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Letter: Georgia Brown facility not needed because of our over capacity 

letter to the editor

To the editor,

– This is a response to Laura Parker’s letter to the editor on Sunday.

First of all, I was on the 7/11/committee and I made the motion to close Georgia Brown based on very specific facts. After months of deliberation and fact-finding, it was determined we had 1,400 more seats than students to fill those seats. This equals roughly 2 + schools of overcapacity. Today that number has ballooned to 2,100 more seats than students or 3 + schools of overcapacity. Let’s get to the facts which I outlined in a previous piece written to this publication along with the superintendent’s points to the school board.

Georgia Brown will cost roughly $15 to $20 million dollars of Measure M money to rebuild and require another $900,000 per year to maintain which comes out of the General Fund or to put it in better perspective $4,500,000 over 5 years or more directly 20 to 25 million in total over five years. By the way, $900,000 a year is what a pool will cost to maintain. The pool was a promise to the voters and since we do not have a pool is a needed project. The Georgia Brown facility is not needed because of our huge over capacity!

The taxpayers with the Measure M money have just funded a school facility less than a mile down the street that cost over $30,000,000 +. The new state-of-the-art Bauer Speck Facility on 17th and Vine can absorb the 30 students (who currently walk to Georgia Brown). Those who are currently being driven to school can easily turn down vine street to the new facility less than a mile from the current Georgia Brown location.

Now my question to Ms. Parker: If someone were to give you 20 million dollars, in this case, the taxpayers and another $4,500,000 every 5 years and you could only spend it on something you did “not” need would you do it? Then say you are not allowed to spend the same money on projects you do need, would you think that would be a wise use of resources?

I would also like to remind the reader that had it not been for the people supporting the pool project the Measure M Bond would probably not have passed because the vote on the bond was so close to failing. Now we have an opportunity to get the pool built and send the 30 children who walk to Georgia Brown and the ones who drive to a state-of-the-art, brand new facility less than a mile from where they currently go to school.

Maybe Ms. Parker can find another $20,000,000 dollars and another $900,000 per year of her own money and gift it to the school district so she can have a school built that is not needed and with our shrinking student population probably be shuddered in time anyway.

I am so glad we have a school board member Dorian Baker who understands the facts I have outlined and has now got this put back before this school board before it makes a final decision. If the district does not change course they will be back on the path of another financial crisis within two to three budget cycles, because the district’s ADA continues to shrink and based on the demographic projections will continue for the foreseeable future.

– Michael Rivera


Editor’s note: Opinion pieces and letters to the editor are the personal opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics. To submit one, click here.

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