Appeal Tribune Wednesday, May 10, 2017 3B
Commentary
How is school district measuring up?
GENE PFEIFER
Historically, school board members are the most
In 1993 and in 1999, a Silver Falls
School District task force was formed.
Both times my peers selected me as
chairman. Why were we meeting? It was
because the high school was deemed to
be getting overcrowded, with talk about
adding “modules”. Many believed that
that was a poor investment, and we rec-
ommended a new high school with the
condition that the Schlador Campus be
maintained for an upgraded and remod-
eled in-town middle school. A Recent re-
view by local experienced architects and
engineers indicate that the whole 100,000
sqft campus may be seismically correct-
ed and upgraded as a middle school for
under $10 million, versus new for $30 to
40 million.
After two bond failures with the pub-
lic owners voting 57%, “no”, the majority
of our current School Board continued
with the intent to demolish the primary
Schlador structure. Ignoring the written
precedent, a $4.5 million proposal by
Dalke Construction to solve the problem
economically, the current superinten-
dent then told the board, “We have been
given a directive to vacate Eugene Field
and move students around”. What was
his solution? “Modules”.
We now have a school board election.
Historically, school board members are
the most education-minded, fiscally re-
sponsible individuals in a community.
They do not focus on delivering cookies
to otherwise neglected teachers, or in
referencing our building assets, suffer-
ing from the board’s own failure to fix
deferred maintenance, in terms of,
“…lipstick on a pig.”
Starting in the early 70s, in reflection
of my approximate 25 years spent most-
ly as the chairman of the school budget
committee, we had board members such
as Ole Paulson, Bob Humphries, Bob
Roth, Betty Kuenzi, Dennis Taylor and
others who were dedicated to the excel-
lence of our students and economic sur-
vival of our district. But unlike today,
they did not allow buildings to leak or
education-minded, fiscally responsible individuals in a
community. They do not focus on delivering cookies to
otherwise neglected teachers, or in referencing our building
assets, suffering from the board’s own failure to fix deferred
maintenance, in terms of, “…lipstick on a pig.”
completely turn off the heat. We recall
Ole Paulsen flicking off light switches in
the gym to remind and give example to a
few after school students that they did
not need all the lights on to play “horse”.
Let’s refresh our memory about other
actions resultant from most of the cur-
rent Board in recent times. Does this re-
flect the historically friendly town of Sil-
verton, which is now vested with the re-
sponsible title of “The Garden City of
Oregon” or the same example and train-
ing we or our children have benefited
from over the years?
Mild mannered ex-board member,
Dave Beeson, had been publicly labeled
as “arrogant” numerous times in board
meetings when sincerely expounding on
the concerns of teachers and the lack of
thorough investigation into local fiscal
solutions.
The superintendent has repeatedly
hired big time consultants, spending
funds that depleted general fund re-
sources.
Without a consensus of the public,
money for “modules”, not long-term im-
provements, over $2 million was bor-
rowed without proven resources for re-
payment. The district property on Steel
Hammer was sold prematurely, a year
before the housing market improved, for
a cash shortage of about $500,000. Eu-
gene Field, with a district functional val-
ue of about $10 million a year ago, was
listed for sale for $1.5 million and has
now been reduced to $1.1 million
Rather than evaluating a functional 8
classroom remodel design provided
them in advance, and which had rest-
rooms to code, a principal’s office, li-
brary, and conference rooms, the Board
went along with the superintendent’s
wish to continue the crony relationship
with the same architect who designed
both phases of the expensive new high
school. More money has been spent on
just used “modules” than the permanent
repurposing of the shop building would
have cost.
Students now using the “modules”
must be escorted outside to use the rest-
rooms.
The new elementary covered play
shed, incorrectly designed relative to
drainage and wind, has muddy children
returning to the classroom.
Property in control by the district by
means of “first right of refusal” was re-
cently purchased on the end of Grant
Street for about $250,000,00 for “addi-
tional parking” when not necessary; and
in conflict with other major cash flow
priorities.
Without venting the issue for citizens’
opinion, the superintendent, in an action
that was negligent to the public an ex-
tremely bad example to our impression-
able students regarding “true sustaina-
bility” and “responsibility,” cut down the
two giant Sequoia trees on the Schlador
Campus at James Street. These trees
were not only integral to the school prop-
erty but of the whole extended communi-
ty. They were not only significant but
symbolic of Silverton, historically a log-
ging community and now a center of our
farming community and the Oregon Gar-
dens. One of these magnificent trees was
170 feet tall with an accurate circumfer-
ence of 25.5 feet.
Forty years ago the Board had specifi-
cally saved the trees as being an impor-
tant example of us. Alternate methods,
for example, a curve in the street, would
have sustained them into perpetuity. The
cost of removal exceeded a proven meth-
od of saving them by about $100,000.00
when it was not urgent, and when known
cash problems existed.
The current board has been fixated on
new buildings rather than sustaining
general fund needs.
The conclusions for the district vot-
ers to consider is if the majority of the
Board are out of touch with the teaching
community and the voting constituents.
Inclusively, there is a lack of appropriate
communication and excessive control of
teacher performance by the top two paid
management of SFSD. Additionally,
there is a lack of good conscience rela-
tive to fiscal responsibility and neglect
of district assets. Are our elected, re-
sponsible for the utmost methods of
teaching our youth and preserving our
cash and physical assets, doing the same
in neglecting their personal responsibil-
ities and assets at home?
In football or other sports, when play-
ers continue to fumble the ball or neglect
the play, they are recalled to the bench.
The incumbents have had their chance,
and need to be retired.
Finally, we have many great intelli-
gent people in our community that will
serve us well. According to the Silverton
Appeal, 3/29/2017, a “political action
committee” is encouraging a vote by
gender. Never should anyone be labeled
or discriminated against as a man or a
woman, political party or faith. Never in
my experience with the Silverton School
boards has this been an issue in compe-
tence.
The voter owners of Silver Falls
School District need to make their vote
count by selecting board members capa-
ble of making decisions based on vision,
not on knee-jerk reaction. Who will be ac-
countable to sustain our long-term edu-
cational needs and goals?
Republicans seek transparency in Legislature
TRACY LOEW
STATESMAN JOURNAL
Republican lawmakers got a hearing
May 1 on three measures they say would
make the Legislature’s work more trans-
parent to the public.
The proposals would require bills to
carry the name of at least one senator or
representative; would require amend-
ments to state the name of the lawmaker
or committee behind them; and would
limit the use of “emergency clauses.”
Nearly half of the bills introduced
since 2003 have been at the request of an
agency or committee, or otherwise
lacked a legislator’s name, Sen. Kim
Thatcher, R-Keizer, told the Senate
Rules Committee.
“That allows legislators to duck and
hide, potentially, from legislation
they’ve introduced,” she said.
And no amendments before 2016
named their authors, said Sen. Alan Ol-
sen, R-Canby.
During the 2016 session, legislators
were given the option of adding their
names to amendments. In the House, 70
percent of amendments had a name, and
in the Senate 73 percent did.
That’s not good enough, Olsen said.
“If you’re proud enough to write an
amendment, you should be proud
enough to put your name on it,” he said.
“Stand up and say ‘I did it.’”
SJR 42 would amend the Oregon Con-
stitution to require that every legislative
measure be introduced at the request of
a senator or representative. It would be
subject to voters’ approval at the next
general election.
SB 665 would require proposed
amendments to measures to identify the
name of the member or committee pro-
posing them.
Conservative lawmakers also have
been attacking the Democratic major-
ity’s increasing use of “emergency
clauses,” which allow legislation to take
effect immediately, preventing oppo-
nents from mounting a voter referen-
dum.
“From the perspective of the public, it
could be an attempt to avoid the people
having an opportunity to opine on an is-
sue before it takes effect,” said Sen. Jeff
Kruse, R-Roseburg.
SJR 38 would amend the Oregon Con-
stitution to require a two-thirds majority
vote in favor in each chamber to pass
bills declaring an emergency, subject to
voters’ approval at the next general elec-
tion.
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Currently, measures which include an
emergency declaration need only a ma-
jority vote in each chamber.
“This is just a way from our perspec-
tive to make sure the use of emergency
clauses is for appropriate reasons,”
Kruse said.
However, the committee’s chairwom-
an, Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, not-
ed the bill also would give minority party
legislators more power over legislation
supported by the majority of Orego-
nians.
Only the measures’ Republican spon-
sors testified in their favor, and no one
spoke in opposition. The committee is
not currently scheduled to take action on
the measures.
tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-
399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/Tracy
_Loew
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