Here's Part 3 of last night's town hall debate on building a new gym and renovating Madison High School. See all 27 videos on Madville Times YouTube.
14. Dean Gehrels says the majority that voted no was pretty slim and that there was a lot more to the plan than the gym. He says extracurriculars provide the most memorable experiences in high school. He also notes that in the 1990s, the middle school building project lost votes when the board cut items from the plan:
15. Linda McIntyre says landowners support education but can only bear so much in additional taxes. She accuses the school of playing a "shell" game with the cost figures it cite for the gym. Finally, she suggests the city kick in some sales tax to support the gym:
16. Bud Postma reveals the $2.9 million claim on the cost of the new gym was really just rhetorical revenge on folks who argued against the 2007 new gym by comparing it to Sioux Falls Lincoln's $2.7 million gym expansion.
17. Matt Groce asks the architect some good questions:
18. Ashley Kenneth Allen describes personal experience with bad wheelchair accessibility at MHS:
19. Darin Namken tells us a 2500-seat high school gym is not a luxury:
20. Neal McIntyre says he's paying more taxes than most of the people in the room, says he's willing to pay more, but maybe only a quarter of the plan. Bonus: Cory shouts "Point of order!" just like Manny Steele!
21. Darin Namken responds (and challenges my tripod swiveling abilities):