'But you, Roman, must remember that you have to guide the nations by your authority, for this is to be your skill, to graft tradition onto peace, to spare those who submit, but to crush those who resist.' -- Virgil's Aeneid,
Once again, I discovered that battling the school district is like fighting the Romans. Last night, the 21 February 2019, Bart Reed and Hummel Architects went before the Historic Preservation Commission in regards to the phase one--changes to the main entrance of Pocatello High School.
I was told that the meeting was not open to public comment so I sat quietly by and listened to Hummels Presentation, resigned to the fact that the Commission would make a ruling without hearing opposing viewpoints. I did so knowing that I had been informed that i would be allowed to make comments several months ago. It was not to be. A public meeting does not mean it is open for public comment. I wish i had been correctly informed and not mislead. I still cannot get consistent answers.
So I watched helplessly, as the the Hummel team mislead the commission on numerous points about previous renovations and the history of the building. One was so egregious the Mr. Bart Reed, representing the School District had to stand up and correct the record. But for me the most disingenuous moment came when Mr. Reed, was asked "if there was any opposition to the plan. He looked them in the eye and brazenly said, "he was unaware of any."
Of course, I suppose he CAN say that with a straight face, because the plan presented was not the plan that we are all familiar with. This plan was not the one presented to the public during the considerably longer --seven day comment period --last September. You remember, the plan that was publicly opposed during the open comment period by a three-to-one margin but only had 90 comments total--yes, the plan the plan that has since garnered 1881 signatures in opposition. The one that's to cost $4.5 million, that then increased to $5 million and then $7.5 million without any additional public comment, in fact two thirds of the new plan still does not even exist. You know the one with yards and yards of concrete covering one of the few remaining green spaces on Pocatello High School's campus that ninety percent of respondents to our poll said they were unaware of. . Yes that one. What they submitted last night to the Historic Commission was new, it was different, it was a bait-and-switch. [the new plan shown last night only concerns the front of the main building - the more egregious, glass commons area and new classroom building design is yet to come.]
Now I have stated publicly that this "bait and Switch" is a significant improvement over earlier concepts. Of course the bar was never high. Yet there are still short comings. If I had not been denied the possibility of speaking out I would have stated that "despite the improvements, changing the front of this beautiful building is unnecessary, costly and will still mar the existing facade." I would have stated that" the community would be better served if they left this building intact, made it ADA accessible in other ways and relocated the office to the centrally located new addition, saving money in the process to improve the ill conceived glass and metal semi-permanent connecting building." I would have stated that although this new plan mars the facade, less than the old plan, it still mars the facade and would have been an affront to the original architect. I would have stated, "that categorically this is not the same building that had an existing middle entrance so stop making that inane comparison. Of course I would have elaborated but you get the idea.
But once again opposition was not welcomed, dissent was silenced. The project received approval by the commission and moves onto the City Council for final approval.
What I will say now, loud and clear, is despite how you feel about the latest conceptual design, whether you love it, hate it, or find yourself somewhere in the middle, the process has been unfair. It is not open, it has never been transparent. Unfortunately, as too many know and I have come to discover -- dealing with the school district -- it's business as usual.
We have been duped. We continue to be duped, believing that we have a say, that the community has input or has ever had input, believing that because one solution is deemed appropriately vetted that any solution developed in its place is appropriately vetted. As long as we sit idly by, doing nothing, we will continue to be duped--
Here is how the school district's process worked in this case: And no it is not unusual in architectural development plans - but tit should not be acceptable.
Ask architects to submit [imaginary] building concepts that will never be built. Check. [remember, everyone understands that these are not real plans except the public.]
Ask the public to comment on these conceptual designs, that will never be built, but don't inform the media until the last minute, making sure that as few people know about them as possible. Check.
Limit the public comment period to as short a time period as possible --seven days or the day after the announcement is made in the paper, which ever is longer. Check.
Select the plan Bart Reed prefers even though the other plan is favored by a 3-1- margin. Check.
Do not allow the comment period to over-lap with a school board meeting. Do not video tape school board meetings during this process as to further limit public awareness. Check and check.
Make a decision on imaginary plan as quickly as possible, knowing that once that decision is made any change can be made with out public input or comment, including producing a completely different design. Check
Never ask for public input again -- it's not needed. Check
Do what ever it takes to build, discourage growing opposition even if the opposition reaches, say, over 1800 people. In your face - check.
Change the plans, continue to limit public information, follow the letter but not the spirit of the Sunshine Laws" and then say that you know of no opposition. Check.
Yes, if needs be lie. Check
A perfect bait-and-switch. The process has been managed, staged-crafted, handled, and maneuvered as deftly as any Roman tyrant's deception. It could be found amongst the tales of "the Book of Swindles."
How can Mr. Reed continue to say that the process is open, transparent fair when all of the steps used to demonstrate that fairness over that last several months have nothing to do with the final plan under consideration? This plans only been made public several days ago. Most still have not seen it.
Next, throw the public a bone, calm the dissent by putting out a respectable portion of the plan and perhaps this will quell the unrest over the glass facade. Check
If we, students, alumni, citizens of Pocatello, fall for this planned apathy we will end up with that glass monstrosity printed on the front page of the Idaho State Journal back in September.
Cunning? yes. Unexpected? no. This is the way the school district rolls.
It was also cunning, if not shameless, for Bart Reed to say that he didn't know of any opposition at the Historic Preservation Commission. Even if he discounts all of you, the almost 1881 people that have now signed the petition, -- Bart Reed has known me since high school. I was sitting across from him at the Historical Commission meeting. I said hello before the meeting started, He knows I have been the most vocal opponent to the school boards plan. He knows that I started "Save Pocatello High School". Yet he categorically stated he knows not one person against this plan. Not only was I not allowed to speak before the commission, my opposition attending was discounted and dismissed by Mr Reed, as if I was not even in the room. "That statement by Mr Reed was as disingenuous as his statement to the commission that "this process has been a fair and open." Caligula would have been proud.
I'll wait with baited breath for a public apology from Mr. Reed.
Since the project received the certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission I am heartened that the new proposal for the front of Pocatello High School was less egregious than the one presented earlier. I hope it will not turn-into the "garbage pit" that at least one member of the Historic Preservation Committee was worried about. Unfortunately, I am told that the glass commons area will soon be announced, that it will go before this same commission, and that it is viewed favorably by the school board, that the school board is likely not to be dissuaded in it's construction. I will continue to fight against the ugly and incongruent glass and steel commons area --despite the unfavorable odds. I hope you will too.
Please sign and share the Save Pocatello High School Petition.
Steven Robert McCurdy
"Save Pocatello High School"