Lincoln High School Community Meeting

 I'm currently viewing the meeting. Boy, did they mess up on live-streaming it. 

1) Most of the 40 minute presentation was not viewable online AND the district didn't provide a link to look at it at home. Here's what you can see at home which kinds helps but not much.

2) The district did what it loves to do which is break people up into groups to discuss each option (A, B, C) but for those at home, it's people milling around with audio you can't hear. Each group will be reporting out at the end of the group session and I'm wondering what the majority say. 

3) The district has three options but if you go to the Lincoln field page at the SPS website, they say "final two locations." That two are in the same area does not make it two choices. 

4) One thing glaringly missing from the meeting (at least to me) is making sure that the community understands that Memorial Stadium will likely be where their home games for football and soccer will be. One option does give a full-sized football field and soccer field but the seating would not be enough to have the games there.

From the presentation, I can say that the district clearly seems to want A and B which are at the same location, facing onto North Greenlake Way East. I hate the idea of that. And surprise, Option C turns out (conveniently for the district) the most expensive. 

My preference would be Option C. 

But, as I told Lincoln High parents at their page on Facebook, if the Capital Planning and Projects has dough enough to be shifting some of it over to the General Fund as they did at the Wednesday Board meeting, they have money to do any of this. The $5M allotted in the levy was NEVER going to cover all the costs. 

4) The district has allotted ZERO time for open questions and answers. 

The meeting started on-time. Superintendent Shuldiner, wearing a Lincoln Lynx cap, said they were trying to do what makes sense and kids and the school. "We have to make a decision." He said the district is going to "hear and synthesize, and then make our suggestion to Parks who own the land." He said he is just there to listen.

It will not be a quick process for any choice but Shuldiner wants to get people backing a single plan.

The guy from Parks, Andy Shuffer, said very little beyond "we're doing options analysis."

Richard Best, head of Capital Planning and Projects and Facilities, explain the process for the meeting which was a 40 minute presentation of the three options, breakout sessions for 30 minutes, and then wrap-up. 

He also said he meets with Parks staff once a month. He talked about the joint use agreement between the district and the City and that this project would be part of that. He said they negotiate every 5 years with next year being the next time for that.

Paige McGee is the project manager and she ran a loose presentation with another staffer whose name I didn't get. 

All options will require permitting from the City with some with a little more than others.

More to come - including all the options - after the meeting.