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Pet dog ate Fieldcrest building survey results?

June 27, 2015   Editor: Dave Uphoff
The results released from the Fieldcrest school administration on their building survey are as ambiguous and confusing as the survey itself. The Fieldcrest administration and school board are continuing to play games with the public in order to ramrod through their desire to build new buildings rather than renovate.

The Fieldcrest survey listed 5 options for the respondent to rank in order of preference. Yet the results given to us show that 3 options are still on the table, two of which involve building new structures. What was the purpose of the survey? Isn't there supposed to be a winner or at least some indicator showing which options ranked the highest? Why have a survey if the results are meaningless? Instead of having the survey supporting decisions made by the school board, any decision they make will be completely independent of what the public thinks.

The survey conducted by this website on the building issue showed that respondents favored repairing over rebuilding by a 2 to 1 majority. I suspect the results in Fieldcrest's survey are similar but we don't know that from what they reported at the school board meeting. What we do know is that the Fieldcrest survey was worded so ambiguously that it enabled the results to be interpreted in just about any manner. In fact, that is what has happened.

Based on the MinonkTalk survey results and comments, many people are not happy with the way the Fieldcrest Board of Education is handling the building issue. Superintendent Dr. Oakley said a decision on which option to go with will be made fairly soon. If so, then the following points should be considered.

1. The majority of the Fieldcrest community wishes to keep their school buildings in their community and want to have them repaired rather than rebuilt. This was made evident in both the MinonkTalk survey and the Fieldcrest community meetings. No one wants to see abandoned buildings go to waste in a community and most people believe repairing can be done cheaper than rebuilding.

2. Repairs can be made for less than 50% of the replacement costs which means state mandates such as sprinkler systems, storm shelters, etc. do not have to be installed. The Fieldcrest High School is structurally sound. The main repairs required are new windows, rewiring, re-bricking the north side of the old gymnasium and bringing the school up to ADA compliance.

3. The cost to do these repairs can be spread over several years to lessen the financial burden. Repairs can be made during the summer to lessen or eliminate the need to have temporary class rooms.

4. The school should hire a private contractor to do annual inspections on structural issues, wiring and plumbing in order to maintain the buildings properly.

5. In the long run, education is going to change. The Fieldcrest school district enrollment has been declining over the years and that trend will continue. There is no need for more space. Eventually, online schooling utilizing digital media in virtual classrooms will become prevalent which will further reduce the need for building space.

6. Finally, the State of Illinois is broke and our school districts are fast becoming the same. There is no money for pie-in-the-sky projects. Local property tax owners are tapped out and are in no mood for expensive projects. Repairs should be made that are necessary and no more. Any board member who has faced a personal financial crisis can understand taxpayer frustration as they struggle to meet family needs while being slapped with more taxes.

If the Fieldcrest Board of Education and administration wishes to have a referendum approved by the Fieldcrest taxpayers, it will behoove them to heed the public wishes and not treat us like fools.

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Comments

Nicole Embery: My opinion? they know what they want to do and are going to do just that. the survey was meant to make us FEEL involved...not actually BE involved

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