Why the school borrowed $900,000 | Letter

Published 9:08 am Thursday, October 27, 2011

Comments: In response to Chris Butler’s letter, “Vote No On School Levy,” it is appropriate to put some facts out that the community should be aware of in understanding why the school chose to borrow $900,000.

For those who do not know, the state coupled a one time only matching grant of $900,000 to help complete the nearly $2 million project that renovated the Nellie S. Milton Elementary building that houses grades K-6. The repair fixed the archaic pipes of the water system in a building that failed to provide drinking water in the fountains or even flush the toilets. It also fixed the HVAC system so that heat would once again flow into the classrooms, and upgraded the entryway to not allow heat loss.

The notion that the school is operating on a “blank-check mentality” is ludicrous and uninformed. Had the school not borrowed the $900,000 to make the necessary repairs during the summer it would have lost the matching grant from the state and would be putting a $2 million levy before you right now instead of the $900,000. Meanwhile elementary students would be attending school this year without drinking fountains, flushing toilets, and proper heating in the classroom.

The take-charge decision to borrow the $900,000 and renovate the elementary was made on two simple premises: it was absolutely necessary to provide proper environment for the children; and acting now would save the taxpayers roughly $1 million on the levy.

This is not a “blank-check mentality” – you have the wrong department for that one.

Corey Wiscomb

Orcas Island resident since 1975 and teacher at Orcas Schools