In response to an editorial criticizing the city and school
district for lacking communication and cooperation with regards to
the planning, siting and paying for an elementary school that would
serve the 1,000-home Glen Loma project, Mayor Al Pinheiro wrote in
a February letter to the editor
In response to an editorial criticizing the city and school district for lacking communication and cooperation with regards to the planning, siting and paying for an elementary school that would serve the 1,000-home Glen Loma project, Mayor Al Pinheiro wrote in a February letter to the editor, “Council and the Trustees have met at least three times a year for the last several years; our chief administrators meet on a monthly basis … I would like to say that our City and School District have an excellent relationship.”
Fast forward just a few months and the city and school district are clearly not on the same page regarding a critical joint-use gym proposal. The district is trying to stretch its bond dollars as far as possible in an era of ever-increasing costs, and the joint deal for the $7.4 million gymnasium at the new Christopher High School is critical for securing $3 million in state funds. That’s a lot of money.
High-level staff members work together for months trading information and
e-mails and iron out a joint-use agreement and a timeline.
Then, boom, the City Council says it’s blindsided by the urgency of the proposal and questions the city’s commitment to it, while school district officials are surprised the Council is surprised.
Where’s the disconnect?
There certainly is one, and the point is something needs to change significantly in the communication pattern that has established a pattern of miscommunication and led to bad feelings.
It is critically important for our two lead government agencies to work together in our community. And currently the words are not matching the deeds.
Though the city and school district thankfully worked out an agreement in this case – and they are to be commended for it – it’s not enough.
Clearly, Council members and GUSD Board members must sit face to face regularly and talk about what’s on the table because there’s a serious clog in the communication pipeline.
