Press Release
April 23, 2009 MoveForwardDuluth
SEVEN QUESTIONS DULUTH TAXPAYERS SHOULD ASK ‘LET DULUTH VOTE’
ABOUT ITS PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES TO THE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLAN
Duluth, Minn. (April 23, 2009) – The Duluth School Board has invited members of Let Duluth Vote (LDV) to present its Plan D alternative to the Long Range Facilities Plan at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, April 28th, so that the community may finally be able to compare the merits of each plan side by side. Eight months have passed since a petition requesting development of an alternative plan was accepted as valid by Independent School District 709. In spite of repeated requests, LDV has not provided enough information to the School Board to prepare an accurate Review and Comment document for the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), resulting in unnecessary and costly delays.
“LDV’s leaders have spent a lot of effort criticizing the current Long Range Facilities Plan and personally attacking its supporters,” explained Mimi Larson, spokesperson for MoveForwardDuluth. “However, it appears they are having a difficult time developing a viable alternative that will meet the diverse needs of Duluth’s students and the broader community, while also ensuring maximum taxpayer value. We look forward to finally seeing what Let Duluth Vote has in mind at its April 28 meeting with the board.”
Since the initial LDV petition was completed, LDV has hinted at substantial changes in their approach. For example, a recent version of Plan D recommends adding middle schools to the Denfeld and East High school sites, keeping every current elementary school open, and eliminating most investments in energy efficiency.
“LDV’s efforts have required the District to take $250,000 out of the operating budget for our schools to pay for work on Plans B and D,” Larson observed. “The time has come for LDV to put their best plan on the table so the public can give it a good, hard look.”
MoveForwardDuluth, a citizen group that supports the Long-Range Facilities Plan, has developed a list of seven questions that School Board members and Duluth taxpayers should ask LDV about its proposed alternative to the Long Range Facilities Plan:
1. Does LDV propose to close any schools due to excess capacity? If not , what will be the impact on the District’s annual operating budget of keeping all of our current schools open, and how does LDV propose to pay for those costs?
2. What is the timeline for making repairs/upgrades at each school, and how will students be affected by the construction schedules?
3. What specific improvements does LDV propose for each school in the district to improve building security and student safety?
4. As Duluth Public Schools seek to become greener, what investments will Plan D make in energy efficiency, cleaner air and water, and reducing transportation costs?
5. LDV believes the Ordean site is too small for a high school. When middle schools are added to the Denfeld and East sites, which are half the size of Ordean, how much eminent domain will be needed to complete the project?
6. If LDV proposes to sell no excess properties and avoid investments in energy efficiency, won’t property taxpayers be required to pay for a larger portion of Plan D?
7. Does the LDV financial plan consider the costs of deferring maintenance for five or ten years?
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About MoveForwardDuluth
MoveForwardDuluth is an independent, citywide group of concerned citizens and parents committed to a common goal: to unite the Duluth community behind the Long Range Facilities Plan because it is the best plan for our future. MoveForwardDuluth works to provide timely and accurate information about the need, the process and the benefits of the Facilities Plan, as well as encouraging Duluth residents to get involved in ongoing efforts to shape the Facilities Plan as it is implemented.
