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Residents urge Banks school board to preserve historic high school as options are weighed
Summary
Members of the Banks community and historical society urged the Banks School District 13 board on Nov. 12 to consider renovating rather than demolishing the old high school, citing cultural heritage, grant opportunities and educational benefits; the board scheduled community review and next procedural steps.
A series of public-comment speakers on Nov. 12 urged the Banks School District 13 board to preserve the district’s historic high school rather than demolish it.
A resident (speaker 11) told the board removing the building would erase “public historical and cultural identity” and diminish community pride, and urged the district to explore preservation funding and rehabilitation options rather than assuming demolition is the cheaper route. The speaker argued that preservation creates educational and community-engagement opportunities for students and residents.
A second commenter who said they belong to the historical society (speaker 12) presented archival material documenting the building’s early history, including references to the Washington County Union High School and a 1919 bond toward construction; the speaker noted the building is listed in the county’s cultural resource inventory and urged refurbishment and restoration as a choice that could attract historic-preservation grant funding.
Board members asked for clearer cost comparisons before committing to a path. One board member (speaker 13) asked how much more the district should be willing to spend to preserve the building; the commenters said they did not have a single number and emphasized the need for broader community engagement and detailed analysis.
District staff and trustees outlined next steps: a bond oversight committee of community members will review the plans and report back in December; an interim virtual session is scheduled for Nov. 25 to answer detailed questions; a community forum is set for Dec. 3 for public review of draft plans; and the board expects a first reading of a master plan on Dec. 9 with an option to move a draft forward toward adoption in January.
Why it matters: The decision will affect the district’s capital plan and could determine whether the old high school — identified in the county’s inventory and tied in speakers’ testimony to local history dating to the early 20th century — is retained as a community asset or replaced with new construction. Preserving the building could make the district eligible for preservation grants speakers cited; the board asked staff for clear cost-comparison materials before further action.
What comes next: The board encouraged broad community participation at the Dec. 3 forum and said the chair, vice chair and superintendent will determine the board’s formal response to issues raised during public comment if additional follow-up is needed.
