Re “Zeidman vs. Hamme: Words Fly”
[Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of School Board President Scott Zeidman’s response to two recent letters critical of him. They were written by Debbie Hamme, President of the Assn. of Classified Employees, and Robert Zirgulis, a candidate for the Board in the Nov. 8 election.]
In considering the four capital improvement projects presently at the center of School District dialogues, Debbie Hamme singled out the unclear status of solar panels for stern criticism.
School Board President Scott Zeidman said that puzzles and vexes him. Solar has been on the Board’s agenda for most of his term.
“We have been pushing solar for three years, and I have been on the Board for less than four,” he said.
“We haven’t gotten to where we want to be. But we have got to do it right, whether we take the first offer, the third offer or something else, it does not make any sense.
“You have to take the right offer in the right combination.
“For someone to say we are just pushing solar now because it is an election year is just disingenuous.
“It goes back to what this person is trying to do, which is campaign for her own chosen candidate.”
Ms. Hamme cited numerous alleged physical imperfections in schools throughout the District, among them broken water fountains.
“Water fountains are not eligible for Capital Improvement funds,” Mr. Zeidman said.
“This is an uninformed complaint. Rather than saying ‘Shouldn’t we fix the water fountains?’ and being told ‘No, that is a Routine Maintenance fund,’ she just decides to say, ‘You should have done it that way.’ Again, it is uninformed.”
Mr. Zeidman paused briefly before going on. “We have one and a half times as many spouts (at he high school) as required. While we would love to have more, some are non-ADA compliant and others get clogged by washing things in the water fountain.”
Ms. Hamme said she is “perplexed” to learn the District did not feel it necessary to upgrade restrooms at the Robert Frost Auditorium.
“This was a question I asked,” Mr. Zeidman replied. “Right now it is not on the proposal. That does not mean it won’t be.
“Everything is in flux.
“We have earmarked a certain amount of money for Robert Frost, about $2 million. If it comes back that it costs less than $2 million, we have more money to spend on Robert Frost elsewhere. If it is a little more, we have to decide what to do.”
(To be continued)
