Letter to the Editor: The saga continues

To the Editor:

The saga continues: A multi-million dollar School District is taking over an irreplaceable Historic Landmark Building from its current owner. Is this essential for students to receive a high quality education? Is there a better solution?

At stake: A Museum invested in by us as tax payers, volunteers, and members is a benefit to all, but this one-of-a-kind building could be gone forever. Why exactly?

What happened in the "process" that led up to this? Why do I still wonder what happened and feel something just isn’t quite right? Has this been a fully respectful, open, transparent process… or not? Could it be there were some problems with the public "process" led by a very well funded school district?

Did the Shoreline School District (SSD):

• Make it clear to the public that ownership of the Museum was based on the legal opinion of their attorney which differed from the opinion of the Museum’s attorney? I had to seek this reality out for myself.
• Ever request anyone representing the Museum to participate in the Master Planning process? If so, who and when?
• Specifically request architects to design a space-efficient layout for the new school that left the Ronald School Building in place without alteration for school uses? If they did, I’d like to see both the requests and the drawings. If not; why not?

One thing I can answer for myself: There has been significant incongruity with ALL aspects regarding the SSD’s handling of the Ronald Building. I need clear answers before a major part of both our community and our area's history is taken away from us, forever, in the very near future. Can we please get more clarification before OUR Bond funds are used for such a purpose?

Julie Houff

Lake Forest Park