HHS AND EDNEYVILLE---REVERSE THE ORDER; A WHKP STATION EDITORIAL
HENDERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS - REVERSE THE ORDER
A WHKP STATION EDITORIAL
December 18, 2016
WE BELIEVE THE HENDERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION HAVE IT BACKWARDS.
IN THE FACE OF A LIKELY DEFEAT OF THEIR PROPOSED 53 MILLION DOLLAR HENDERSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT (PHOTO ON THE HOME PAGE) IN A RE-ZONING REQUEST BEFORE HENDERSONVILLE’S CITY COUNCIL, THE HHS PROJECT NEEDS TO BE PUT “ON HOLD” WITH AN IMMEDIATE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD’S ORIGINAL TOP PRIORITY WHICH WAS AND IS TO BUILD A NEW EDNEYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (CURRENT SCHOOL PHOTO ON THIS PAGE) FIRST. THE PLANNING AND FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR THE NEW EDNEYVILLE SCHOOL , WE BELIEVE, SHOULD START EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR 2017.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHOULD THEN GO BACK TO THE “DRAWING BOARD”…TOGETHER…WITH THEIR ARCHITECTS AND COME TO A MEETING OF THE MINDS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH IDEAS ALREADY PRESENTED THAT WILL SURELY REDUCE THE OVERALL PROJECTED $53 MILLION DOLLAR COST FOR HENDERSONVILLE HIGH BY SOME $20 MILLION DOLLARS, WITH MONEY LEFT OVER TO SAVE AND RESTORE THE HISTORIC STILLWELL BUILDING . THIS TIME, THE CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE SHOULD ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL. WHOLE CITY BLOCKS ARE INVOLVED, WITH MULTIPLE OWNERS AND INTERESTS, A MYRIAD OF ZONING CHANGES WILL BE REQUIRED, AND TODAY IS A FAR CRY FROM 1926 WHEN THAT HISTORIC STILLWELL BUILDING WAS PLACED ON WHAT WAS THEN THE EDGE OF TOWN AND MUCH OF HENDERSONVILLE WAS OPEN FIELDS AND DIRT STREETS.
THAT $20 MILLION DOLLAR SAVINGS, PLUS THE NEW MONEY THAT WENT INTO THE COUNTY’S FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR, WILL BE ALMOST ENOUGH TO BUILD A BRAND NEW EDNEYVILLE SCHOOL.
CURRENT REPORTS TELL US THAT EDNEYVILLE IS, IN FACT, A SCHOOL WITH MANY DEFICIENCIES…..NO RELIABLE HEAT IN WINTER AND NO RELIABLE AIR CONDITIONINGNG, RATS EATING FOOD, ALONG WITH A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL BREAKER PROBLEMS, SEWAGE ISSUES….AND MUCH MORE.
IF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO KEEP EDNEYVILLE SCHOOL OPEN AND NOT RE-DRAW SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BUS EDNEYVILLE STUDENTS TO OTHER SCHOOLS, AS HAS BEEN RUMORED, A DECISION TO BUILD A NEW EDNEYVILLE SCHOOL SHOULD BE MADE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THIS COMMON-SENSE, NO NON-SENSE APPROACH…TO START AN ALL NEW YEAR… CAN BRING ALL GROUPS COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING TOGETHER, CAN KEEP THE AUTHORITY AND RESPOSIBILITY FOR DOING SO WHERE IT BELONGS, CAN COOL DOWN HEATED EMOTIONS AND SOFTEN THE DIALOGUE, AND CAN PUT ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY AND COUNTY ON THE “SAME PAGE”. AND CAN DO IT QUICKLY.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT WHKP, WHERE AS ALWAYS, WE INVITE YOUR COMMENTS ON OUR COMMENTS.
(The editorial can be heard Sunday at 6:05, 9:05, and 10:05am; Monday at 6:05, 7:05, 7:55, and 9:05am and at 3:05, 4:05, and 5:05pm on WHKP AM 1450, WHKP FM 107.7, and whkp.com (Listen Live)
