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Public commenter urges board to reconsider budget choices, warns of community impacts
Summary
Gregory Pelham told the board he opposed a reported $200 million debt tied to school restructuring and urged reconsideration of decisions that might harm communities, saying school closures followed by debt would be damaging.
Gregory Pelham used his allotted public comment time to address the board and superintendent, saying he understood the meeting concerned the budget and that he had seen information suggesting the board could create a $200,000,000 debt related to school restructuring or reconstruction. “I stand in opposition of that position because we are closing schools and then turning right around and creating a a debt because of the school closing,” Pelham said, urging the board to reconsider decisions that he said would negatively impact communities.
The board did not directly adopt the $200 million figure from the public comment into staff materials; during later discussion staff said any COPS financing had not been approved and was not yet budgeted. Pelham’s remarks were noted during the public-comment period and board members addressed the need for clearer capital planning and communications with communities.
