A Parent's Notes on the School Board's levy/bond vote

OPINION:  Updated 12/13.  The Lake Washington School District Board of Directors  approved Superintendent Kimball's proposal for two Levies (#2044, #2045) and one Bond (#2046) at their Regular Meeting on 11/23.   A citizen levy committee is currently promoting the resolutions to the community.  The LWSD Press Release on the School Board's decision is here.   (photo is a "public work study session").

The School Board of Directors are elected by over 102,000 active voters.  I thought you'd be interested in what our representatives had to say.
The School Board of Directors and Superintendent "commented" on the three funding proposals for about 38 minutes. (The public wasn't invited to comment).  Superintendent Kimball had the most to say by far.  You can watch the website meeting video archive here.  I couldn't find any comments from the Directors on the website or local print media.  My notes and some quotes from the tape are, as follows:

Four of  five Directors were present for quorum.  Director Ravi Shahani's absence was excused.  Mr. Shahani's district includes the "Education Hill Schools", Einstein, Redmond El, Rush, Audubon, Rosa Parks,Wilder, and Lake Washington High.

Dr. Kimball made it clear to the viewing public the funding review work was not done "behind smoke filled rooms."  Chip rattled off some "statistically reliable" survey numbers.  More on this another time.

After Kimball reviewed the facts and benefits of his proposal,  Director Doug Eglington (Sammamish)   kicked off the "comment session".  Mr. Ellington referred to polling data from State School Directors Conference:  1) the public feels state public education is on solid ground and performance is good but, 2) anti-tax sentiment is probably higher than it's ever been in fifteen years, 3)  recommended including the Bond measure with the levies. 

Director Nancy Bernard (Kirkland) thanked Chip Kimball and staff for their hard work on the measures.  She said it was a "huge public process".   Some other comments:   1)  how hard it is to go out for a bond in our current economic situation. 2) but, it's more economical to deal with school modernization now rather than later, 3) Juanita High needs to be modernized, 4) going to four-year high schools will reduce the need for two more elementary schools, 5)  staff and the board "didn't go for everything"; that "according to Focus Groups or whatever you call  them and the other work that was done" the proposal offers less than what some wanted. 
  
Director Chris Carson (Kirkland) commented that 1) going to four-year high schools is "revenue neutral", 2) that you either grow 3-year high schools or go to 4-year schools, 3)  that it doesn't influence the amount of money in the bond.   Kimball concurred and expanded.  Earlier, representative Carson asked staff to look at the ballot and try to keep the three measures as consistent with one another as possible.

President and Director Jackie Pendergrass (Kirkland) had an issue with finding enough land for the elementary schools.  (Without the bond approval additional elementary schools would have to be built).  She reiterated the levies have to be renewed, like a magazine subscription, or they lose the money.

Director Doug Eglington finished by saying:  1)  The levies used to pay for innovative upgrades and today levies are required just to support ongoing basic education.  (Kimball agreed and emphasized the state is "not fulfilling their constitutional duty".)  2)  school construction would create jobs, stimulate the economy and generate school sales taxes.

I noticed a few of omissions in the voting process that seem serious.   The Board's Motion, Second and Vote to approve Resolutions 2044, 2045, and 2046 never took place.   At minute 26 of the video, Mr. Ellington made a motion "to approve the package" seconded by Ms. Bernard but the Board never voted on the motion!  The only vote the Board made (12 minutes later) was on a Pendergrass motion to allow for changes and consistency in language.  That's it!  Go to the 11/23 meeting video and see for yourself.   Advance to minute 26-27 and minute 37 to see for yourself.   (No need to download staff's Silverlite program!). 

by Bob Yoder

LWSD November 23 Press Release -  School Board funding approval. 
The November 23 Meeting "Packet" -