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Board schedules additional public hearing in East Arcadia amid dispute over omitted capital projects
Summary
After board members raised concerns that East Arcadia School projects were missing from the draft capital list and said the school has been neglected, the board voted to hold another public hearing in East Arcadia and tabled related capital decisions until more estimates and documentation are gathered.
Tensions over capital‑outlay priorities culminated in a decision to hold another public hearing in East Arcadia after multiple board members said the school's repairs (windows, septic, HVAC) were not reflected in the current draft list.
Board members said they had earlier received a detailed list of capital projects that included East Arcadia items and expressed frustration that the current planning list did not show them. One board member said the omission left the school unable to operate parts of the building and described animals entering the building through damaged window seals: "We're putting them in a bad situation...That's unacceptable." Staff responded that the current list is a fluid planning document and that some projects were carried over from prior years; staff asked for board direction about which items to include.
The board voted to schedule an additional public hearing in East Arcadia to gather more community input on the proposed closure and consolidation with Clark and the School of Discovery, and members asked staff to ensure broad notice (district website, Facebook, school postings, all‑call messages and mailed letters). The motion to hold the hearing passed after a raise‑of‑hands vote.
The board also voted to table agenda item 10.3 (further capital decisions) until the March meeting so staff can collect multiple contractor estimates and compile documentation about completed and outstanding work. Members repeatedly asked that procurement processes include at least three estimates for major repairs.
No decision was made that night regarding the proposed school closure itself; the additional hearing was intended to ensure impacted families have another opportunity to comment and to allow the board to make a better informed decision.
