More on the Old Central fix up

The preceding post prompted another email on the subject of fixing up Old Central:

From: “XXXXXX XXXXX”
To: “Harry Welty”
Cc:
Sent: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 14:35:11 -0500
Subject: Old Central

Harry, I just read your blog post about Old Central. I can’t believe our city would allow that building to be torn down. Something has to happen. I agree with you that a developer would have a real challenge, so that’s probably not the right solution.

Maybe if the school board had spent less on the Red Plan, we’d have some money to fix that grand old building. Maybe if the school board spend more time on educational issues and less time fighting each other, we’d have a better school system. But, I know we can’t change the past. But, I hope, since the district is the owner of this important Duluth iconic structure, that some investigation of options will be conducted.

I have to tell you; I’ve lost faith with our school board – can you blame me? After years of what I have seen as ignoring the desire of the tax payers and needs of the students, last year’s high school level antics just about did me in. For an elected member of a public board to refuse to speak with other board members due to policy and political disagreements is just beyond anything I can imagine. I certainly hope things are better this year, but I don’t have much hope. It’s very disappointing to me. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for people with students in our schools. What a fine example of cooperation and leadership was set for our students by the very people entrusted with their education….

I hope all is well with you. Please encourage some kind of action to try to do something – anything- to preserve Old Central. I realize, there’s no money – but we can’t just let it fall apart. I have no ideas to offer, but it’s too much a part of Duluth to let it go. Outside of that, I don’t have any good suggestions.

Best wishes,

XXXXXXX XXXXX

To which I replied:

Thank you XXXXXXX,

I agree with you 100%.

The Red Plan was going to fix up Old Central…..until the Board decided the new shiny buildings were more important and left that work for future boards. The way they mishandled things, robbing Peter to pay Paul (the Red Plan), they put the current board in a pickle. If we raise $18 million for Old Central now without a vote, which is our right, will they decide that they don’t need to reauthorize the operational levies which are fully at the discretion of voters? I don’t know but I have compelling letters from teachers at three of our schools outlining the difficulties our teachers find themselves facing since we laid off so many teachers to pay off the Red Plan bonds.

I argued when I ran again in 2013 that we invested too much in these buildings to ignore the classroom and I firmly believe that.

I have cautious optimism for this new school board. Only one member of the Board can’t get over the last year she helped inflict on us. She seems to have just talked the teacher’s union into filing a complaint against me for explaining out loud at the last school board meeting that one of our teachers made a terrible mistake that could cost them their job. I pray that this board member will grow up for the good of our schools before she starts a new unhelpful controversy.

I intend to make the case to our community that operational levies and a levy for fixing up Old Central are both necessary. But faced with the education of our children or historical preservation I know which side of the divide I’d fall on.

Harry

About the author