Letter to the Editor 9-24-21

Dear Editor,
During the last two years, I have participated in the planning process of the current project that is up for election in November. The amount of effort put in by community members, teachers, and parents has been impressive. The planning process brought out the different opinions and passions about what to do with our school buildings from the diverse participants. The views were as varied as the options we were considering. Different levels of renovations, new facilities, and even the other options for funding were all looked at from every possible angle.
I can say with confidence that we have turned over every rock and explored every option to find the best long-term solution for Concordia. I am excited that, as a planning team, we found a solid, nearly unanimous plan. The integrated planning process and the effort of many to find a solution led us to recommend that the district put the project on the ballot for the community vote.
The district purchased land that resolved cramped issues with our existing high school location. This additional land relieved problems with adding new facilities at our existing site. We re-evaluated the middle school and identified we could get more space for less cost and reduce the need for improvements at the high school. We worked with the city to share the cost burden beyond just the property owners by putting a one-cent city sales tax on the ballot. The sales tax will allow us to use some of the money from consumers who come and shop within the city limits of Concordia. Ninety percent of the one-cent sales tax will go to repaying the bond and interest on the project.
We determined the existing 1929 building has great potential for a first-class facility at less cost than a new high school. Our community's foresight in 1929 to build a high-quality facility has set us up for success in reducing the costs for our next step, all without sacrificing the goals we started with for our students. We resolved the issues with ADA. We’re fully resetting the clock on the investment made in 1929. We kept the cost to a responsible level. This project pays respect to our past and meets all our goals for the present and future.
Sincerely,
Joshua J. Meyer
Vote Yes 2 USD #333 Committee Member