the property through the available options above will impact one or more neighborhoods. It is most likely that the board will submit a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application with multiple access points to the property. Clearly, concerns about street improvements, drainage, noise, etc. must be addressed through the CUP process. The CUP process provides for public hearing(s) and opportunities for the Town administration and Town Council to address concerns related to the development. It is the desire of the School Board and District Administration to use this public process to deal with the issues raised by the neighborhoods potentially impacted by the project.

In the meantime, there is some urgency to begin the project by authorizing some clearing, grading, and accessing of fill material for the parking lots and roads to be located on the property. The fill material, a donation from LaFarge, will only be available for a few more months. It would be incredibly short-sighted to not take advantage of this donation. A clearing and grading permit, authorized by the Town, would provide temporary access to the property for the purposes of clearing the fields, and hauling in material to develop the parking lot and roads.

At our school board meeting on June 29th, a discussion item on the agenda was the feasibility of proceeding with a clearing and grading permit prior to obtaining the CUP. It is clear that even temporary access for clearing and grading prior to public hearings and approval of a CUP is considered by the neighborhoods to be a threat. Consequently the board has delayed taking any action on the clearing and grading permit to allow time for community consensus about temporary access and/or CUP approval.

The Board is open to recommendations from Mr. Penwell's committee or any other person(s) working constructively toward resolving concerns, but cautions that any recommendations must have the consensus of the stakeholders involved. Moving forward on this project has, in part, been inhibited by the confrontation of strong personalities and their positions on all sides of the issue. If the consensus is that the "fields should be developed," we hope that all will work cooperatively together to resolve issues and keep the end in mind.

The School Board is appreciative of Don Galt's leadership in securing donations of money, time and materials to develop the fields. While the school district is delighted to make the land available, we have no funds to add to this project. The Board is also appreciative of Island Rec's offer to administer the use and ongoing maintenance of the fields "pending appropriate financing." The community must be aware that Island Rec. will need additional financial support to operate these fields. This project can be successful through the vision and cooperation of this community. We understand the potential impacts the field development will have upon the neighborhoods and will continue to work cooperatively to mitigate these impacts. The School District will continue to be a supportive partner to make this project possible and will use the appropriate public processes to acquire permits for the project.

Boyd Pratt, School Board Chair
Michael Soltman, Superintendent

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Letter from Superintendent and Board Chair

Board requires consensus