Carson City School District recently announced its ambitious $4.5 million proposal to develop the Eagle Valley Middle School complex, complete with alternative energy production and a greenhouse, in time for the 2011 school year.
The district envisions creating a community-friendly project that features a bus barn that will serve double duty as a generator of clean energy. Plans also include a greenhouse, a regulation baseball field, improvements to the track, a new traffic entrance and other improvements such as biking and walking trails on the 39-acre school grounds. Currently, 27 acres of the school site are undeveloped.
Money for the project comes out of the capital projects fund, which can only be used for construction projects of $5,000 or more. It is separate from the operations fund, which pays for salaries and education programs.
Additionally, school district officials say $1 million will come from federal stimulus money. The remaining $3.5 million will be paid for with medium-term bonds, which don't need to be approved by voters, to be paid off during the following nine years.
In a recent Nevada Appeal story, the district's Finance Director Bob Anderson said, "This is all good news for everybody. I believe this complex is not only cutting-edge technology, but it's going to improve the value of the homes in the area dramatically. More than 20 acres of this piece of property looks like a cat litter box."
Certainly, the project offers many positives such as the solar and wind power collectors that will generate enough energy to supply the entire school project's power needs. Greenhouse plans include a partnership with the Builders Association of Western Nevada and would be a learning and demonstration center for students and the community. Athletic facilities and the trails would be open to the public.
As the school district moves forward, especially on a project that does not require voter approval to fund, we urge school officials to listen closely to neighbors and others who raise legitimate concerns.
Not all neighbors will embrace increased traffic and activity the complex likely will bring to the area. And one person's "cat litter box" is another's pristine open space.
Although the money for the project comes from a designated capital projects fund separate from the operational budget, a district that has not been immune to budget shortfalls and layoffs should be sensitive to promoting a multimillion-dollar expense during the worst economic downturn in three-quarters of a century.
At the least, the district needs to seriously and thoughtfully consider what the community has to say as final project plans are completed.