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Southern High community urges council to restore $9M in projects, including $5.5M second gym
Summary
Parents, coaches and students pressed the council to restore funding for Southern High School: systemic HVAC and safety repairs, a $5.5 million second gym, and a $25,000 greenhouse control upgrade were singled out as critical to equity and student safety.
Multiple Southern High School parents, coaches and program leaders told the council the school’s facilities lag far behind county peers and urged restoration of removed budget items.
"Tonight we are not asking for luxury upgrades, we're asking for functioning HVAC, safe and usable facilities," said Trisha Hoffman, a third-generation Southern alumna, asking the council to "resource Southern High's FY27 budget items" including HVAC, a second gym and greenhouse upgrades.
Kevin Jackson, president of South County Youth Athletics, asked the council to invest in a second gym and team room and reminded the body of local volunteer contributions: "We give. We're asking you... Please give." He cited a $5,500,000 figure for a second gym and noted the greenhouse request was $25,000.
Students, teachers and community members described specific problems at the school: small or nonfunctional auxiliary gym space, mold and poor ventilation, extreme greenhouse temperatures (testimony cited a recorded 110 degrees), and locker rooms and restrooms in poor condition. "Our facilities are falling apart," said Ashley King, a parent and former teacher, and "students deserve the same quality learning environment as every other student in this county," she added.
Speakers repeatedly compared Southern to nearby schools that have received recent renovations, citing disparities in gym size and scheduled projects. Several speakers asked the council to consider reinserting the $9,000,000 total package discussed by the school system into the county budget and to treat the issues as safety and equity priorities rather than cosmetic work.
The council heard specific, small-dollar requests as well: $25,000 to repair greenhouse controls and $4,700,000 already proposed for a Brooklyn Park library renovation (mentioned in a separate presentation) were referenced as examples of prioritized capital work.
The record shows broad community support for restoring the Southern projects; council action on amendments and funding priorities remains pending.
The public-comment session did not include a council vote on these projects; proponents asked the council to act during the amendment process.
