As a retired teacher I’m not anti-school. However it appears that Vancouver Public Schools is taking voters for granted. Their slick, colorful pamphlet pushing for the bond issue leaves a bit to be explained.
There are three roof replacements included: Hazel Dell, Fruit Valley, and Skyview gym. Skyview also includes repair of skylights. These buildings are among the newest in the district. It seems far too early for these major repairs to be needed. Why have they failed? Did the contractors “cheap out” on installations? Were they improperly designed? Was there qualified oversight by the district?
One item that sticks out at Jefferson Middle School is, “Install access for people with disabilities between office area and main building.” I know that ADA requirements were in effect at the time of its design and construction. This kind of access should have been a “given” from the start. If these deficiencies were the fault of poor design or construction the brunt of the fixes should fall upon those responsible. If the responsibility lies with poor district oversight, then the responsible persons should be given different positions with less responsibility.
I’d feel better about this bond measure if I was confident that proper oversight was in place to guarantee that the tax money spent was giving us our money’s worth.
