Ellensburg group says the school board is not listening
ELLENSBURG -- It's been an issue in Ellensburg for years. A middle school some say is falling to pieces. A few months ago, the school board ordered Morgan Middle School to be vacated and give way to building a new school. KIMA found out a new group working to save money and make repairs instead.
He may be biased, but Robert Walker thinks his grandson deserves the best.
"I still have a grandson at Morgan Middle and I think most share the view we want best for our children," says Walker.
This 80-year-old school with hollow clay tiles, no central air and possible seismic deficiencies is not that. The school board deemed it unsafe in August and hopes to build a new school. Now, a new group called Modernize Our Morgan, or MOM, disagrees. It wants to modernize the school instead if it saves money.
"Our main objective is to look at Morgan in an objective way," says Doug Stalder, member of MOM. "Not a school board opinion that just wants a new school."
However, if modernization were to cost more money, Stalder says he would be okay with paying for a brand new school.
While the school has plenty of issues, Stalder thinks this may be an issue of the school board wanting more space. Public documents from an assessment done in 2003 say the building, while not up to code, is safe and does not need upgrades until 2013.
Ellensburg Schools Superintendent Paul Farris says he thinks Morgan Middle School needs to be larger, but it's mostly a safety hazard. He says data collected by a firm the district hired shows that modernization would cost more than building a new school. Three proposed bonds for a new school have failed when put to the voters.
MOM hired a firm for $15,000 to do a private evaluation. Stalder says it won't help if the school board won't listen.
"We don't think they're listening at all, and that's why none of the bonds have passed," says Stalder.
"I view if as a good thing," says Farris. "I think the firm is going to come back and say they found the same figures we have."
With no clear end in sight, Walker and others just hope their kids are in the minds of people of both sides.
He may be biased, but Robert Walker thinks his grandson deserves the best.
"I still have a grandson at Morgan Middle and I think most share the view we want best for our children," says Walker.
This 80-year-old school with hollow clay tiles, no central air and possible seismic deficiencies is not that. The school board deemed it unsafe in August and hopes to build a new school. Now, a new group called Modernize Our Morgan, or MOM, disagrees. It wants to modernize the school instead if it saves money.
"Our main objective is to look at Morgan in an objective way," says Doug Stalder, member of MOM. "Not a school board opinion that just wants a new school."
However, if modernization were to cost more money, Stalder says he would be okay with paying for a brand new school.
While the school has plenty of issues, Stalder thinks this may be an issue of the school board wanting more space. Public documents from an assessment done in 2003 say the building, while not up to code, is safe and does not need upgrades until 2013.
Ellensburg Schools Superintendent Paul Farris says he thinks Morgan Middle School needs to be larger, but it's mostly a safety hazard. He says data collected by a firm the district hired shows that modernization would cost more than building a new school. Three proposed bonds for a new school have failed when put to the voters.
MOM hired a firm for $15,000 to do a private evaluation. Stalder says it won't help if the school board won't listen.
"We don't think they're listening at all, and that's why none of the bonds have passed," says Stalder.
"I view if as a good thing," says Farris. "I think the firm is going to come back and say they found the same figures we have."
With no clear end in sight, Walker and others just hope their kids are in the minds of people of both sides.
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