It is time to give back our schools, community

When my wife was asked if she would be interested in being part of the Facilities Review Committee she offered me up instead. I’ll admit, I protested that I didn’t have time, but she insisted that I was what the committee needed. As a contractor, I’m able to knowledgeably review the physical state of the facilities. As an outspoken skeptic about taxes, I would challenge the need to spend money unnecessarily.

We should all be voting yes for the students and faculty of the Lake Pend Oreille School District on Aug 30. If you are thinking of voting no for the school levy, then you must not have had the opportunity to visit any of the schools that are up for replacement in quite a few years. I have had such an opportunity to tour the schools with members of the district’s facilities department. I got to see firsthand what kind of condition our schools are in, and let me say, they are in sad shape.

Most of these schools that are up for replacement were built in the 1950s and have lived and functioned long past their expected lifespan. Only due to the outstanding job of the district’s facilities department and their staff have we got our money’s worth out of these buildings. They have been doing a great job in keeping these rundown buildings together and operational for years, but we can only put bandages on things for so long. Every aspect of these building is far below current codes, from roof snow loads, mechanicals, to the very foundations. The ventilation systems are so bad that they do not supply adequate amounts of fresh air to the classrooms. The heating systems are so old that the facilities staff are replacing pipes regularly and saving parts from broken boilers so they can use them on others as they do not even make parts for equipment that old anymore. These buildings are flat out old and worn out, giving our children an unhealthy and unsafe place to go every day.

These building are so old and antiquated that it is time that they just be replaced. We have looked at the options of remodeling, but it would not make sense economically. We would still be dumping millions of dollars into buildings that would continue to not function properly as a modern school should. There is a bigger picture than just new schools. By replacing the schools we can change boundary lines and take care of the overcrowded classrooms that we see in some of our schools. We get the opportunity to deal with the poor parking and bus drop-off that the children and parents have to deal with. We offer the students and facility a healthy environment in which to learn and work in, as well as giving the community better places to hold functions and community events.

We all have gotten by the last few decades by ignoring the fact that our schools are deteriorating, and benefiting from that fact. If you had to go to these buildings every day like our children and faculty do, then something most likely would have been done earlier. I know that some will disagree and others will not. But the fact is that we have benefited from the low property taxes that we do have here for many, many years, and it is time that we give a little back for the next few years for our students and community. Please vote yes on this upcoming levy.

Thank you,

SCOTT SCHRIBER

Sandpoint