Evan Smith: School District hasn’t given date for eviction of Museum
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer
The Shoreline School District has told the Shoreline Historical Museum that it will have to leave the Ronald School Building that the Museum has occupied for 35 years.
Museum officials tell me that they don’t know when they will need to leave or where they will go.
Museum Director Vicki Stiles told me last week that the School District has offered the Museum temporary storage space for its collections at the former Sunset School, a building that is scheduled to be torn down, with the land to be developed into a Shoreline City park.
Stiles said that the Museum is searching for a new site.
Shoreline School Public Information Officer Craig Degginger recently wrote in the Richmond Beach Community News that the School District “will now return to its original plan of including the historic Ronald School building as part of a new Shorewood High School.”
The School District said last year that the Museum would have to leave the site, which would be incorporated into a rebuilt Shorewood High School. This led to opposition to a February bond issue to rebuild both Shorewood and Shorecrest high schools.
Then, the School District and the Museum board announced an “agreement in principal” under which the School District would allow the Museum to keep the building and move it to a nearby site in exchange for the Museum’s supporting the bond issue, The bond issue passed with a 62 percent “yes” vote, 426 votes more than the 60 percent needed.
The Museum hoped to buy land east of the Museum parking lot, land that has now been sold to a different buyer.
Degginger’s news release said, “Despite repeated efforts over the past five months, the Shoreline School District and the Shoreline Historical Museum, currently housed in the Ronald School, have not been able to finalize the agreement to relocate the building to an adjacent site,” adding that the District would return to its earlier plan to “incorporate” the Ronald building into the Shorewood design, ”honoring, preserving and restoring the original school building, while bringing the unreinforced brick masonry building up to code and making it a safe structure for student use.
“After both the Museum board and the Shoreline School Board approved the ‘Agreement in Principle’ in January, and voters approved the February 9, 2010, bond measure to replace both Shorewood and Shorecrest High Schools, the District directed the Bassetti Architects to develop a new architectural design for the Shorewood that did not incorporate the Ronald School into the project, assuming that the building would be moved from the property. Since that time Bassetti staff has worked on the new plan exclusively.
“Representatives from the Museum and the School District have met several times since the February election to discuss the agreement to move the Ronald School.
“In a surprise move on June 1, the Museum Board legally appealed the District’s Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process related to relocating the Ronald School building to an adjacent site.
“As efforts to purchase the necessary adjacent property by the Museum stalled, July 1 was determined by the District to be the last possible date to direct the architects to return to the pre-February 2010 design plans, which incorporated the Ronald School into the Shorewood design.
“’Any further delay in this decision will most certainly disrupt the design, construction timeline, and threatens the significant state funding of approximately $17 million associated with the replacement of Shorewood High School,’ said Superintendent Sue Walker.
“Consistent with the District’s previous communications on the subject, the District clarified three items that needed to be in place by July 1 in order for the District to know there is a good faith effort and/or the ability on the part of the Museum to execute the ‘Agreement in Principle’ reachedin January. The three items were:
1. A signed purchase agreement on a piece of property adjacent to the Shorewood site.2. A signed legal agreement with the District stipulating all of the necessary conditions to be met outlined in the ‘Agreement in Principle’ and discussed at the meeting.3. A written withdrawal of the SEPA appeal“
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23 comments:
It seems like your headline "eviction date not given" seriously underplays the actual effect of what is about to happen to the Shoreline Historical Museum and the Shoreline community.
The fact is that the District has "played" the Museum and the voters quite successfully. Now they are about to play potential bond investors too.
They have played us all with deceit and misinformation. This is a huge tragedy in Shoreline about to unfold. This Museum was an over 30 year partnership that is now being severely disabled. The trust our community has had for the School District is permanently dismembered.
The voters and citizens who care about our history are being kicked to the curb. All for the glorified image of the SSD that wants to be the "big dog" in Shoreline and the power broker of what we're about.
This destruction of our history will not do one good thing for students, more than designing around the building could have. And the destruction of trust and community vision will take a generation to heal.
What a travesty!
It's so sad that the museum was unable to afford to rent the school district building.
I will miss seeing them there.
It's too bad that there isn't a legal way for the district to allow the museum to stay without paying market value rent for the building.
I wonder if anyone has any other legal plan that the district could chose.
The voters surely would support the district using legal means to keep the museum open.
Does anyone know if there are other legal avenues?
It would be so great if there was a legal solution.
There is a legitimate question out there whether what the District has done is "legal". It is certain that what they are doing is immoral though and unwise. In fact one could say that what they've done is downright "stupid" and not what you'd expect from educators.
Have they played their game "smart"? Maybe. They win, the community loses. The voters lose, the kids lose their history, their ability to ever know what went before.
It will all be replaced by a shiny new "gutted" Ronald School.
But that's "progress" Shoreline. This is what you've chosen and paid for.
I now have to explain to my Shoreline Public Schooled child, why his beloved Museum is being kicked out. I'm not a good liar.
I've been following this story for over a year-and the stories and comments of others who took part in creating a new Shorewood (while under the leadership and guidance of the District.
My kid is pretty smart, as most kids are, so, no matter what I say it won't make his District leaders sound like they are of the best character.
My child would have had to miss recess (which is the most loved, most important part of school for most kids) for purposefully misinforming/lying/avoiding answering reasonable questions, being sneaky with hidden harmful agendas, and for callous inconsideration to many many people.
What should happen with the District's highest level leaders-some of who are also our highest paid public servants? How about sending them back to school, paid for by them, to learn some valuable skills to help others who may end up under their leadership in the future. But, not until after letting them go in order to hire leaders who already have good leadership skills. I cannot be at peace knowing these folks are the biggest decision makers in my District.
Anyone out there know why the SSD did not have the basic consideration to even ask the potential Shorewood designers to draw up simple conceptual plans that would include leaving the Ronald School House for Museum use only??? Or to even just ask designers or consultants what the options were in regards to this and then present that information to the public waaaaay before a Bond vote???
Until I hear and read a complete and believable explanation I have to assume that it was simply because:
SHORELINE SCHOOL LEADERS DECIDED FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THEY WANTED THE RONALD BUILDING AS A MODERN LOOKING WING OF SHOREWOOD, RATHER THAN A COMPLETE, WELL PRESERVED PIECE OF LOCAL HISTORY, HOUSING A VALUABLE COMMUNITY MUSEUM THAT WOULD CONTINUE ITS WORK IN EDUCATION WHERE SCHOOLS LEAVE GAPS.
I don't want leaders like that for my child. Do you?
I must agree with the first anonymous comment that the School District "played" us into voting for the bond.
I am one of many people who was ready to vote against the bond issue but decided to vote for it after the compromise over the Museum. The School District fooled us once. They’ll have a hard time convincing us of anything in the future.
I think that the Museum owns the building, but I understand that the School District got the right to but it back for $10 when the District gave the Museum the space to build an elevator to make the building accessible.
Thank you for your honest admission Evan. This is what we need more of in our community. We need Shoreline School District officials and their supporters to come clean, and admit that they wanted to get rid of the Museum for their own imperial "legacy" image reasons. That it had nothing to do with education, or THE CHILDREN".
It's all about continuing the myth of the "Great Shoreline School District" as center of the universe in education. It's not about improving test scores, or actual education outcomes or building moral character, or building the future earning potential of students. It's all about the"legacy" of school board members and the investment we've made in high salaries for administrators.
Just admit it SSD, you played us and now your going to spend that capital on building your Taj Mahal HS and enhancing your images as the Empire Builders of Education.
Thanks for destroying our history in the process and defacing our community vision.
Thanks again Evan Smith for being honest.
@ Anonymous @ 9:11 am:
If there is a will, there is a way to save the Museum. But, we would have to demand it. Asking nicely does not work with controlling bullies.
I don't see any reason that the Museum would need to pay any significant rent. They have been there for decades as an adjunct to our local educational services without renting.
Instead, they paid their way by saving us loads of taxes. They leveraged small amounts of donations and city tax funds to pay for all of their expenses.
The building was not needed by the Schools. Not then, not now. There is no reason why it can't continue as it has been. Unless we decide to let it slip away forever.
The Agreement in Principle signed in January did NOT include withdrawal of a SEPA appeal for none existed at that time. The SEPA appeal was not filed until June 2010, the Agreement was signed months BEFORE.
The school district is playing fast and loose with the facts, which means they never intended to execute the agreement.
It's good to see all this dialog now, but I'm afraid it's too late. Our community is about to be greatly diminished thanks to the SSD. Sue Walker's administration and the school board have no shame. The only thing I'm glad about is that I voted against the bond (first time ever) after reading it and that vague so-called agreement in "principle". At this point, it's of little consolation. If the SSD had any principles, we wouldn't be in this awful situation.
Personally, I'm glad to see the museum go. Good riddance to the bunch of lying, incompetent naysayers who clearly don't care about anything at all except their own (limited) audience.
@ Anonymous 9:25pm:
Your right, Shoreline is pretty limited. If this were a more culturally rich and socially/politically aware and active town, I don't think any of us would be having this conversation.
Just wait, give this place more decades to mature (as it is a newer city), and just maybe it will be more highly evolved.
Good riddance? The anonymous commenter doesn't appreciate this rich community resource. I have to believe that there could have been a way to both build the new school and keep the Museum in the old building. That building, which can't be torn down, is more appropriately used as a Museum than as part of a modern high school.
Right on Evan!
The last two anonymous commenters are part of the problem here in Shoreline. Their narrow view is not what a "grown-up" city should act like. They think that the ONLY reason to be here is the School District. But that organization has shown itself to be very unworthy right now of our admiration and tax dollars. It has shown itself to be untrustworthy and setting a very bad example for our children.
The Museum is one of the few things in Shoreline that gives it uniqueness. Good schools are very important, but there are many other districts that are also good. Having a unique asset such as our museum is a treasure. In fact, the federal government considers museums to have the same value as libraries.
How can our District be considered a "good school district" after what they have done? They are bringing shame to our entire community, even to those who don't properly appreciate the value of this museum.
If a student were to behave in this deceitful manner, he/she would be punished, maybe suspended for lying and stealing. So let's "suspend" the district superintendent and school board for their disgraceful behavior.
It all boils down to leadership, or lack thereof. We voted in the school board members that hired or keeps giving raises to Sue Walker and if we're unhappy with the decisions the SSD is making, we lobby our elected decision makers to do the right thing.
If it helps them make the one hiring/firing decision with a little help from the voters, then so be it. It will take the pressure off the elected representatives by picking "who to blame (remember Jim Welsh?)" and finding a full time, professional executive who gets why we kept voting for our SSD levys in the last four decades.
With this one bad decision, SSD leadership and management are risking all future bonds and levies that support our children, our teachers, and support staff. Very short sighted.
Could not some compromise be made between the Museum supporters and the school district?
Let the museum use the lower level (archives and
displays) and the main floor (schoolroom, meeting room, display room, office and front
stairway.) Let the school district have access by
elevator and back stairway to the upper level.
Please do not let Shoreline lose one of the
oldest school buildings in the state, and
all the records, archives, photos, that have been
collected these past 30 years.
Barbara A. Monks,
It's a good plan Barbara, and one that has been presented by both the Museum and the district.
The problem, as I understand it, is that of FAIR USE.
The museum has to pay fair market value to RENT the space from the SSD.
As would any other private or non-profit group.
The district can be fined for allowing any entity to USE the space on a permanent basis for free.
Because, at anytime, any other non-profit can question why public funds are being "used" (or not levied) by a private or non-school district entity.
There are agreements between Cities and SSD's all over the State.
Perhaps it's time for the CITY of SHORELINE to take a more active role in the CITY of SHoreline's museum and not the SSD.
It's a great teaching tool- and a wonderful, wonderful collection of history for our students to view.
I'm so hopeful that if it doesn't remain in the current Museum building (which it cannot in it's present location unless the Museum can pay the rent), that it will be set up in another location.
I love looking at relics from our State's history in MOHAI and it is certainly not an historic building.
You don't compromise with bullies. You have to put your foot down.
They are not worthy of ANY of that building, and yet they are taking it right out from under our noses.
It is blackmail plain and simple.
What else are you willing to give up Shoreline? Red Brick Road, Crest Theater, Parks, Creeks, Trees, Fircrest, Aldercrest, Cedarbrook, YOUR SOUL?
It's all up for grabs now. Once the Museum is gone and the unthinkable is allowed to happen there's no going back. No one will be watching the cookie jar anymore. No one will be around to stick up for our history.
We'll look just like Lynnwood. Won't that be swell?
Yes, Evan, I too think that the highest and best use of that building is as an intact Historical Museum and an intact/integral historical structure.
I am still in shock that the leaders of our prized and, I believe, once nationally number one rated School District, did not, or could not, use high level communication and creative thinking skills, in order to, at the very least, make attempts to work out this situation.
If anything good comes out of this lack of good leadership, it just may be that we have a wake up call to become more active participants in choosing leaders we know and especially trust to represent us and to certainly be considerate towards the community as a whole (rather that set up unnecessary controversy and create divisiveness).
So Shoreline thinks it's a community with a core? Like with live theaters or museums? It's not just Aurora with used car lots and mini malls?
I don't think so!
At least when I was a kid in Shoreline we had farms and neighborhoods and schools on a humane scale. Ask any educator how big a school is too big. Kids get forgotten when school is too big. But bean counters love it. They talk about graduating students as "products" of the process.
Shoreline you just got taken by the bean counters. And you lost one marker of civilization: an historical museum. Congratulations! Who won?
All for prepping our children for growth economy. Even Alan Greenspan admitted that that whole idea isn't working out (of course it is for the profiteers)
Who ever said that schools are not political???
Patty Murray jumped started her Senate career by becoming a local school board member. I'm sure she learned a lot from that position.
If you haven't been involved much with the schools or kept up with what they are up to, at least on a monthly basis, it is definitely time to start. Don't let your kids or your neighbor's kids work like the dickens only to be growth economy pawns.
"They are not worthy of ANY of that building, and yet they are taking it right out from under our noses. "
How can you say that? They are legally the rightful owner of the building. Stop blaming the big bad school district and start looking at the poorly run museum that is the root of this problem.
The collection does not have to disappear. Stop going down a legal rat hole and figure out how to keep serving the community.
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