001get into order. Um, we good to go. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Um, thanks everyone for coming. That's the whole purpose of tonight is to have a listening session with with the public. you know, we're all in the midst of this big process of first evaluating the buildings that's been going on for almost a year. Then assessing possible sites where a new school or schools could go. Um there there is no decision at all. This is now the board gets to uh step in and assess all that information that the impact group put together for us. Scott led that group for almost a year and they're still convening. So, uh they along with the architects did a thorough job of assessing sites, looking at options and now uh that big assessment, not a recommendation
002has come to us. And so tonight, what we're going to do is one give you an overview, just kind of level set everybody on where where that assessment landed in terms of two possible sites for a possible new elementary and middle school. Right? So that's that's what we're looking at. Two possible sites. They've been assessed. We'll give you all the same information we've had. So everyone knows just what what the assessment uh consisted of and where it landed today. Then tonight, the bulk of the meeting will be listening to you in terms of your opinion, your ideas, your thoughts on those two sites or anything else you want to talk about. Tonight, um the board typically has uh public comment limited to about three minutes. And so tonight will be a little more liberal about
003that, if I can use that word. You know, we're going to be use let time go a little bit longer. If you need a little longer, we'll take that time. We we're here to listen. We got tonight. you know, I got to be home by midnight. Other than that, that's, you know, that's it. So, we'll we'll take advantage of the fact that you came out on a snowy night. Be conscious of, you know, if you're saying the same thing someone else did, you might you might shorten just a little bit. Uh we count on everybody to be respectful. We're not here to have any debate. Um typically at a public meeting, we wouldn't comment, but we're at a verb session, so we might ask you a question or clarify. We'll just have a respectful discussion
004all the way around. So that's that's what we're about this evening. We'll end the meeting with the board having some time to process and digest what we've heard from you. And so to get us all on the same spot here tonight, um I've asked Superintendent Rick Hull to give the overview which you know you could do 50 slides and we limited him to six. just really the essentials of these two sites and the assessment that's gone on this past past year and then we'll enter public. So I'll turn to >> I'm going to start by saying >> I'm supposed to issue a roll call. So please >> that's okay. Mr. Iverson >> here >> Mr. Lanch here >> Mr. Mack here. >> Mr. Schik here and Mr. Taylor >> here. president. >> Uh first I
005want to say thank you to all of you here. It's awesome to have people here uh to talk about something exciting that we're doing instead of uh a huge personnel issue or some tragic thing that happened to all of us. And so I appreciate everyone um being willing participants in the process. Um because we're a mix of uh some people have been here all along as the master planning advisory committee started a year ago January and some of us are new. I thought I'd take a moment to just share a few slides of how we how we got here. This all uh began with the board initially uh more than a year ago August saying what are those things by which we might make a decision about whether to uh or not to to pursue
006new school facilities. Um, these have been up here for all of our uh, board meetings and have been part of the board's decision- makingaking process all along. As there have been decisions that have been happening all all along through this process, we've had many uh, information and community input sessions prior to this. Uh, began in October and November of 24. I did a series of six kind of uh sessions out in the community, one in Spanish, uh one a local church, one at each of the schools, just talking about what uh did we find when we did our facility and uh academic adequacy studies. We had hired RTA, uh architectural firm to do those studies for us. And you'll see that that's kind of our mode of operation. There's little loops here. We get professional
007input. We share that professional input with the community. We get some feedback. We share that with the board and go out and get other professional input. So that started back October, November of 24. Then in January of 25, we started with a master plan advisory committee. I think it's kind of fluctuate between about 30 and 40 people. Um really consistent attendance, which has been great. We reviewed facility and academic adequacy studies. And we also brought in a demographer to look at um not only where kids live and adults live, but also talk about what are the birth rates in the community and how are we growing, shrinking or staying the same. The the punch line is we're stay going to stay about the same. Uh we spent the next meeting in February talking about school
008finance, the difference between regular school funding and capital project fundings. And then we did a little bit of digging in with that group about what's the process for you to renovate buildings versus build a new building. What's that look like? What are the pros and cons? The following meeting we heard uh information about kind of building lifespan like how long do buildings last, how long does the plumbing last, the electrical last? And then we also looked at how does uh having high quality educational settings impact uh outcomes for students. That's uh teacher retention and and student learning. Um and that March meeting we did an activity around what are the building options and what would make most sense and at that point that master planning advisory committee started to land on this notion of a
009prek8 school partly because uh of those goals that we laid out at the beginning there. It's fiscally responsible. having one school over two schools saves between 20 and $25 million and the interest on those dollars. So people were like, "Yeah, that that makes sense." Um following uh we reviewed that data in April. We did kind of an initial site, looked at the Vista site. Um if you're not totally familiar where that is, it's across the street from Veterans Memorial Park up in the PLOA. And we looked at a high school site. I'll show pictures of both of those. And we spend a little bit more time just talking about how much as a community could be bonded for and what is a FEST grant. Uh and a FES grant is grant funding, competitive grant funding
010through the state uh that can help buy down capital projects. School districts get operational funds through property taxes, but if we want to build something, uh we have to raise those money as a community and we can buy down that debt by getting a best grant. So, we talked about those. Following that, we hired uh Hansen Communications and Newbridge Strategy to do a community poll. That happened right at the end of the school year last year. And uh that was around like what's people tolerance for bonding? If you were to ask uh community members to vote for a tax, what does that look like? Um and it was enough positive was about 54% people were saying like, "Yeah, we we would do that." and we were deputy said or the board said let's continue to
011investigate. Let's keep going and see uh what what other information we would need. So in August we brought the impact back together. We looked through that polling data. Um we did some site safety and security presentation on what do different sites have to offer when it comes to safety and security. Uh interesting uh that the the big thing with safety and security is all around traffic flow. While we may all think uh active shooter drill, the vast majority of accidents on school campuses involve car and human interaction. So that was a bulk of the safety presentation was like how do you move people around safely? Um, following that review of the polling data, we did find out that people have, you might find this hard to believe, strong opinions about where a school should go.
012And so that popped up in the polling data um to the point where people were like, well, yes, I vote yes here, but maybe not yes there. enough that um the board wy said can we get further site analysis so we can make a really good decision based on um some facts about those two two different sites. So we contracted with uh SGM engineering to do that initial they're calling a due diligence site study. Um there would still be need to a deeper study once a site is selected but this helps. It also helps us with our best grants. Um no showing that we have done this due diligence study taken out of our own pocket. We've looked at place makes the best grant more favorable because you're like oh you've been doing your research
013you know what you're about to build on. Um and then at the November meeting, uh EMPAC SGM actually came here and shared some of that analysis. And the thing that I've been waiting for since October of 24 happened where a lot of people now are talking about uh new schools for our kids and that's very exciting. Um and then the board after hearing that data uh said, you know, we should really listen to the community now. We've had some real fact driven data from engineers. How are people feeling? Um I'm I'm going to pass this off to Bob, but I'm going to say just repeat something. I think it was in the paper, but I think it's worth repeating. Um you know, the the biggest thing that we can come to as a an outcome
014for all of this work is new facilities for our students. And uh not everyone thinks like us as an individual. Some people are thinking about a site different than the one you're thinking of. But in the end, we're going to have to find a way to come together that um the site that the board has selected is is good for all of our all of our kids, even if it wasn't the one that you had a strong strong opinion about. And that may not be easy, but it will be it will be important um that we're able to to rally around what the students really need, which is the best learning environment possible. So, thank you for participating in that. Thank you for giving your time tonight. Bob, I'll turn it over to you. >>
015You want to go just just show >> Oh, sorry. Yes. Show the >> Yeah, I'll show the chief >> equally weighted at this time. >> I got ahead of myself. >> Um, this is details on the due diligence. This is what they looked into or had the engineers look into um site analysis, traffic evaluation, looking at natural resources that originally looked at two different sites. This is the Vista property um right across the street from Veterans Memorial Park. And then the original site on the high school. It's a little bit light here, but this is the bus loop. And this is where the transportation department is. And I'm calling this the original location of the high school for for a reason in a moment here. And this is what this site now has done. possibility
016of putting the K8 school right here on the high school campus. Um, and we did uh or the engineers did gave us a matrix to compare the Vista site with a high school site. Uh, they used all of the criteria they're asked to look into, weighted them basically on the importance being a dollar value. They gave us some uh dollar amounts which are at the very bottom of that screen. Um all of this is available on our on our website and since then there's been a change in kind of thinking about the high school site and they we've asked RTA to do revised uh placement of that building. So where the previous building they were saying should really sit here. They flip that over onto which this is largely the uh softball fields right here
017and the baseball field over in this area and they place the Kat school there. They see they they're suggesting moving the baseball field up uh and identifying where some practice fields are and such. What's significant about that is they redone the matrix. Um, and it's really changed some of the things that were making the the original site difficult. Uh, has changed some of that uh by reduced the amount of excavation and really reduce the amount of wetlands impact. And so this new site uh appears to be more favorable. And when it came down to dollars, it's pretty comparable in in millions of dollars cost uh to to the Vista site where the original high school site was in between 12 and $18 million to build on that site. The the new proposed high school site
018is between about seven and 11 million. And the Vista site cost range between six to about nine $9 million. So, >> thanks. I got ahead of myself. Yeah, thank you. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that you >> that you have that you know that detail is available for your own study. But uh where we sit is those two sites have been assessed according to those objective criteria. The board is on a timeline to pick a site in January. This is a listening session tonight which we tend to get a lot out of with respect to that decision. There'll be other listening sessions with the staff of the school next Monday. We have a meeting on Tuesday and then we'll have a meeting in January where that gets gets made. Um so with
019that, um if you wanted to make public comment, I assume you've signed up. If you haven't signed up and you decide you want to, you still can. But um I'll keep an eye on time and try to limit you to fiveish minutes. if you feel like you've got a lot of content and really want to share some more willist. Um, and so so with that, I'm gonna ask Heather just to call names in the order that you signed up. Have you come up to the podium here, state your name, and then we're we're here to listen and we're so glad you're here to come and share your thoughts with us. >> First, we have Vic and Joanne. >> Vic, they called us. >> Oh, I didn't know I was on the list. Yeah, we we've
020had people play tricks on their friends by saying >> Yeah, come on up. You're Nick. >> I'm I'm Vic Lucarella, licensed engineer of Colorado and New Jersey. And I did send an email in today. Would you like me to >> touch those points or >> You're more than welcome to. I did share every email that was sent to me. I did pass along to the board. >> Okay. Well, then it's really >> highlight a couple of those thoughts you had. Go ahead and >> Okay. >> Go ahead and highlight some of those thoughts you had so the audience can hear. >> Can you move your mic up to your mouth, please? >> I'm sure. >> Move your mic up to your mouth. >> Okay. >> Better. Okay. Thanks. Uh the point I feel most strongly
021about is I truly believe we need a traffic light at Vista and 160. This is assuming that uh the Vista site is selected and it appears we're leaning that way in my understanding. Uh I think we need a right turn lane for westbound school buses and we need a left turn arrow for eastbound turns. I I just can picture in my mind lots of bad things happening there in the morning especially if the weather is not cooperating. Okay. Second thing uh I didn't see anything in the SGM report regarding electric infrastructure and that's some place where LPA should be contacted. I think now I don't think we're putting the park before the horse because if they need a transformer upgrade or feeder upgrade that's going to be a lot of money. Uh third thing is
022the SGM report KIC lost over I think the sewage pumping issue and they put in their report uh 800,000 to 1.5 million I believe and I think we're at risk there with not enough detail yet and I think that could bite us. I've been on a lot of projects where small percentage items that were not looked in sufficient detail bit us and ate up our contingency and we found oursel over budget and that's about it. Another thing came to mind after I sent the email. Uh what is the water quantity and pressure available at Vista? That I mean if we're told well we need a new water line or higher pressure pumps or something be a lot of money. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank thank you Vic. Thanks for your comments. >> Next we have
023Barbara. You can tilt that >> as tall as Vic. >> Surprise. I'm the library director and I brought something to read. As the director of the Ruby System Memorial Library, I've been asked several times by members of the public for the library's opinion on the placement of the new elementary and middle schools in the Archeletta School District master plan. I cannot speak on behalf of the library board as the issue has not been raised during any of our public meetings. But I can what I can do is relate our experience at the library and how that might help you in your very difficult decisions going forward. When I first came to Picosa Springs in September 2024, I heard lovely stories about plans for a new elementary school adjacent to the existing high school and that
024walking distance to the library had been a major factor in that decision. What a clever community. I thought the public library is a sanctuary for so many children after school from the surrounding neighborhoods as well as children who need a safe place to be until the working parents arrive. It's a place where children can pursue their own interests beyond their school assignments or delve further into the things that they learned about that day. It's a place to socialize with friends under the supervision of caring adults. Everyone is welcome and it's free. As a nod to the hundreds of children we saw every week after school last year, we organized elementary school tutoring at the library on Wednesdays, craft activities, and teen gaming clubs. If they were hungry, we provided nutritious snacks. Our public computers were
025consistently full. We were delighted with all of the relationships we were building, knowing that in another year, we would have so much more space in our library edition to provide afterchool and summer programs. We look forward to the day when we can host that many children and more. Once again, as an administrator, it is clear to me that there are many factors involved in your decision, and I do not envy your position. I can tell you that the library plays an enormous role in keeping our children safe and helping them succeed in school. Any way the school district and the library can work together toward that end will reap great benefits for our students. Keeping the schools within walking distance of the library is a great start. This summer, we will open an expanded modern
026library and we'll have a new children's librarian on staff. We're excited about all the learning opportunities we will be able to provide. I can't wait to see the faces of our young visitors when they visit the new library for the first time and I look forward to many future partnerships with the school district. Thank you for your dedication to the present and future students of our shellet. >> Thank you Barbara. >> Barbara, can I ask you a quick question? I should know this, but when is the projected coming? >> What's the projected finish date? >> August. Oh, this are so great. >> Next we have Kelly. >> Okay, I also have something to read. So, good evening. I'm Kelly Tutin and I've been a part of Impact since it started in January and I'm speaking
027tonight as a parent of two children and as a resident of PLOA. Um, we often hear about this statistics statistic that 67% of the school district's population live west of Pedro Road. But I just wanted to push back a little and um state that that single single statistic does not reflect the lived daily lives, the lived daily reality of families in Pagosa Springs. Uh, when schools are spread far apart, families with children of different ages will carry the heaviest load. In Pagosa, many families already juggle work and long commutes. If our schools are separated, we're asking parents to drive in opposite directions every single morning and again every single afternoon, regardless of their after school activities. This happens for parents of young children who are attending the multiple daycare facilities downtown and again as their
028older children enter high school. Even just 30 extra minutes a day adds up to hours each week, days each year, and real money that families are spending on their gas bill. If we ask a community to pass a bond that increases their taxes and then also create an ongoing cost for them in fuel and time, we are layering the burdens on the very families we're trying to serve. Keeping schools together simplifies life permanently. Aligned start times reduce chaos for parents coordinating multiple school schedules and simple unified family drop off drop offs will reduce stress and lost work time. If we can reduce those annual costs for both families and the district when it comes to simplifying bus routes, it's hard to justify a plan that knowingly increases that. That's all for now. Thank you so
029much for um listening. Thank you. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> Next, we have Darren Lewis. Good evening, Lisa. We good? Um, I have two hats and the first hat I have on right now is my parent hat. I raised five children. They've all gone through the school district. They've all graduated and uh all the schooling was downtown for that. always wish for a better school, elementary. You know, I watch the kids and I continue to watch them. It's definitely needed and I I tell you, I do not envy you guys and position you're in and the decision you have to make. As a parent though, I can tell you a little selfish convenience-wise. I can remember picking my kids up. They're this tall. Hey, Dad. Let's go to the park. I'm a minute away from
030not only one park, but several different parks. Dad, let's go walk by the river. Okay, let's go check things out. As my children got older, now they're getting more responsibility. They want to go and do things on their own. They want to go walk that river by themselves with safe trails. They want to go explore Reservoir Hill. and all this right after school. The convenience for parents and their families of having everything downtown is huge. It was huge for me. Totally understand though the two locations you're looking at and the positives and negatives. There's always a cause and effect. Whatever decision you guys make, there's going to be people that'll be for it. might be cheaper. There'll be other people that are going to be h why' we do this? That's all I have to
031say from a parent standpoint. Okay, I'm going to take that hat off. I'm going to put my parks and recck director hat on. I was asked for the first time uh for to comment on possibly this decision and basically I was asked to just give the amenities of what's provided with the parks downtown. I'm the first one to say we need parks uptown as well. Just a matter of being able to afford that at some point. But right now all of our parks are downtown. They've been that way for decades. There's been a lot of money invested from the town, county, uh, into our parks over the years to provide amenities for our children to have easy access to and to enjoy, especially over the past 10 years. There's a lot of amenities that have
032been added to our parks. That email was sent to Rick and Bob. I know they forwarded it to everyone else. >> I did forward to everyone else. And uh so you saw those amenities offered at each of our parks. I'm certainly not here to go through all that. You also saw what's planning on to be added in our parks in the future. Bike parks, multi-purpose pavilion, things like that. Um I see this this second concept over here at the high school where we flipped it onto the ball fields. you know, makes sense, you know, but the effect of that is, you know, the town and the school district, we have an intermental a a government agreement in regards to using each other's facilities, right? We've done that for years. for us for the from the
033parks and right perspective you know we use those three ball fields for now I need those three ball fields you know it's not some it's not something though I'd use year round but the importance of those ball fields for the kids and the adults in the softball leagues u it's pretty important to those families to have that um we certainly tried from a town perspective to plan out new ball fields across down in the lagoon property. People have heard kind of Yamuchi South south of the pickle ball courts. That was all planned out and it was great. Everything was I was going to love it if we could finally afford to build it. But um we've had to back off. had to take those 10 acres that was planned for future baseball fields because we
034knew the decision you guys were going to have down the road. So, we were trying to plan ahead with those ball fields, but now that 10 acres that were supposed to be ball fields, that's now for a sanitation facility. So, there is no place for ball fields. The one ball field at Yamuchi Park will not handle parks and wreck needs for the for the kids of this community. It's not only that. You have club teams out there that are trying to find space and they use the high school fields during the summer. Is that truly your problem? No. if you decide to build this downtown, then the town's going to have to figure it out along with the county because we need ball fields and that'll be a whole another line of parents lining up,
035you know, in regard to that issue. So, um, you know, at the end of the day, as much as I would like to say, hey, put it here or put it there, all I can kind of give you guys is the cause and effect of your decisions, right? I gave you a parent side of things that I thought of. I'm giving you the parts and wreck side of things if you decide to put it downtown. Okay? Certainly, I'm not here to um I'm not representing anything from town council or from my my town manager in regard to this. I'm simply giving you the parks and w perspective of what's going on. Okay? I want to make sure I make that clear. I was not sent here by them to give you a town perspective. I'm
036simply here to give you the parts in red perspective because that's what I know. That's all I have. Thank you very much. >> Thanks. Let me just say one thing before the next person that the whole uh Jar brought up that if if you build the the K8 building at a different spot, flipped it as they called it and it goes on top of the soft. That was an option we asked the architects to look at because building into the hillsite so expensive made the two sites Vista versus downtown really different costwise. So the board said is there a way you could fit that different? So that's just another option again. So that's just us stretching our brain you guys stretching our brain to say have we looked at every possible way. So do we
037want to lose those steels and move that that building there or not? That's things we have to worry the pros and cons on. But both of those options are still viable at high school site. They just come with different pluses and minus with it. >> Next we have Amber. >> Okay. And Ellie Hi, >> sorry. >> My name is Ellie Hikamp. Um, I was a board member for POS for a time and then, um, I also worked on the grant and helped implement the playground that went into PPOS. Um, so I looked over the best grant um this morning and looked over the sample questions and what I ran across was one of the questions that said, "What state or local resources or community partnerships um and other other than the best grant are you
038looking at?" And I really think that your chances of securing the best grant will be influenced when you look at the community support of the downtown location because you have the community center as a support system. You have the parks as a support system. You have the library support system. Um, you have the town and the county supporting the infrastructure of what is been happening in our town for the last 100 years, give or take. Um, so I think it's really really important that you guys look and leverage your best grant on the location. You don't pick a location and then go for the best grant. look at the grants and you think about your community resources um in what is going to bring you um your best liable options. I also feel like the
039town has used you um as a resource for grants and that partnership and that relationship of you guys working together is a more sustainable um way of acting um and also clearly with the library. Um, and I think uh when you give a kid a sense of belonging, everything just falls into place. And there's two ways that that can happen. One is immerse those children in a community, which is what's happening right now with our downtown location. And then the second way is to immerse them in nature. And we are so blessed to be downtown on the river and have all these beautiful resources of the river, the walking paths, the views from our downtown location are so memorable for those children. To look at the largest wilderness in the lower 48 when they're out
040playing is um is going to give them really a sense of connection to nature. Um, and the river is invaluable. I look at PCI, my kids go to PCI. Um, and I had heard, you know, oh, we'll find a place for PCI to be. Well, PCI goes to the river two, three times a week. They're always utilizing the river. you would cannot get them the river at Vista to um to use. So those are um and I understand that you know and I very much appreciate you volunteering your time as board members to be part of this process because I know it's a lot of work. Um, but I feel like the future of these children is better served by the downtown location. >> Thank you, Ellie. >> I think it's Kattie. Katie like I
041know. >> I didn't catch anybody. >> It's Katie. >> Hi, everyone. I uh came at the last meeting for the first time and was introduced to the process. Rick, thanks for kind of laying out all that has been done up to this point. And when I left and I if you were there, you know, I asked a lot of questions in that um session and when I left, I had even more questions. And just so you know who I am, I'm Katie. That was Ellie's. Um, we said we paddled a canoe together as we spent three years employing our community with equity centered community design to write two grants and receive $725,000 to plan and install a playground in an area of our town that did not have a playground. The playground for the people
042project that is along the walking path overseeing the wetland. And she's right. You look at what your grant needs. You start there, right? And partnerships are super important. Rick, you said this in the last meeting. Partnerships, right? Where are partnerships? The LPOA that came up and it's a private company that they serve their HOA. Parks and Wreck, they were mandated to give us playgrounds. the library too. Like these partnerships are important. If we can share parking space with a high school, sorry, that's my phone. Um that so we don't need parking at the high school in the same way. That's a partnership having fields that are maintained that are not part of a school board line item budget. You don't that doesn't come out of your money. That comes out of guaranteed, right? the these
043are valuable understanding our demographics where everyone lives. Um I had seen 68% live closer than this and that and then I looked a little deeper. Oh okay that line that they road on one side is the airport and the other side are where all the houses are. So yes they are closer but they all still use that same road coming out. Right. We're we're basically split middle, right? It's not an op it's not even a talking point anymore. Traffic, they said, "Well, traffic actually kind of basically the same a little better downtown, more access points, right?" I I got kind of curious. Okay, so if we had a second school site, what's that mean for transportation? Right? We have like shortages and things and that line item you see every year how much it costs
044right this is a capital expense right one time going to build a building but if that is more expensive every year and then I thought okay well what does it look like it doesn't matter like where you live because apparently in our bus service district the middle or the the middle is basically the high school. This is our survey here and and in that service area, one other thing I also looked at the best grant and one of the top things is you have to have a need like stuff is falling down. I was like, "Oh, check. Yeah, we really need it, right? Safety, right?" And the next one was these partnerships and it said project benefits the broader community including equitable access for all students. I understand we have a population that travels really
045far really really far. The tribal nature that comes here and in this last meeting and I don't know if I misheard but it was brought up and someone was like oh it's just like 12 kids but it's not 12 kids. It's over a hundred kids and that's a at $10,000 a kid that's a million dollars into your environment and maybe they don't want to drive any further than they have to and maybe POS is even better. I don't know. But if you are paying attention equitable access for your population, this is our community very much so and in that what is the community? When we had to do this, we had to get members from our community. We got a list from the grant people that said uh someone that has a physical disability, someone
046that is mentally challenged, the elderly, the youth, we had to have kids on our panel and we had to ask them all what makes you feel welcome. And they said to us, we don't actually care what you build, but if you get all these people together, what you build will be right. And we had to look at the history. That's why there's logs there because we're a lumbering community and the history of Pagosa is downtown is our river. These kids are our community. We have fifth generation families here. And yes, to some point, I mean, the thought of like what it would mean to transport like a kid shuffle is like mind-blowing. What is the lived experience? And then I got to thinking when I got home after that meeting had dinner with my kids
047and I was like, "Hey, did anyone ask the kids right? They're the ones who actually have to go to school. They're the ones that are going to actually have to get on the bus or actually have to go here." And right now I in this whole process I found out that we have fly fishing after school middle school club. That is so cool. Right. All the facilities that have been created by all of the taxpayer dollars and the grants and interest that are downtown with pathways connecting so much of the ADA pathway, right? Our education is all here in this area. And when I look at all these different things, I'm like, okay, traffic is not really an issue. cost which was the issue right we had variables and I was like why is that
048number like this that doesn't seem right or you know what what are you using around here why is that a range and that's not a range right and yeah it seems like there's some chapters about water something that's one site and what I realized was like okay I want to like do this process so here's one site that's there rectangle and you build a custom design, but you didn't do that for the high school space. And even that kind of like moving it, you didn't say, "Here's the high school site. What can you build here?" Right? You just, from what I understand, it's that building locked onto this site and it's like, "It doesn't fit." And then it got flung around and it still doesn't. And what you're asking for is an amount of money
049from the taxpayers, right? We need knowledge for whatever million knowledge is to build what is best for the students. It even said it I wrote it down. I brought it. It said the students interests come first. It is the only thing underlined in that whole list of what is being embarked on. And when that first slide that you showed right, you know, these different points like traffic, safety, these things, it's like they're all they line up everywhere, right? Kind of the same traffic. We didn't even try to like custom build something. One of the other moms was like, "Yeah, we had this thing shoved in the hillside." And then I looked it up and there's all these schools that they had built into a hillside to save money on cost and keying and made different
050levels for different grades to access outside. Like cool stuff. We have an opportunity right now to like reimagine what education can be like for our family. Our kids can walk to this ice skating rink. Maybe we'll have coffee stars. This is happening. I am sure of it that this multi-access civilian is coming to propuls that when I think about like okay what's it going to be these memories right that our kids are having rare is it to say I walked with my friends we bought ice cream and we went to the grow domes on the way to the river to fly fishing club with a bike path to pick up my little sister on the way to the library like that is it and you know our values right like I know like like I
051heard like oh it's all about property development values and this I want to do this or you know all these different like narratives that run along right but that view like that imagination that asking and answering the right questions and getting information from all the people that are our community stakeholders then this will be the right match for our community for our kids. And I probably >> Oh, one other which one is we looked at the site and I think that the site surrounding what was coming up today because this was my question like when I left that last meeting and I was like okay educational opportunities at one site got 100% income was totally colored in right and being like super good and that was good this site and then the downside I was
052like with the river like pass me the 50% pass I was like okay I was like well maybe like sites surroundings weren't really like part of the scope of the project and I was like wait if there is a nuclear power plant next to one of these sites they probably take it into consideration so of course we have to take in sight surrounding switching food to like the really long list from Baron. And all of those children, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kids, like big hundreds, like 500, 600 kids are serviced by those after school programs that are happening like in walking distance. And so what I would say is, you know, you said it today with looking for the best learning environment for our community, our kids, our family generation. >> Next we
053have Abby. think I'll keep this short for my name collapse. >> I didn't catch I didn't catch your name. >> Abby Caris. >> Um I will start by I have already sent you a letter and it was before the last meeting. Um and I've kind of sat here deciding whether I wanted to speak right now. So, I'm gonna keep it short because I think I want to absorb more of this and take what I absorbed from the last meeting and probably write you another letter. Um, again, so my legs don't collapse. But, um, I do just something that came in. I think Katie really already touched with it. She it was it was me that she was talking about. Um, I I just did a a brief like architectural, you know, search of schools built
054into hillsides and there are so many beautiful um and incredible opportunities uh with that. I mean, one uh school um description said it was explicitly built into the existing hillside to reduce excavation and energy load. Um, another one was multiple buildings were built on steep hillsides with different levels of terrorist, you know, play opportunities. And I realize that's like a whole another span of cost and and whatever. But I think there's been like negativity like, oh, it's going to be wedged into this hillside. That was a quote from the Pegasus article. Sorry, my legs are shaking now. But um I just think there's just so much potential in that space if we just look outside the box. And I think that that's kind of what needs to happen there. And for me, when I first
055heard about it potentially being at the high school, I was like, "Oh my gosh, it's amazing. We could have this little educational bubble where it's one way in, one way out. There's no through traffic. There's no highway. It's just like kids and learning in different ages and influence." And that to me was like, how could you think anything else? Um, so we'll touch on that. And then the last thing that I'm going to say is just I look at I have a sixth grader right now and I have younger kids that will be middle school that will hopefully take advantage of this. um my oldest will be in high school at the time, but um the independence kind of in this area that middle schoolers are kind of just getting this like getting on their
056feet and the sense of independence of like leaving school and being able to walk and and go hang out with their friends and and go to the skate park and go to the library. And I just think that that's just a really fun thing to give the kids. And I just don't see that opportunity up there for that independence to thrive. Um, so I'll end there and I will probably email you again. >> Very good. Yeah, please do. Any thoughts? Thanks. >> Thanks, Bill Hudson. >> Thank you, Bill Hudson. Um, some great presentations we've just heard. Um so I was uh I was part of the AMPAC um from the beginning and uh went through with the the processes and and spoke to most of you personally um during that um and I think you
057you've heard some great arguments for a downtown location. Um, of course I'm on the board of Goa Peak Open School. We're an uptown location. Um, a lot of a lot of the parents at our school drop off kids at the high school and drop off kids at BPOS. Um, it it is it is a strain on the family to have separate locations for schools. Um you're lucky if you have two parents in the family and and one can take one and one can take the other. Um the um the mention of the ball fields uh disappearing. It was was hard to hard to think about that when we know that there's there's kids that really benefit from that sport. Um, it'd be great if there was a ball field uptown as part of as part
058of the Vista School. That would be a real benefit. We we only have one park uptown. We have nine downtown. Um, and so, uh, if you, if you're thinking about what is how do you serve the community, not just the kids, but not just the teachers, but the community, um, building a real playground, a real athletic field uptown where there is none would be a benefit. Uh, we we do have a playground that's open to the public at at BPOS. Um, but it's it's small and there's no athletic field. Uh, so that's another thing to put into your into your hat and mix around. Um, the school district went to the voters in 2011 proposing the downtown location. Um, it lost 3 to one at the poll at the ballot. Uh, I don't know if
059people were opposed to the location. Uh, most of the people do live uptown. Um, but a a a K8 school was proposed for down next to the high school and it utterly failed. Um, would would the voters looking at it realistically, would the voters support something that's uptown that serves most of the people? We're not talking parents who are very concerned about their kids having access to the to the parks and and the downtown amenities. We're talking about the other people in the community. Would they be more prone to vote and approve this if it serves them? Uh, I know when the high school went in, the the community really got behind that because there was an auditorium for the first time in our community, a real auditorium. Uh, a lot of support came for
060the high school from that decision to put in a community auditorium. And if you're going to offer something to the whole community, the ones that pay property taxes, the ones that go to the polls and vote, they're mostly my age and older, they go and vote on their own property taxes. And if if you're going to create something that serves them, great. I think that would help your effort. Um, and we haven't talked much about PPOS. It it's been clear from from everything that I've participated in. If there's a bond issue, it's possible that PPOS would be involved in that. Uh, we we are in the process of of looking at what our needs are at at our school, which is not a school. It's actually in an office building, but we we do have
061needs and and we're we're going to get back to you on that and let you know what what we would like to see if we're packaging a deal uh that serves all the all the district schools. So, um anyway, those are just a few thoughts. Uh like everybody said, don't envy you this decision, but go for it. Last we have Sophia. >> Hi, my name is Sophia Souza and I am the founder of our community's independent softball team. I stand before you not just as a student but as the voice for 13 young women whose lives have been transformed by this field. I understand the urgent need for new school facilities, but this decision isn't about choosing between education and recreation. It's about recognizing the educational value that this sport program already provides. Last June,
062I recognize the gap in our community. There is no accessible softball option. So, I built the program from the ground up. This program is not just a sport. It is a masterclass in teamwork, discipline, and commitment for the girls involved. The girls on this team are showing up every week committed to practice, committed to their team, and committed to their community. We are fostering future leaders right here on this field. The question before the board is not should we start a program, but should we dismantle a successful program. We have invested significantly to make this work. We have already spent a significant amount of money raised through sponsors, donors, and just last week, two weeks ago, sorry, we had a bake sale outside of the city market and raised $700. This is to secure this
063location and run this team and be a part of the league that we were invited to join. This includes league fees, equipment, and our jerseys. Tearing down this field essentially means declaring that all of the effort and money has been wasted. We spent significant time and resources trying to find an appropriate practice location. And this field is not just a field. It is the only functional and affordable space we have found to accommodate a full-size team practice. I might be a freshman, but I've dedicated countless hours since last June to make this program a reality. Every girl on that team has invested their time, effort, and heart. I respect the proposal for the new K8 building, but I believe we can achieve that goal without sacrificing this vital community resource. If the construction if the
064construction must move forward here, is there any way that we can work to perhaps build a softball field into the original design or even a smaller or multi-use field is better than nothing. If we lose this field, we lose the program. Those 13 girls who love this sport, who rely on this team for fitness, friendship, and mentorship, will have no place to go. This decision doesn't build a new school. It shuts down a community asset that is actively benefiting our youth. This field is not just dirt and grass. It is the foundation of our team. It is where confidence is built, where friendships are forged, and where young women learn the value of their own strength. I ask you to look past the age of the program's founder and recognize the passion and commitment of
065those young women who are counting on us. Please preserve this field, preserve this program, preserve the opportunity for the girls in this community to play the sport we love. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sophia. Very well. Very well said. >> That's all we have. We're open to anyone else that is comment signed up or not. If you'd like to come on up and Yeah, we have two. So, yeah. You go ahead, J. >> What's your your name? >> Sarah, you you'll be next. Yeah. >> Hi, I'm Jen Pitcher. Um, like Darren, I have a couple different hats. I don't have kids that go to school here anymore, but my last one just graduated last year, so I have had one in the school district for the last long times. Um, I don't really have a
066preference where the school goes. Um, but what I do have an opinion on is the facilities and if if the downtown I understand I so understand the downtown location but if it takes away facilities and there isn't a plan to grow for those amenities to thrive or to have a plan for um future athletic facilities um which can be in a different location. It doesn't have to be at that location, but it seems like you're kind of maxing out downtown. So, um, that's just one thing I think you should look at. And my other hat is I work for Posa Lakes, and I'm going to let Alan talk about that. Um, but just know that, uh, from a personal standpoint, we welcome you out there. And I know it is private, but the land that
067you're on is not actually those lakes. Um, and there is a lot of green belt space out there. So just um I guess that's sort of my question is looking to the future for athletic facilities and how that grows. >> Thank you. >> We'll have Sarah and then then >> Hi, my name is Sarah Mack. Um I have an eight-year-old who actually attends PPOS. We moved here in 2021. and we actually relocated after Hurricane Ida hit our community. It wiped out Delta schools just south of New Orleans. Um, one of the major decisions in moving here versus Durango or some of the other areas was we love the tight-knit community and how walkable that all the schools were in a walkable area. I also have written hundreds of millions of dollars of grants for the
068city of New Orleans. And so all the points and I actually worked with these ladies on the playground for PBOS. Those were super valid points when it comes time to write those grants that you were going to use as leverage. You're going to be able to leverage a lot more of these city assets when you write those grants. And then the other thing I was just going to say as a city member that you know I walk to the post office basically every day and I can't tell you how often I see classes out by the river either doing gym classes but I see them out walking in the community a lot. And as a PhD environmental scientist as well when you can commuls kids into nature it's so much better for all aspects of
069their education. So, I just wanted to kind of reiterate some of what's already been been made and thank you so much for your guys' time and energy. I'm sure it's a tough decision. >> Yeah. Thank you, sir. Thanks for coming. >> Go ahead, Alan. >> I don't didn't have anything prepared. I wasn't really prepared to talk, but uh thank you for giving me a few minutes. I I just want to kind of make bring some awareness to you fellas and ladies that um I'm the general manager at Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association. And uh one thing I would like to emphasize is that to do some forward thinking and look at partnerships with PLA. And um I would encourage you to reach out to our uh board of directors and look at potential of the
070business site on how you could partner. Um I'll give you an example. The Veterans Memorial Park, that property was Pagosa Lakes property. It partnered up, it is now a park for the general public. Um across the street there uh we have a community garden whereby we partner partnered up with health healthy Archeletta and uh Jose can uh testify to her and I teamed up and we partnered now we have a community garden there. Um we do have aou with the county regarding building a field behind the recreation center that would be open to the public. So, I throw these things out there as there is possibilities for partnership with POPA to try to help it out if you were to decide uh Vista is the site for you. Um, we have a lot of green
071belt property across there. Rick and I talked about, you know, all kinds of ideas. We have uh the start of trails. We already have the trail going down three different sides of your property and uh we just need to connect them the four. But um there's a pond over there that is right across the street. Very popular birding site. We have flax up there identifying birds. So there is nature and opportunities there. So, I guess my point is is is, you know, I look to you guys to not to be afraid to approach our board of directors and do some forward thinking and think about the possibilities of partnerships um that lay there at that particular site. And uh I thank you guys for all you do and uh yeah, there's been a lot of
072good arguments both sides and I wish you guys the best of luck. Can I >> thank Thank you, Alan. Yeah, sure. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> So, when what you said was so moving and you're so brave and I'm so >> Thank you. >> Um like when the field said she was like the partnership could we could the field still there? >> Yeah. Uh I think that would be something uh of discussion with with our board of directors. I mean, it's less than like now there's a ton of kids running around in the backyard, you know, like >> Yeah, because right across the street from the Vista site is our administration building, our clubhouse. We have the pond. Um, and there's a lot of green belt site there space you can build probably a softball
073field and a football field. >> You know, it's just ideas. >> Yeah. No, I was just curious. I was just curious. >> Ideas. See that? My encouragement is is that there's space to be opportunity for partnership and negotiation. >> Yeah. >> Right. And I I appreciate that that I mean what everyone's saying many ways too is don't close your mind to anything. Right. Think think new thoughts. Don't try try to start narrowing it down now. Stay big. Stay broad. Think of other things. We we know that fields and gyms are essential for all these things we want our kids to do when they're not in class. So that's very much on our minds as you make this decision go forward. Go ahead. >> Um I don't have a comment but I have a question for
074people. Okay. >> Yeah. >> I know that you talked about how you've had these special opportunities to share and you participated in one of them. Have you held any spaces with youth? I mean I thought it was pretty brave and courageous and also very powerful of Sophia to come in and bring youth voice into this. Have you held those spaces with the youth of our community to see what they would like to see? >> Not at this point. No, typically say, but typically that comes with the actual design of the school and the spaces around the school less so in my past experience. I do have quality past experience and we engage youth when making a difficult decision about where it should should land. Um, that's that's the strangest answer I could. Yeah. But but
075it's a I'll just say my take on it was that's a viable point. You know, we talk to each other a lot, talk about them a lot >> and we talk to their parents. >> Yeah. Exactly. Parents, >> it's all about them. So, you know, interesting concept there, you know, especially when it's it's these places that are I guess one take I have on it in our world and these are distant places. Okay. >> Right. Barbara, if you're in a city, these are close, right? They're close together, you know, a couple couple miles away, but a student perspective on it. Very valid. >> Yeah, come on up. >> Like Karen, I wear a bunch of hats. I'm the recreation supervisor, so I see the kids almost out my office every day. They love the river.
076Um, Res Hill is like an untouched territory, I would say, for the kids and it's like a huge environmental science experiment experiment up there. I've worked with the Forest Service to try to get um funding so we could fund kids to kind of come up there and do studies. And I'm going to continue kind of that stuff of utilizing our resources for the kids to do kind of outside the school even though we partner with the school pretty much with everything we do. Um, but I also wanted to do the proximity a little bit about business. Um, it is super cool and I'm one of the owners of Pagosa Mountain Sports. We have had kids come in just watch us brunch on bikes walking from school and I know that Pagosa Baking has had kids
077walk to the school to the baking um to see kids like how they're operating, how they're baking. And I've know a lot of teachers who have gone and gone to specific businesses downtown and they can walk, which is something like being in the city, you know, you get to do that. Um, you know, as soon as we add that transportation like you were kind of talking about as an ongoing service now your field trips are bust, you know, you're not getting that walking school bus that you have. And so I just wanted to put it as a little bit different perspective because I haven't heard really about any business owners. Um and you know we're looking for employees and kids are employees and um we we have some of our high schoolers who come right
078after school and will help us close the bike shop um or they're able to work there in the summer and it's really cool that they just get dropped off downtown. Um, so it's totally different perspective that I just kind of wanted to bring to the table that you're probably not going to get a lot of business owners who are like, "Oh, yeah, kids are around. They get to interact with us and that's part of that community." So, just wanted to touch base on that. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> Yeah, come come on up so we can hear you. >> Just had a question. Yeah. Okay. >> Fora. So, if there are fields that are potentially going to go out to Field Pua in any of your spots, will that require a vote from Fuel Pa
079community members? >> Very good question. Um, it depends on the the cost to PPOA. So, um, you know, if if PPOA was to say, okay, um, our green belts across the street will let you build a field there. Um, no cost to POA, but we give you the property. Um, but that would probably not necessarily need to come to an owner. It would be a board, >> but it's not 100% guaranteed that that would be the case. So it could go either way. It could require a vote that gets turned down or it could just be a board vote essentially, >> right? >> Okay. It depends how the land get. So like this this our veterans memorial park the land was given to veteran production and so that is their park. It's not our park.
080And so that land is green built for the land. the same. >> Sorry. >> Yeah. Any anything else? Anyone out there, >> please? >> Okay. I just I thought of this. Um I know how important our um Sorry, and this is K. Um I know how important we've talked about um our athletics are and it just got me thinking. Um, you know, a lot of folks have put a lot of effort into increasing our enthusiasm with our booster clubs and um really trying to get that pirate pride and um I thought about this consideration about the location of having middle schoolers right next to um the high school is that now you know on these home games um they're there seeing the lights and the as buses roll in for the home games and and
081they get to see what they're going to be a part of in just a few years. So, I think that that excitement, that buzz is is just really important for those upcoming high school students. So, thank you again. >> Thank you, Lisa. Scott, go ahead. >> So, I'm Lisa and I've been chair of the impact for this past year. And um and I just want to say right off the bat, I don't have any preference where the schools go. I just care that we get new schools. And really focus there is on our community. um passing this bond if we get to a bond is not going to be easy. The amount of money that is going to be asked of our community whether or not we get a best grant um is going to
082be enormous and this is not an easy sale particularly when um every municipality in our county is asking for money. Um you know the town just got one, the county is thinking about it, the hospital's thinking about it. I mean there's lots of conversation. Um, I encourage us to think big and think about all the things that we can do and all the wonderful things that that can that that can afford us, but I want us to be realistic about that all of that costs money and we're not going to have an unlimited amount of money. Um, so it's great that I mean one of the impact members brought us this plan of like why don't we build the school at the high school and build a big athletic field up at Vista. Well, that
083is a fabulous idea. that is ne that is not going to have enough money that we're never going to get enough money even if we partner with PLPA the town and the county and every every individual donor. I mean that's it's just not a reality. So, I want us I do want us to live in the reality of what um what what the amount of money we're going to be asking our community to please support and what that money is going to afford us and what are the what are the the necessities of building a building and what are all the nicities that we can all think about and dream about. But I mean, I just hate to be a naysayer, but some of that is just not going to be a reality in the
084in the at least in the short term. be a phased approach and think about it as a as as what we go forward. And the other thing that I just really want to implore everybody here is to advocate for this. Talk to your neighbors and friends in your fe spheres of influence. And it doesn't matter how you feel about it. Whether you like the idea or you don't like the idea and whether you're mad about the location that's chosen because it wasn't that it is this um it's an emotional decision. But the most important thing is that we all advocate for this um inform ourselves, get other people to in be informed and learn and understand and ask their questions. It is a long process from making these decisions to getting a best grant to
085hearing about best and then you know making the decision to go forward to the bond and what that looks like. So we've got a long road ahead of us and we've got a really great opportunity to advocate and educate and I really encourage us to do that. And while we're doing that, please help mitigate the rumors and the misinformation. Just since our last impact meeting less than two weeks ago, the amount of conversations and phone calls and information that has come to me and how much erroneous information is out there is just so troubling and disturbing to me that in just such a short amount of time. And it's really based on people stuck in their opinions, stuck in what they've heard. It's stuck, you guys. It's stuck. And it's stuck in your opinions. So,
086please seek peace encourage people to seek the information, be understood, be heard. We want to hear from you all. But the misinformation, the rumors will derail this. I will tell you, it will derail this when we go to the polls. wise wise words and every one of you is a messenger like there are two sites there are no decisions been made we're information gathering stage still and we'll make a decision in January for a KA set of schools somewhere that's and that's it spread the word yeah James please >> thanks >> are we crossing skiing anywhere yet >> uh no pray for snow everybody um I I wear a number perhaps too. My son graduated in 2006 and I did actually talk to him about this new school and the two locations. Um, we were
087fortunate we lived downtown at the time, so it was easy for him to ride his bike to the school and easy to to walk to the high school. Um, and I asked him that question because he's been through that. He's lived here. He's gone to school and he he did prefer the downtown location option, but he supported a new school period. Um, and I'm not here to advocate one location or not. I just wanted to share with that. I I bounce that off my son who's much older now. Um, but I I would I really like the idea that came up to ask the kids because that's the getting them involved at the very initial process of determining location could help inform your decision and the decision of their parents and their neighbors when they
088go to the ballot box. So, I really think their input right now could be really helpful. Not just, you know, the the kindergarteners and the current middle schoolers, but the high schoolers that have lived through middle school and elementary school in this community because they've done these things downtown and we all see it. You know, the kids are walking in groups after school. They're playing in the parks. They're just mingling along the riverwalk. So, there is some value in downtown. And I agree that losing ball fields would be on multiple levels not ideal, but you know, those are things that we can find other locations. The elementary school fields might be an option, right? For an example, it'd be nice to have it all centrally located near the facilities, school facilities, but uh it's still
089downtown. That might be an option. You know, the town has made some improvements based on the original effort back in 2011. I guess Bill reminded us of of the best grant coming forward. And so based on that desire at that time to have one campus, we did invest in some improvements like the trail along a street which is an extension of our town to lakes trail if you will knowing at that time there seemed to be a lot of interest in the downtown location. So we did as we reconstructed a street included that trail for bicycles and pedestrians. We also included a we generally punched through Sixth Street as a direct route to the high school parking lot, for example, as part of our uh public works facility we we built down there. And we
090also included detention for storm water along with our public works facility to capture the drainage that was coming off the uh the school property. Um, so we have made some investments on for that site that shouldn't necessarily pan into your decision, but just to let you know, we have made some investments. Those will still be used whether or not that's just a high school or it's a mixed campus, whatever the case might be. But I do appreciate the board's volunteerism to serve on this board. This is an important decision. I know when I first moved to this community, the new high school was really the icing on the cake. Our final determination to move here was that there was a new high school being built. So, we knew there was going to be an advanced
091facility compared to what was here before for our son to go through the the school process. So, again, I thank everybody for your participation. Great comments tonight and I think you do have a hard decision. I do appreciate the reanalysis of the high school site um which kind of brought those costs maybe a little bit more line in comparison to the Vista site. I think that was valuable and I know that you the school district had bought the Dakota Springs property back in the day and certainly the south side of that property from the drainage is going to be hard to build on if it ever gets built on. It's all rock but the the north side may have some opportunities there um because that's not all Dakota sandstone as it is on the south
092side of the drainage. So just some things to consider. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else? >> No, we we'll take a break then. We thank you all for coming. We'll take a break and then we'll just process anything with the board. You're welcome to stay or welcome to Oh, we we have a regularly scheduled meeting next Tuesday. Public comment as always encourage them. On Monday, we're meeting with we have a session like this just for school district staff. Make sure we hear from them. It's explicit time carved out for that. But you want to come back on Tuesday and comment again, please do. We'll be processing a little bit tonight and more next Tuesday and and a lot in January. >> So we'll we'll take a fivem minute break. Yeah, we
093u we have 20 minutes on our a loted time. We can stay longer. We'd like but um we don't have a big agenda for this section. It's really just reactions, questions, thoughts, anything you have. I I plan that Rick and I work a little bit on some structure for next Tuesday where after hearing both of these feedback sessions from the public and the staff to process a little bit more out loud and capture what did we hear, what did we learn, what do we want to learn more about, what do we see as pros and cons both these sites and have a little more structure to some processing next week at our meeting. But right now after listening to everything any reactions you want to share and it's not to advocate we're not none of
094us are in any position I don't believe of advocating it's about understanding exploring further questions so we're just reactions and anything you took away from tonight you'd like to share yeah >> just one thing I wanted to mention is what you just said I want to reiterate but we have not made any decisions we're not leaning forward decision that I'm aware of. >> Well, you're you're you're in it. >> You're one of five. >> Yeah, I realize that. So, maybe you guys have been talking. I had my back. I don't know. So, you know, there was a comment made about that we might be leading towards the site. I just want to make sure everyone understand that is not the case. So, we we're not leaning towards anything yet. That day is coming sooner rather
095than later now. So I I just want to make sure that everyone understands, you know, there have been no decisions made. We haven't even discussed this amongst ourselves yet and uh so we'll get to that point when it's time to get to that point. >> Yeah, very good point. We've tried to emphasize that some, but I get there was the initial analysis of cost made the deciding to kind of come out ahead on that and then the rejiggering of the location of the buildings equalized those costs. But in either case, none of us have, just for the record, none of us have talked about any site being one being better than the other. >> Absolutely. It was all about objectively get all the facts that are that can be put in numbers and get all
096the input that can be put in impressions and ideas and feelings and put that all out in front of us so we process other thoughts or reaction. >> Yes, sir. Uh and then Rick, this is kind of towards you. I wanted to bring this up the public that uh in October I think director Shik and I plan to visit the middle school as part of the normal school board visits to schools and because of an obligation I had we had to cancel that unfort um and we haven't been able to reschedu that but part of that certainly would have been a discussion of what what do kids think about this new school location or what or the aspects of the school. And so because we're coming down in time, we can't do anything next week.
097I'm just gonna propose that I can try to make myself available Thursday or Friday or both days to meet with kids in mass if possible. I know Josh is not here right now, so he can't contact Grip. Maybe you could speak with him tomorrow if you think this is a good idea. That's totally if you think it's a good idea. And then if several board members want to show up to we schedule it then I think there's still time Heather to notice such a gathering and and uh get a lot of ears on students because that was certainly part of our plan and I I apologize my obligation cancelled that. So just want to throw that out there do my best on Thursday Friday and anyone else can do it as well because Monday's out
098because we have another meeting Tuesday out. Well, it's they're not actually out. >> They're not actually out. >> Yeah. I mean, of consideration to be in school, so that's actually a possibility. I wasn't really thinking about that, but we have another meeting Monday night and then Tuesday night, but that actually doesn't, you know, completely take out the days. So, anyway, whatever would work out with uh with Mr. Sanchez and then Zash. I I do my best to show up myself and then whoever else Thursday, Friday or Monday or or Monday. Yeah, that's that's I didn't think about that because I think it's it's terribly important and it just didn't happen before for us to report back what these kids were thinking and I agree. Terribly important. So, if we can make it happen, uh, you
099know, with a with an open time frame or at least, you know, couple hours and these kids will have a lot of things to say, especially if they're prompted what they're going to be asked to chime in. We need another meeting time to I don't think any of us are trying to stretch things out or g I don't have time. We're using every bit of our time. want you other other thoughts? I know you were about to say something. Yeah, I think a takeaway I have today and this is my own interpretation of listening to several of the calls is that I'm I I actually am kind of feeling like not maybe being I don't think accused is the right word but like being questioned that we are um not being creative that we are
100not thinking outside of the box that we have allowed an engineer company and an architectural company to basically come and show us three shapes and that that has been the extent of creativity that we have taken with the large amount of space that we have and you know as many kids would say it's like you don't want to be basic with this we do want to be big as as Lisa talked about and we do want to have our community informed and then you know Sophia said something that is can't we not achieve the goal without destroying it? I'm like why is that this humongous concept that we are feeling that it's either all or nothing? And I'm saying why can't we potentially structure more options into this design of um that it doesn't have
101to be all or nothing. that we don't have to kill athletic fields and kill girls softball trains and take away community opportunities that we can literally sit back and think that we have acres and acres of space and we have not decided on an ask of a dollar and we have not decided on what we are doing. If we have not, then we should be really open to saying, why aren't we coming up with a solution that can hold both of these truths that every single person here tonight said we want to support a new school and we want to recognize the facilities, the use of the community, how our kids are, you know, being being utilized from from a creative and and athletic approach. So, I just think that that has been something that
102has really stuck out to me. Um, is there's a part of me that believes that we have let outsiders come in and be the the voice and per like best perspective of Pagosa when actually we are the professionals of Pagosa. We understand our community. We understand our families. We are hearing from our stakeholders. Some of them have decided to stay, others have not, you know. Um, and I just when we keep hearing, and I appreciate that, I don't have a preference, but can you consider? I don't have a preference. I want the school, can you consider? I'm saying, why can't we align something a little more creatively that is actually checking more boxes? Not taking the same square footage and the same dollar amount, but if we have a different dollar amount and we increase
103our square footage to include some of these things, um, I think that's valuable. And again, I think Bill honestly brought a a great point is what serves our voters. And that's a big takeaway for me. What is serving our voters? So that's where I'm at right now. And just kind of thinking about everything that's been positioned. I think one one reaction to that would be that you know felt me like we you work on kind of the funnel concept of have all the space in the work yourself down two options and that's where we are now. But before the final decision is made you get to throw something back in the hopper, right? You get to put a new idea in because we're the boys, right? because we get to say well you know huh
104what about this what about that if it slows things down a little bit or it takes more time it's it's worth if it's made you uncomfortable that the tradeoffs are too negative you get this but you lose that you get this but you lose that how do you get without without breaking the bank's point you can't break the bank that's the one constraint that's unmovable the total bonding amount the district has within that or other ways to use our resources. >> Yeah. And I guess I wanted to ask again and just to clarify um you know I've had some best experience only in a small amount but Rick I I'm wondering like are we are you feeling and is it super constraint on what we have to have as far as like we have to
105be 95% complete with this plan before you believe that we'll hit We have to have the type of program which I believe you landed on is prek8 and we need a space and then after that people we will hire architects you know interview community members students have shreds about like what would that building look like going to be three floors two floors one floors have one gym gym six gyms how much does that cost us but that we don't have to do that part the really getting in designing what are the services all of that till after we've decided where it's going to and where it's going to be shouldn't I think shouldn't influence uh what it's going to both places are valid places to build will allow us to build educational setting that's appropriate
106for for students so nope we do not have to go 95% of the way there. But we do need to know where that spotless and where what we're going to build and where. And then they'll say, "Yeah, that sounds great." We have kind of a cost estimate. We're using multiple construction companies to give us a cost estimate. We say, "This is how much we think it is." Then you got to work within that frame. Maybe you can't have gold muted chandeliers because I know Amanda, that was important to you. >> That's number two. >> I know. But uh but we we'll have that frame here that we build within within that orange >> orange carpet. We haven't crossed that line address to be submitted on the bridge. >> We need to be able to demonstrate
107that we have done due diligence about the location of the site. We anticipate the cost. We know that we're building those into that. When I spoke to me Donald her last name at best she said you'd be shocked by the number of people said we're going to ask for x millions of dollars to build a school right here. Then they get the money they go to build there and they're like that spot actually cost us x plus 20 to build there. So they want to know that we've done that due diligence and we have the support of our community and we've listened to our community. We've gone through all of that all that process. Um, but I think the creative aspect that we were talking about that's very much is the creative part that you
108can include like on either of those sites where do things go. >> Yeah. >> Because I mean in my mind one of our constraints at the high school is you start running out of space, right? We got this map building over there that's taking up a lot of space. We have this old map building up at elementary. I don't talk money but there is space there where that can go there and that takes care of all the space constraints >> and that's money but that's that's what I mean by being creative too at this stage in the game. >> So I'd like to make a a comment there. I don't know if anyone who was concerned about the or like the hillside idea of the high school. Again, this is just an idea. What they've
109said, you have to make decisions, but part of the original uh uh I guess presentation by the engineers was looking at that hillside site and clear it was clear to me this was a hydraological challenge. you know, they had come up with this ways to get about it. And so, I just want to clarify that there was a reason for asking them to create another potential site. It doesn't have to be exactly where uh Superington showed it tonight, but I had a lot of concerns about that personally uh because you never know. You can engineer to the ends of the earth, Mr. engineer and you can't predict a 100red-year flood and a big hillside of whatever damage that might do. And I wasn't here when the high school was built, the new high school, the
110high school that we have. But and I I don't know what the thinking was at the time, but about eight years ago, whenever it was, the whole hillside caved in on the back side of it. So, I want to make sure that wherever we put this building, we've anticipated potentially bad hydraological outcomes. Everything else, personally, I don't have any problem building into a hillside. It does sound like a great idea, but I sort of clarify the reasoning behind that was because we do not want to have a potential future disaster that maybe insurance won't cover because you just stuck something in the wrong place. So that that's just the logic of that. But nothing said stop. So >> yeah, on that I also wet it's not just the hill. You got the wetlands and the
111stream and you got to underground the stream and mitigate wetlands. So it's not just the hillside that's the problem. >> It's all right. >> Yeah. But yeah, I think a lot of a lot of value in you know the walk downtown that comes out the same. Well, a lot of people gravitate toward the high school site on seems like anyway, but have to solve the cost problem at least somewhere somewhere in the community, right? And maybe there's partnerships, maybe there's other things we can do to get appeal somewhere else, you know, town here somewhere. So, I think there's there's ways to solve that. get things partnerships in some way too. I still think gym space is a supplement as well. I think we're I've been to a lot of schools playing sports and we're like
112the only one that has one high school gym. So it's not great especially during basketball season got CT school and we can't you know I can't do work at the gym schoolers because they've got the gyms so it's not a good setup for athletics behind in that but that's somewhere in here you can get something that works maybe there's a way to do it a more creative building there and you have an other gym that also you can use in high school put it in the box that box looks slightly different. So if you do that share that cost and make that really solves but you know I wanted to restudy those diagram but they they have presumed some amount of chemical space in that GA building right >> there's two gyms two >> yeah
113that's like the assumption yeah because it's I ask that question but it's two an elementary gym and a middle school gym inside the building. Yeah. I don't know how big they are or like arranged them, but they said when you go like over 600 kids or something, they automatically put two gyms. And all of that is just for your consideration, you know, when you get to the time we actually design it. If someone were to say, uh, we really need six, I'm going to exaggerate it. One of the one things I think in this actual suggestion. We need six fulls size basketball courts. Um, then that's a decision we can all make as a community to build the school that has that extra space. Just because the preliminary drawing says two, that's only there because
114that's at a typical school with that many kids would have. The the shape of that school is only there because that's typically what they would do. But it does not mean that we have to build a school that looks like that in any any way. I mean that space may not have a a STEM room and our community might say that is the most important thing we would add that building. So there's a lot of flexibility still. I guess another thing I guess maybe be good to know like see the both sides um like all the things that are included all added up, you know, because we got you got the $123 million box, but does that include a field or does not, you know, and then we have to have a million dollar ad
115that's foundation for woods, but is that on top of 1.3 or is that like inside? >> That's a great question that we could ask RTA to give us. I've actually had the same thought because some of the drawings show up with a track at at the middle school, like a track around, and some show up with a track and a baseball diamond. >> And and I think you're just saying like you'd have the space Right. >> But I wanted to know does my >> R 123 million >> does it get you >> cover that or is that on on top of that? And so I think that Doug O'Brien would jump right to it and give us that if that's what we wanted. And I think that'd be beneficial. Uh likewise, in light of tonight's
116conversation, we should probably ask them how much it is to build a softball field and say, "All right, well, if we wanted to replicate what we have, it's that times three or whatever that number is or how we park around because I don't know how much it is. I don't even know how much it is to dig up the existing baseball field and move it to the others park there. I I don't have those dollar amounts in my head, nor should I expect. >> That was my expectation. >> Let's have them on the phone or whatever or here, whatever works for >> Tuesday. >> I mean, I guess I was like a little naive then. I thought some of the things that we were like seeing were within the estimate of where we thought we
117were. Is that not at all the case? I think what what I was agreeing with is is it is it really because I'm not 100% convinced because the drawings have been so different. There's no fault to be there. I think it's Dave's asking a good question like let's price that out. Um because you know when you get to budgets that are that big and someone says, "Oh, we need an extra 30 parking lot spaces." They probably don't even write in their number. And I don't know if that's the case with a softball field or a track, you know, >> how can we get a ideal outcome of ask though? Like how can we ask for the six g? How can we ask for the track and the baseball? You know what I'm saying? How are
118we deciding though that species? >> Well, well, so for one thing, let's let's get them on the phone with the designs that have been shown to us and say, is that in or out when that that number, whether it's a foundation issue or a drainage issue or a gym, let's find out what we're really getting at the business site or the high school site. 420, right? >> What is it? Also at high school site they show that field like up on the hill. Is that part of you get that? >> And that's one that just kind of kind of went away but I still kind of showed up there. >> Go ahead. >> Well, and I also want to remind us that we're not just building a K through eight. This school district has lots
119of other financial needs. We've got a we've got a we've got a 25 year old high school that has some stuff in the red that are urgent needs. Um we've got administrative building. We've got to figure out what we're how we're disposing of the other two buildings. So it's not that we can go to the voters and say this is these are all the bright and new shiny things we want. We've got to reserve some money for these other things including PPOS. So there are some other things that need and and so that's for the school board to figure out um where that pot of money comes from. Is it is it all built is that all borrow money or do you guys have other pots of money that you can address those? But there
120are other needs besides a brand new school and what fields and and activity space we might need. >> I appreciate the voice of reason on that. Lisa for sure and as well as in the next breath like we are talking to Rick about our academic growth and our achievement gaps and our teacher retention. I mean we have big conversations that we are continuously having. This is taking a lot of our attention. But I don't want anybody to perceive that we are somehow dropping the balls in other areas of concern. And I think that right now because we have this particular time and space to specifically talk about this facility that that is why we are so focused on what we can do with the space and the large amount of land that we have. One
121of my questions is what are we doing with the already owned spaces that we have right now? Like we are kind of like putting that on a back burner. Maybe it doesn't matter. We'll just offset it. There are multiple areas that we can get really specific and into. Right now I feel insane for thinking that the things that I have seen so far in these drawings have been captured in the the budget that I was aware of. So that seems to be a high priority right now. >> And the point I think is for the drawings that have been provided for two sites, what's included and what's the cost? And is there any room left if you build the building as drawn? Sure. >> Is there any room left in the body capacity for those
122things at the high school or whatever? If there isn't, then there's some serious trade-offs to make. But yeah, knowing exactly what the fact base is. We we know we can change what we build, but what they designed to date, what's included and what's cost. We know we have to leave some headroom for the everything else category that's coming along. So, so we we need that. We will do that Tuesday with RTA. But yeah, it's time it's time for concepts to turn into crunch numbers and line items to add up and then we can still be creative. But how do we use our boxes or use our space or use our land and say well then it's the the what if game we still get to play. Do we have to build we know what the
123what is game is right? What is what has been submitted? What's what's covering those costs? the budget that we have. So that's a big part of Tuesday obviously. >> What else? >> Well, just to bounce back on site location that we've heard several folks uh from PL PLOA and others talk about perhaps a collaboration of some type yet. We don't have any meetings scheduled for that and so looking for and that's what everybody wants is more meetings. So I hesitate to even speak that word but we get back from CASBY and there's the week of 15th through the 19th of December and then maybe not the 22nd but anyway uh maybe discussion point so that I would like to have a better idea that is this a school how could ELPA at least to their
124best guess now contribute to our success and perhaps to theirs. And the only way we do that is is to talk with them and inform them ahead of time that we're looking for their ideas that might sway a decision towards that site. >> But would you need to have those same conversations with community entities on this site? Because to me that feels like we are tilting it or there is a bias there and we would need to come back and talk talk to you know uh park and wreck talk to you know the town. And so to me it feels like we are opening up conversations to give people leverage control points when we still don't have a lot of foundational knowledge just things. So I think that that's a good point but I would
125like to balance it out with the other side as well. Well, to to play tennis, I mean, we have heard right here tonight and before from the the town viewpoint. I think there's a lot of uh conversation that has come through emails and letters and here at these meetings about the amenities that are in place downtown. And so, PPA has said could perhaps collaborate, but I think that's still pretty vague. myself. I need more input on that before I say, well, I'm gonna go for the Vista site because well, there's you've been promised or it's been speculation that they might contribute. No, that's not good enough. We really need to know um what their viewpoints might be and it might give us uh some clarity. >> I mean, the GM from PL tonight said he
126could not give a determination of who would actually get the vote on that tonight. >> So, I think clarification would be a necessity. He could have tonight who would actually pay that. >> We got one month. So we got one month. >> Can I make a suggestion that I can get in touch with Allan and see if there's a time when our either our boards can get together representatives from each board. If we get together, start with that and then I'll do the same. I'll call David Harris. He's probably the other entity talking downtown and do see if we can't set up a meeting similar type. >> I think with representatives of two two of us going either and that kind of think something like that. I I think in both cases there's always some
127uncertainty. It feels like there's a lot of uncertainty at just it would be either be this group voting or this group voting. But I'd still like that conversation and it sound conversation and just keep it even and keep it equal. I set that up. >> And the other municipality that you cannot overlook is the county. Um, and just what they have, what they own. I mean, you know, I mean, you need to hear from I mean, I think some of you some of these ministers that you're going to hear, we don't have a lot of money. We don't have extra money. We of course we want to collaborate. Of course, we want, you know, wide community assets. Let's talk about what that is. But, um, the county owns the most land here. Um, so I
128mean I would hate for them to be excluded from the conversation. >> So plan some discussions for those three entities just public or were you saying they would be just a couple of people? >> I think just given the short time. Yeah, preliminarily a couple of people going to, you know, just break up chats, come back and report. I don't think it's publicly. There's also no certainty that anyone's can make any ironclad commitments at this stage. Unless they write down an ironclad document holds everyone's feet to the fire. >> Oh, I'm the secretary now. I sign things. Yeah. >> All right. >> Anything else I could manage or take care of before next meeting? Thank you all. >> Do you do you want me to contact Josh and Jana or you? >> Yeah. Okay. Thank
129you. >> I'll talk to you tomorrow. I got a meeting tomorrow. We we'll close that loop. >> Yeah. Anything else for tonight? Otherwise, our our agenda for the future is getting pretty well hammered out Monday and Tuesday. Lots of ite. I would like to make suggestion if I could just based off something that Lisa said, which is uh if we could bring to you a list of things that we are considering if the bond goes forward or things that we might need um like an HVAC system at the high school that's not low with dollar amounts or you know as say we are eyeballing like how do we get enough gym space for our high schoolers? Um, and so some of those items that um, Jason and I have discussed that may be on that
130list, expanding the San Juan Mountains. Um, if we could bring some of those things and maybe you could also what are these other projects that we need to get done um, along with building. Of course, one of the advantages we have when we do a big bond campaign is something for everybody. Bill Hudson alluded to that. There's got to be something in there that someone says, "Oh, that's important to me, too." And you also have some major capital improvements that needs to make at the high school. I would just propose that we take some time at the December and and January meetings to figure out what how which of those are bubbling up as support. But we ought to have in December, we ought to have a good read on the exact number associated with
131those drawing. >> Yeah. >> One, and two, at least a preliminary list of what else we're going to have to cover capital needs from other business needs have to fit into that ceiling. We got a lot and we can refine January, but I don't want to wait till January to have preliminary list. We'll get started. >> Yeah. None of the staff have an opinion about where it should be. So Monday's engaged full time, so it's really good. So let's let's call it a night. Good for everyone. Thanks for being here. Thanks for coming everyone. Go ahead and boring. I just had a I didn't know if I was able to ask the question. Okay. Um, so you were talking about meeting with all the students and um, I know that our kids, they wanted to
132survey their peers because they like heard us talking about all of this and they said, "Well, why don't" because I said, "Well, what do you guys think?" And then it grew from there. And so I just wanted to know like would that be valuable for them to continue with this like survey project that they wanted to embark in and like surveying their classmates on >> just mean just initiating kind of as their independent project. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like would that be valuable? Like I know you're having a meeting, but like this was kind of like already like >> I I think if kids want to do things, >> you know, that's that's that's kind of your call. >> Oh, okay. >> Their call. >> It would be cons you would consider it would be
133valuable. >> Yeah. I just for full transparency that happened today and I stopped it from happening. Um because I because I am concerned about like what kids get surveyed is it broad? Is it across all the kids? Uh which parent was behind that survey? How was the question worded? What is it? Is it someone who has their own individual, you know, plan for an outcome? And so because we didn't know any of those things and someone showed up at school today with the survey, I just said, "No, we're not going to do that." Um because I don't want to give either the kids or the parents that might be helping the kids do the survey the impression that the result of their survey is going to match, align, or be the result of this very
134difficult decision. And so I just full transparent. I might have done something wrong, but I did stop it for that reason. Also, the depth of the complexity of the decision is very different than what the kids are asking each other and their opinions about if they want to go to school with each other or if they're just mimicking what their parents are saying. So, I really concerned about setting the kids up um for to gather information that isn't going to influence. >> Yeah, I think that's valid. And I know that what the whole point is is that their voices are valid, not what the result is. That they're not thinking that they're the ones picking it, but what we're saying or what they are understanding is it's valuable what they think and we think that's
135valuable. And so whatever that is, it's an important part of including them in this engagement process of making this process. >> But I think I think you heard that from Ch. Yeah, we we want to do that. I think hearing their voice live and I think what Rick said you know certain agreement that you got to watch out surveying anybody any time that that it's really you know that it's really well done that it's representative it's not biased so it's fill in a bubble you know and so it's um you know their own kind of like what would you ask each other and you know it's they don't project it so I understand what you're saying I was just asking >> because I you know you are all saying you know the meeting all of
136those things this is >> hearing kids live I think is one of the best ways to make sure they feel they're heard they get a chance to talk all the all the adults in the room and certainly their voice really does count and we heard that loud >> have it come to public comment >> thank you what is that >> have it come to public comments >> have it come to public comment >> um and I just had one other piece as you were talking which I was speaking to um James they call and I said hey James in your like I know he has a map of like in his mind and where to your point like can we achieve this right like can we achieve both can we not lose the softball field
137and what we discussed was like well what about the parking lot because there's a whole another parking lot right here that could be a high school parking lot you just build on the parking or what if there's like multiple parking lots. And so I just wanted to share that with you as you kind of like think about where everything goes that it's not over a wetland or it's not over a stream and that that parking lot doesn't have to be one giant parking lot especially when there's like already a parking lot. It's gravel but right next door and that maybe this field it doesn't go in the field goes on the parking lot. So I just wanted to share that because that's what >> we had discussed. Um just one more's point which she had
138said really about misinformation right like that derails the process and I find that everywhere I go like someone said to me oh well they said I already picked a site so it doesn't matter or they said it didn't matter what I said or you know like people are well I want it closer for this or traffic that and I feel and I know we have like reporter people here pretty much >> and that I feel like there's a moment to say, "Hey everybody, we're engaged deeply in this process and we haven't picked anything yet and we are making sure that we get all the information and this is what we found out so far. Traffic this cost this and even it's like $10 million that you're talking about when you're talking about $120 million that
139is like contingency. you know that it's a 10% contingency. These are not like big like components and so please like give us the information not like please like we have a website I'm like I know you get a lot and nobody does that but if you can bullet point like you bullet point it for us on the first side this is important this is important this is important this is what we know this is what we know this is don't know like that would be so helpful to not debra this process and give people doubt or just quash what is going on because they need other. So >> yeah, and that's and that's certainly what we're attempting to do is keep it very clear what we're doing here tonight. Our next step is what decisions
140have not been made and so spread the word on that. That's all I'm saying. I mean just one I'll be quick. Um I'm concerned about you know how we're surveying the students and what we're asking them and and I mean there's just so many things that people really get derailed about. I agree about the voice um and hearing their voices and I and I hear that. Um but but I think we need to be realistic about what information they're getting, how they're basing that opinion and and I think um for you to say is it valuable? I think let's be clear. It's I mean you I'm not going to speak the board. It's interesting. it may not be valuable and it might not help drive the decision and then you're setting people up for, you
141know, just part is the the misinformation, the rumor mill and all that. What's what's also been missing here is parents. Um, when we're talking about our students, we also talking about our parents. I mean, I love I love an active parent and an engaged and active parent. And I I am that person, too, which is why I'm still in this and my kids are gone. But who we have not heard from is a lot of a lot of people who are not the active parents but their education is just important and clear. We have not heard from anybody in Visa. We have not heard from anybody in Aspen Springs. These are populations that we need to be very very concerned about and try to engage in this process. And I tried very hard to get
142some people on impact on that and was not successful. Um, so I I think we need to be thinking about that and and the and the sphere of people because active parents cannot be the sole voice for what parents want. >> Good point. S >> I just want to say I'm not that parent. I'm here for process and when you identify stakeholders you have to identify a selected stakeholder like the tribal nations would be on this whatever this is and you were at the end game right now and we are all just showing up right now saying hey did you think about this hey did you think about this hey there's this is important and by no means is do I think whatever the kids say is going to get it or whatever I say
143is going to get it what is important is that you hear from everyone so when you make whatever decision ready. Hey, we we we did it the best of our ability and we didn't need anyone to help. So, I just >> thank you for being >> Yeah. And I appreciate that and you are in it and we're going to keep getting more people in it and keep putting out information that's accurate and hopefully people read because I think paper has been accurate >> and so keep keep reading the paper. Posted it is accurate. We're uh >> I mean just carry on to a certain amount of people >> and we we know there are a lot of people who pay attention a lot at the end and the end is when it gets on the
144ballot and that's actually when all of our work is going to get really serious is explaining again how it really happened how it got here what it is and why we should work. We all know the ones of us here might be advocating this or that, but we want we want to >> and the students interest come first. >> Thank you all. >> I'm a really nice person.