Green Space, What Green Space?
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Wһеח discussing tһе many options οf raising taxes, tһе tax farce (co-chaired bу board member Dick Muenich) decried tһе lack οf “green space” around tһе existing facilities. Tһіѕ meant tһаt tһеу simply “couldn’t” add οח tο mοѕt οf tһе schools. Tһеу even ѕаіԁ tһаt tһеу wουƖԁ һаνе tο take a whole block οf houses next tο North Hudson Elementary іf tһеу need ѕοmе more space! Tһеу аƖѕο ѕаіԁ tһаt tһеrе wasn’t enough “green space” around tһе Middle School tο add οח!?
Sο wһаt ԁοеѕ ουr school board ԁο? Tһеу build a football field/soccer field/running track facility rіɡһt next tο tһе Middle School! Don’t believe mе? Drive bу today аחԁ see tһе construction. At tһе same time many districts аrе asking fοr override levies tο keep existing programs, ουr district іѕ ѕο awash wіtһ cash tһаt tһеу аrе spending hundreds οf thousands οf taxpayer “steak“holder money building a field οf dreams аt tһе Middle School!
Wһаt happened tο tһе lack οf “green space”? Gοοԁ luck explaining tһіѕ expenditure come referendum time.
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“Green space” was the term batted around in the NR Long Range Planning Committee. We have enough land behind the East Elementary School to easily build another school. I kept hearing that there is wet land there and we couldn’t.
I checked it yesterday and it was dry as a bone. There is a depression of about eight to 10 feet which will need to be filled. This is an objection to building. Yet there is a spot in town where excavators have been working for a month, filling in a large depression for town homes. That seems to be ok.
For years I have heard that education is different from businesses. I even got into a nose to nose argument with a teacher’s union rep over it. I finally asked two school superintendents what the difference was. They thought for a moment and then said, the board of directors (meaning the school board) are a bunch of amateurs. From what I see, they are right.
There seems to be plenty of “green space” behind the middle school to build on??? I know I know nothing about construction but can’t you build up??? Wasn’t the middle school built with the assumption that it could be added onto if needed and that is how they got that approved back in the day???
Ziller’s idea in proximity to East Elementary in New Richmond has merit. Combine it with the Powers property to the south of GG and the District would be set for a long, long time. Assuming of course a new elementary school is necessary. The District enrollment number for September will be down as will be the kindergarten numbers.
This new school might be as necessary as the 2001 excess levy over ride.
By the way, I thought the objections to Ziller’s idea was near East Elementary was from Board Land COmmittee member Tim O’Brien who would not want to lose the ability to walk his dog there.
I too am looking forward to the October student count.
I talked to Tim O’Brien on the walking-the-dog comment and he said that he meant it as a joke to lighten up Judy Remington at the meeting. I will take it that way.
By the way Tim O’brien and I had a conversation at Suzanna’s Restaurant. I hope nobody saw us as I’ll be tied forever and ever to Tim. Not that it would bother me; he’s a nice guy.
Ebaybabee, what do you mean there is plenty of space behind the middle school? Where is behind the school?
At the Hudson Middle School…When I say behind, I am referring to the area off the lunchroom and pool areas. There is room there..I haven\’t seen construction at the middle school so I am not sure where they are doing that.
The Hudson School District has mismanaged about 50% of the building projects in the last 20 years. All to often, they build the wrong building in the wrong place.
Examples:
When the middle school building was put up (and I think that was a GOOD project), it was set up so additional rooms could be added on the north end. The heating plant area was oversized so more capacity could be added. Ok, that’s thinking ahead. Where they failed is that they placed an elementry school there, when the space should have been saved for the so-called “8-9 school”. The elementry school should have been placed on additional land that could have been obtained just to the east of the midle school, prior to its being developed into a subdivision. The “green space” in between could have been shared, similar to Somerset’s school campus. By building the smaller elementry school (I don’t think it is a “4-section” school) next to the middle school, they have boxed both schools in so neither can be added onto efficiently. If this had been put to the Hudson voters, I think it would have had a good chance of passing.
The land for the “8-9 school” was bought after the original land owner sold it to a developer (Sam Miller?). While I don’t fault the original owner & Sam Miller making a profit on the land, this shows the purchase by the Hudson School District was obviously a decision made without prior long-term planning. Now that we’re stuck with the land, I do think that it makes better sense to put a high school there SOMEDAY, instead of building the 8-9 school there.
The Houlton school has been added onto with almost no long-range planning – each addition has been tacked on without much though of where more classrooms would be added next. 15-20 years ago, it was the best elementry school in the Hudson district because of the very high level of parent involvement (no, I didn’t attend there). There is land available ajacent to the current site – land that won’t be desireable for housing when the new highway comes through, so “green space” isn’t the issue that the school board is talking about.
While I will admit that the old 4th St. elementry school building may have had some issues like handcapped access, it could have easily been modified into a district administration office building.
THEY DESTROYED CAPACITY FOR 250 WHEN THEY TORE DOWN 4′TH STREET. THEY NEVER TOLD THE VOTERS THEY WERE DOING SO. MOST IMPORTANT HERE IS THE IDEA OF GREEN SPACE. THE REASON GIVEN FOR DESTROYING 4′TH STREET AND THE 250 SEATS INSIDE WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED GREEN SPACE. I HOPE THEY ARE ENJOYING THE EXTRA 7500 SQUARE FEET OF TAR THEY GOT!