Springfield School District 186 is expected to receive $8.5 million in federal
stimulus money. Though there appear to be limitations and guidelines are yet to
be developed, district officials have been reported as wishing to spend some
funds on computer labs.
A key criteria to the plan is for the money “to be spent quickly to save and create jobs.” Too bad the school board hasn’t already prepared plans for a new computer lab at Springfield High School.
Plans similar to the new science lab wing that was built just a few years ago
should have already been drafted. Instead the board has been daydreaming of a
new high school off Koke Mill.
Springfield High was recently left out on air conditioning when millions in life
safety improvements were announced by the school board last month. Some
question the logic in spending the proposed $88 million when the facility
planning committee is still underway. Nothing seems to be on track while the
Springfield High location remains in limbo.
Unfortunately prospects of building a new campus out west has made the
Springfield school district lose credibility for valid reasons: 1) there was no
real building plans to base any cost analysis; 2) urban planning efforts to
reverse threatening real estate values were overlooked; 3) a heightened threat
of alienation of high schools within the district would result and 4) discourse
is missing out on opportunities for improving Springfield High.
Fortunately some who favored the original facility plan have begun reconsidering
their position. The sale of the school district’s 47 acres of prime commercial and residential real estate must begin now,
placing valuable land back onto the property tax rolls. Funds derived from the
sale would allow the potential to pay for a major expansion at the current SHS
campus without a tax increase. Property values surrounding Springfield High are
depressed, allowing even greater opportunities for immediate high school campus
expansion.
Instead of moving forward, some on the current facilities committee are ignoring
the obvious consequences. Advocating a new high school campus just 3,600 feet
from the landlocked school district boundaries must stop. The school board must
take action and citizens must speak out against this misdirection. Springfield
High is being left out and will continue to lose out on even more than the
federal stimulus money if the school board doesn’t act.
Tony Leone is the owner/innkeeper of the Pasfield House Inn. He is a local
community activist and in the past has held several key positions in both state
and local government, including Illinois House Clerk.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2009.
