High School Plan Set...on agenda for Monday 8/27/07 Board meeting

It's a done deal. At last night's High School Planning Team meeting, the final plan (at least for referendum purposes) and numbers were rolled out. The meeting concluded with the disbanding of the Team. Their job is complete.

The plan is slated to be an informational/discussion item only ---NO DECISION---at this coming Monday's School Board meeting (7:30 pm on K-SUN or at the Municipal Bldg).

The Grand Plan calls for:

• a November "special" referendum ("its the only way it will be done by Sept 2010") despite the fact that there's nothing else on the ballot and a presidential primary occurs in February.


• 3 referendum questions:




• Question 1: $97M total ($80M for HS, $17M for 8/9 Jr HS)
  
  
• Question 2: Do we want a pool? Pool will cost $4.5M (NOTE: the Pool Task Force last fall presented 5 options ranging from $3.0 to $3.6M)
  
  
• Question 3: Authorize District to exceed the revenue cap "on a recurring basis" $290K/yr to operate the pool

Note: Additional staffing costs are estimated to be $1M /yr(to start)
Additional utilities cost (new school) estimated at $350K/yr


Dr. Culver suggested that, for the referendum, they say something like, "we're going to do our best not to exceed the revenue cap to cover these costs, but we won't know for certain until the school opens".

Why did the existing high school renovation decrease from $22M to $17M?
We were told that Bray did a full walkthrough of the high school and decided less was needed; plus they would not upgrade the auditorium (about $340K)

Why did the new high school cost increase to $80M?
1. it includes a 31,000 sq. ft. fieldhouse with a 150M indoor track

2. it includes the flyloft for the perfoming arts center (Dr. Culver indicated that after discussions with his staff, they feel that (A) it has been hard to explain it [people didnt really understand it] and (B) it was not worth building this size an auditorium without it.

How much will it affect property taxes?
The mill rate impact is projected to be:

• $1.24 per $1000 assessed value for the $97M construction


• $0.06 per $1000 assessed value for the $4.57M pool


• $0.05 per $1000 assessed value for the pool operating expense revenue cap exceedance


• For a total of $1.35 for all 3 questions or $270.00 per year for a $200,000 home

Sun Prairie Small Player's Theatre: "The Bungle Book"

The following is an excerpt from an e-mail submitted to the grassroots group, "One Community-One High School" by School Board member Jim Carrel (via his yahoo e-mail account) following the July 16, 2007 High School Planning Team meeting. One can't help but notice the similarity to the serpent Kaa of Jungle Book fame (the Disney version...not Rudyard's Kiplings original character!).

We have worked hard to keep 'agendas' out of the process.

[SP-EYE note: How can he possibly say this without fear of a lightning bolt from above? He was at the meeting when Planning Team members, as soon as they realized that Steve Havens' "CBA" system caused the 1-school option to rise to the top, rushed to re-evaluate scoring to elevate the 2-school option. The agendas are still very much present. ]

This really is the best solution, admitted to by even some of the most staunch two-school supporters. Please continue to stay positive in your thoughts and words. As we move forward, many will try to fault the process and lay undue (and sometimes contrived) blame at the feet of the HSPT members and the Board. Don't listen to them anymore. Their message is old and mildewed.

[SP-EYE note: Now there's a model elected official for you. "It's our way or the highway. Ignore anybody who isn't marching to our beat." It's not the message that's mildewed...it's your brains, if you follow this kind of Jim Jonesian logic. Can you bring us a round of those nice purple drinks, Mr. Carrel? ]

In fact, one very outspoken critic of our progress has filed a formal complaint with the State Attorney General's office against me. His 'civic' response to what we have done will cost me $500 in fines. Thanks.

[SP-EYE note: A complaint has been filed with the Dane Co. DA--not the Atty. General--for violations of open meetings laws. No further information can be provided as this case is still pending. Note however, that Mr. Carrel's comments suggest he was the only indivdiual named. Not true. We hope Mr. Carrel also considers changing the source of his legal advice, because statutes only allow for a minimum forfeiture (not a fine) of $25 per violation and a maximum of $300. Don't shoot the messenger, Jim. Elected officials need to be aware of the laws that govern them and not violate them.]

I'm not sure what his agenda is, but I would recommend you contact me and not others anytime you have a question about the process or progress. I promise to be honest and prompt.

[SP-EYE note: Can't you just hear Kaa singing "Trus-ss-ss-st in me" to Mowgli? Listen only to me. I'll tell you the truth. Didn't Nixon insist he would always tell the truth? SP-EYE will ALWAYS provide you with facts that you can independently verify; then YOU decide what to believe. That's the what we SHOULD expect from elected officials. ]

I also promise not to give ear to those who would try to destroy our progress just because of a few sour grapes.

[SP-EYE note: So he's not going to listen to taxpaying citizens that disgree with things? We're not sure what sour grapes he's talking about, but it seems to be more of the same, "Don't listen to anybody but me" spiel. ]

Thanks,

Jim Carrel

Like Mowgli's interactions with Kaa, citizens that place value on integrity may soon have to push this elected official's coils out of the tree. The time may be coming to change the tune from, "Trust in Me" to the familar cry of, "Ooh, this is going to slow down my s-s-slithering."