Ocean View to continue with plans to build gymnasiums

Angelique Flores

The Ocean View School District Board of Trustees shot down a proposal

rescinding the construction of gymnasiums at four middle schools pending

recommendations by the communityadvisory committee Tuesday night.

The issue failed by a 2-3 vote, with trustees Pam Walker, Tracy

Pellman and Linda Kovach dissenting

In September, the board unanimously approved the construction of the

buildings at Marine View, Mesa View, Spring View and Vista View middle

schools. The board also agreed to create community advisory committees at

each school site to make gym-related recommendations to the board, and it

also requested environmental consulting services as required by the

California Environmental Quality Act.

Trustee Carol Kanode proposed rescinding the previous approval to

provide the advisory committees the authority and time to conduct

meetings, research the issue and address all areas of concern in order to

prepare and submit recommendations to the board.

“The intent was never to kill the gym idea, but to bring the community

and the schools together for consensus-building,” Kanode said.

Kanode’s primary concern lies with the funding.

“The environmental study only looks at the environmental impact,”

Kanode said.

She wants to assure that the project is affordable and used for

student curriculum.

“We need to let you know things can be changed,” she said, hoping to

establish a bridge between the residents and the school community. “This

was never about eliminating the gyms.”

Teachers and parents have been in full support of the gyms from the

beginning and hope the district doesn’t drop the project. They would like

to use the much-needed space for such programs as athletics, music,

graduations and parent meetings.

“How would this be best for the children and their education?” asked

teacher Jack Edwards. “You need to do what’s right for the children.”

Residents are concerned with the proposed sizes of the structures, the

rental of the facilities to outside youth sports groups, the funding plan

and a possible increase in traffic and parking problems.

In addition to the audience’s signs reading “agree” or “disagree” to

correspond to the speaker’s comments, residents also had signs of their

own. Waving fliers “Gyms 4 kids, OK! Gyms 4 rent? NO WAY!” residents

around the middle schools clearly made their point to the board.

“There’s not a person here that is not in support of the gyms,” said

Todd Emmons, who lives near Marine View Middle School. “We want a gym. We

just want you to listen to us.”

Though not in favor of rescinding the proposal, Pellman expressed a

willingness to take a step back. She and the other trustees who opposed

the vote to rescind felt the moratorium already passed was enough.

“We can scale back, there’s nothing stopping us from doing that,”

Walker said. “I don’t see a need for doing this. I do see a need for

community input.”

With a moratorium on the hunt for funding the project, the board will

not move forward before the environmental study is completed.

“We want to do this right,” Kanode said. “I don’t think [the

moratorium] went far enough, I didn’t think it would effect the funding

part of it.”

Kanode plans to request a more detailed look at the funding.

During the same time, the community advisory committees will work on

recommendations regarding the size and use of the gyms in their areas.

“We know there are concerns, and we think they can be addressed,” said

Supt. Jim Tarwater. “We’re still slowing down the process, and the

community will get their say.”

FYI

The community advisory committees will be chosen Monday and the first

organizational meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled

for 7 p.m. Wednesday in the district board room.