Othello school director redesign goes to ballot
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 3 months AGO
OTHELLO — Othello School District voters will be asked to accept or reject a proposal to change the director districts on the Othello School Board at a special election in February.
If the change is approved, the district would go from four board members representing director districts and one at-large to three director districts and one at-large. An at-large board member can live anywhere in the school district, while the at-large board members can live anywhere in the district.
Board members voted 5-0 to submit the proposal to voters. The discussion came at the request of board member Tony Ashton.
Ashton said the board had discussed the change last year, but decided not to do anything until after the school board election. State law requires director districts so that board is not dominated by one area of town, he said. But that’s not a problem in Othello. “We have had issues over the years getting enough people to run for positions,” he said.
School board elections are scheduled for 2019, when the seats currently held by Rob Simmons and Mike Garza will be up for election. In addition, “there’s a rumor going around I may move out of the area, and if I do, my position will come open as well.”
But whether he moves or not, Ashton said, it seemed like a good time to think about making some changes. Redistricting now means the changes will be in place before the next school board election.
Board member Jenn Simmons said she liked the idea of the change, but didn’t want the two at-large seats to be on the ballot at the same time.
“I like the thought of another at-large spot on this board too,” said board member Ken Johnson. “It just took me off-guard when it went from discussion to potential resolution.” The board hasn’t really had a chance to review the proposed director district boundary changes, he said.
Ashton said he forgot about it until a couple of weeks ago, and asked that it be added to the agenda. Simmons said the board had to approve the resolution by Dec. 14 to be qualify for the February election, which was the reason for the possible vote.
Maps of the proposed director districts will be available before the election.
In other business, Simmons reported that the committee tasked with reviewing facility needs in the district will make its recommendation at the next board meeting. Because of the Christmas holidays, the board meeting has been rescheduled to Dec. 19. The time has been rescheduled too, to noon in the boardroom in the district office, 1025 South First Ave.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.
MORE SUN-TRIBUNE-ARCHIVES STORIES
Possible construction bond subject of Othello community meetings
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 8 years ago
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.