Absentee ballots for the Madison Central school bond election are on their way. Madison Central school district voters decide on November 8 whether they want to take on $6.315 million in additional debt in order to build a new gym on top of the $8.2 million in necessary repairs and renovations to the high school.
I just called the school business office to order ballots for my wife and myself. Business manager Mitchell Brooks tells me he was hoping to have the ballots in hand Friday, but no such luck. He'll be eagerly watching out the window for the UPS truck today. If he's lucky, the ballots will arrive so he can bring them to tonight's school board meeting, where our elected officials will be discussing absentee- and early-voting procedures.
In the run-up to the last bond election, when the school tried to put the full $16.98 million all on the bond tab, the district made time for numerous facility tours and a month and a half of early voting. This time, we're on a much tighter schedule. The district also had floor plans and campaign materials promoting a Yes vote up on the Web more than two months before the final public vote.
This time we have four weeks to vote. As of this morning, the school's website still has no page providing blueprints or financial details on the new gym/renovation project we'll be voting on.
It appears the school board is taking a different approach to obtaining its desired results. We're not seeing the lengthy hard sell or public information campaign. I don't want to sound cynical... but this is the Madison Central School District, so how can I resist? Perhaps the strategy this time is to simply spread the word among the voters we can count on, let the election come up without much fanfare, and hope the nays forget there's a vote.
Of course, I could be wrong. I welcome the school district to prove me wrong by getting those blueprints and financial analyses up on the Web!
Worth Noting: The $6.315 million bond vote shows that more than four years later, the supporters of a new gym never could come up with a good Plan B. We are voting on the same new gym plan that voters rejected in 2007. The only differences: (1) a slightly higher price tag and (2) a concurrent high school renovation project that the jockocracy can hold hostage.
Were you not the one that was upset the last time with what the school was doing: providing tours and information as well as early voting opportunities?
We are not seeing a vocal opposition yet either.
By voting in November, the district avoids the question of cuts in funding by the legislature. That uncertainty may have been the nail in the coffin of the last bond issue.
And I'm still not sure "avoiding" that question constitutes responsible budgeting. But we've got to make the call sometime. Too bad Senator Olson can't get on board and support the project by promising to make more capital outlay dollars available for actual capital outlay instead of promoting the smoke and mirrors game of allowing schools to drain their building funds to cover general fund expenses.
Michael, I'm just saying that the school appears to be taking a different approach. And I never criticized making objective information available online. Plus, I happily publicized the building tour by providing the only archived online video documentation of a complete tour available anywhere. I'm all about genuine genuine efforts to inform the public. Vote-stacking and propaganda, not so much. ;-)
You are not voting on just a new gym. You are voting on a renovation that includes a newly constructed gym to replace one that would be taken over by other things. There is a difference.
If enough voters want to support a bond issue complete with a luxury gym, then it gets built. That 60% threshold is a good thing to make sure the community is behind the project. I've been to a lot of schools and what Madison is proposing is not out of line with other districts of similar size.
Contrary to popular belief the world won't end either way. If the bond issue passes then Madison will have a much better facility. If it doesn't, then we have the same thing we have now, still allowing for the repair of the most pressing items.
No, Michael, I'm voting on the new gym. Our new whiz of a business manager Mitch Brooks found a way to pay for every bit of the necessary renovations to the high school with existing capital outlay dollars. Kudos, Mitch! We could skip the election and build new bathrooms and classrooms and light fixtures and fire doors and sprinklers right now.
But the school board also wants to resurrect the gym plan that failed in 2007 and weld it to the HS renovations. The $6.315 million we are voting on is the extra money needed to make the Knowlton-Postma-Namken-Prostrollo (whoever gets naming rights) Arena happen. We don't have to demolish and replace the existing gym. That is a demolition of choice, not of necessity.
But thank you, Michael, for agreeing that the world won't end either way. An attitude like that should help us avoid the overheated rhetoric about the imminent fiery deaths of our art and music students to which some proponents resort.
Something bad could happen. A remodel would add safety features to the building that we don't have now.
At this stage in my kids' education, I have to be very pragmatic. Graduation with great problem solving skills is what matters to me the most. If they learn it in the classroom or on the court, it doesn't matter to me. I want them to enjoy the journey.
Yes, Michael, and we could add every one of those safety features and preserve every problem-solving=skill-building opportunity you seek for your kids with existing capital outlay funds, with no bond issue.
Cory, the taxpayers should get to vote on any major project.
Wait: so are you saying the school shouldn't be spending its capital outlay money on the renovation? Are you saying that $8.2 million expenditure should be put to a vote too?
Curious, did a search for "Problem Solving Skills Athletics" but nothing came back. Everyone would agree to confidence, pacing, how to focus and the importance of practice, then stop or it just sounds silly. This thing is going to pass because it's a good plan and they figured out a better way to pay for it. I'll bet even Nonnie is gonna vote for it. Place your wager.
Cory, ALL projects like this should be referred to a vote. It does not matter how it is funded. It doesn't matter if it's in Madison, Rutland or Sioux Falls.
I don't live in Madison so my voice doesn't really matter.
There comes a time to compromise, shake hands, and move forward. Hopefully this will be it.
A couple of comments here since I have been challenged by John Hess!
We went to several of the special meetings of the committee working on this bond issue/renovation/new gym proposal. I have to say we were the ONLY "lay" people there the first meeting and one of only a very few "lay" people at the next two meetings we attended, and even the community information meeting was very poorly attended. I don't know if this is lack of interest, a feeling of not being able to do anything one way or the other, or what. But it is sad in a community this size with a bond issue of this amount that there is not much involvement by the community.
That being said, this plan is a good compromise because of the way it is being funded. I am surprised that the item regarding the middle school funding and when it would be paid off in the majority was not known when the first huge bond issue was attempted. Also, significant savings were found by the architect that do not harm education or athletics, and that is also a good thing.
I do have one thing that still irritates me, and that is the fact that some people still think that anyone voting against the huge prior bond issue was against education. I heard that stated by one of the committee members at the first meeting we attended. That is NOT the case. We are very pro education, as are most others who voted no last time, and it disturbs me that some still don't understand that. We were against the prior bond issue because of the way it was being funded and how it affected some people very, very little, and others very, very much as regards property taxes.
I think there is a very concerted and organized drive to get those in favor of the plan to vote. It's just not being publicized. And because of this and the better funding methods and improved plan I think probably the plan will pass this time.
You're right that basic info about the plan (blueprints and the like) should be publicly available for people that want to review it.
But I've been surprised how previously on this issue, and now once again, you suggest that normal organizational activity is undemocratic. The vote yes committee handles its campaign in such as a way as to try to successfully win the election. A big part of this is getting your supporters to vote (field work, in campaign parlance). If opponents of the renovation want to organize a "vote no" campaign, it is incumbent upon them to do it, not to expect the school or vote yes committee (which are separate entities) to do it for them.
Voter turnout in the last bond election was PATHETIC. It's good that people are happier this time around...except Cory.
There is a group of Citizens, Community Leaders, and Businesses that are working hard to educate the public on the facts and communicate the benefits of voting YES for this plan. Contrary to the belief of some here, we are very organized and will be campaigning actively over the next four weeks.
You can find us at http://www.VoteYesForMadison.com and we will be linking to the MCSD's official information very soon. You will be able to find comprehensive information on our website and I would bet the MCSD staff will be updating its MHS Rennovation website this week.
Many have worked hard to compromise and find a solution that is acceptable to most parties. The plan put forward by the MCSD board is supported by many. Discussions on this website or others will not negate the fact that this plan is a work of compromise and the funding plan is much different.
If you are one that supports our cause, or are wishing to hear another viewpoint, please join us at http://www.VoteYesForMadison.com or http://www.facebook.com/voteyesformadison today!