Board to accept high school plan

The Fairfield Community School District Board of Directors is planning to accept the high school study committee?s recommendation during its upcoming meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at the Administration/Curriculum/Technology Center.

The majority of board members present at a work session Thursday evening agreed accepting the committee?s recommendation for a ?remodel and add-on? phased construction project for Fairfield High School as a framework for making decisions.

Board member Doug Flournoy said accepting the recommendation does not set anything in stone, but provides a beginning point for future discussions and decisions.

Board member Margaret Dwyer, who sat on the facility study committee, pointed out the plan devised by Shive-Hattery Inc. addresses the priority needs identified by the committee by providing new appropriately sized, naturally lighted classrooms, but it also includes some ideas that can be taken out to streamline the project.

Board member Ralph Messerli, who also was on the study committee, was opposed to accepting the recommended plan because he feels it is too extensive and too expensive. He thinks too much of the work is not needed and doesn?t have much to do with the educational process for students.

?And with the economy like it is, the timing is not good for us to be putting this much of an additional tax burden on our community,? Messerli said. ?I?m really struggling saying ?Hey folks, we know you?re struggling, but ???

?I feel the same way,? said board member Bob Waugh, ?but ? we have to move forward with something. This is a starting point ? But ultimately it will be the voters who decide.?

During the work session, study committee co-chairmen Troy Seeley and Jennifer Anderson answered school board members? questions and explained the reasoning behind some of the committee?s decisions, such as why it recommended a remodel and add-on phased project on the same 25-acre site opposed to a new building on a bigger site.

For this complete article, see the Friday, June 5, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.