Looks like the next school bond is getting ready to leave the station. That is, if the school board can get on board.

The school board held a special work session July 27 to hear Sequim School District Superintendent Gary Neal formally present his plan for a construction bond to rescue Sequim schools through his vision of school facilities.

Neal didn’t become the official superintendent until late last fall and it wasn’t until the most recent construction bond failed in February this year that the board charged him to engineer a new bond to put before the community.

Neal exuded pride and excitement as he explained the process and his thinking that led to a new way of looking at facilities. He emphasized that he listened carefully to the input from individuals, community meetings and coffee chats.

Under board direction, Neal hired consulting firm CFW Public Finance Implementation Services to survey the community and to work with him in developing the plan. He advised the board that the resulting plan was responsive to the community, but most importantly, to the children of Sequim and their academic needs in the 21st century.

In essence, Neal presented a school facilities plan in which form followed function, or said another way, program determined the use of space. He also turned inside out the vision of a new elementary school that would be built east of Sequim Avenue.

Instead, Neal offered the vision of a community school located on the current campus. Under his plan, existing facilities would be repurposed and improved; he said that more essential needs would be met in more schools with $55 million than projected in the February bond.

Neal owned the outcome as his and expressed confidence that the process was solid and the plan would support the academic needs of students in all grades. I couldn’t see his face but I sensed his excitement and commitment to his accomplishment.

Neal asked the board for a vote at the next board meeting on his bond proposal to be placed on the November ballot. The board began the discussion.

Pent-up demand

It is my opinion that what followed was the result of pent-up demand coupled with bond failure fear on the part of some if not all of the board members.

Board vice president Robin Henrikson ably negotiated what seem to be new terrain for this board. She began by pointing out two areas of concern: the timing of placing the bond on the November ballot and a dollar figure.

Most board members seemed to approve of Neal’s plan but expressed concern about the community accepting a higher dollar bond. They pondered whether they needed to reduce the amount by prioritizing and setting out an incremental plan for the rest.

Some couldn’t keep themselves from branching into broader concepts for other sources of money such as specified levies. Board member Michael Howe was particularly unleashed. He mentioned several times that he has been asking for an opportunity for board discussion and much more time than a week between receiving the information and voting on bond proposals.

About 40 minutes into the discussion, Neal couldn’t hold back any longer.

Memorable statements of his included:

“I’m embarrassed!”

“I’m disappointed!”

“I’m angry!”

“What did you task me to do this for if you weren’t going to listen to me?!”

Soon Neal and Howe were finger-pointing each other. Howe said he wasn’t opposed to the plan, he was opposed to the timing and Neal suggested Howe should stop “kicking the can down the road.”

Other board members were momentarily speechless.

Neal asked for a break, which was gratefully — for all of us — granted.

Public speaks

When the meeting was resumed, Neal apologized for his outburst and Howe said he never had to apologize for his passion, which became the official term for his outburst for the rest of the work session.

Again, board members expressed support for Neal’s plan but the original questions of amount and timing of the ballot hung in the air. It was time for public input.

Somehow most of the 20-plus people who spoke managed to artfully support both Neal and the board saying the board needed to listen to the superintendent that they hired, but also acknowledging the difficult job the board has in the face of four failed bonds.

There were a couple of public speakers who didn’t like the plan. One speaker said he was “troubled” by terms such as “modern learning” and classrooms envisioned to have floor to ceiling whiteboards, durable flooring and modular, flexible and mobile furniture.

Another speaker wanted the district to considered an abandoned elementary school that is located outside of the district’s boundaries.

Mixed opinions were offered about the timing of the ballot.

Overall, I thought the evening was productive and that the board should do more of these — if for no other reason than to get to know their roles, each other in relation to their roles and build consensus.

The school board must be fully on board and united in its passion and message that this is the right solution for our Sequim schools or the new, improved bond won’t pass.

Neal has developed a plan that represents a thoughtful shift in philosophy, purpose and environment. A large part of his job is to work with his board so they fully understand the plan and the future and can honestly integrate his reasoning, his passion and his confidence.

Then once the bond passes and our schools have a solid footing into the 21st century, I think Howe should get his way. To the extent possible in the education environment, the district should take the time and develop a vision for the future that includes meaningful and strategic engagement of the community.

Bertha D. Cooper is retired from a 40-plus year career as a health care administrator focusing on the delivery system as a whole. She still does occasional consulting. She is a featured columnist at the Sequim Gazette. Reach her at columnists@sequimgazette.com.