in Schools
Is the School District Educating or Bullying? People Likely See It Differently.
This weekend’s Park Record had a guest editorial calling out resident Bill Humbert for remarks made to the Park City Council. According to a previous Park Record article, during Public Comment Mr Humbert said he overheard a conversation between a city council person and a school board member regarding the upcoming $56 million bond. Mr Humbert said he overheard, “You just have to tell the voters that either you pass the bond or we will simply levy taxes on your property and it will cost you more.”
The editorial said Mr Humbert “took a conversation so out of context…that it is appalling.” It went on to say that the grandstanding that has gone on by many (not all) of those against this bond is so disingenuous that we must call it out. It ends by “shaming” the Park Record.
I don’t know what conversations were had by who at a parade. I don’t know if the accusations Mr Humbert were making were valid. I don’t know if the guest editorialist, Kathy Meyer, is the same Kathryn Meyer that received money from the school district in 2014. And frankly I don’t care about any of that.
Think back to 6th grade. Did you ever have a big kid in your class that would “kick your *ss” if you didn’t give him your lunch money? From personal experience, I know that he wasn’t lying. Just because it was true, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t bullying. Daren would beat the crap out of you if he had to, but he’d rather just take your money.
So, it’s accurate to say that members (and former members) of the school district have stated that their is no debate about whether the school district is moving forward with their $65 million plans. They have also said that if voters don’t vote for the bond, they will just raise taxes, which will cost a voter about 5 times more per year.
Do I believe them? Yes. I don’t think they are lying or bluffing.
In my mind the hard part is understanding intent, as this is a little different than school bullying. Is the mention of raising taxes purely educational in nature — something like “you should really save 10% for retirement because it’s more fiscally sound”? Or is it said with the intent of influencing the populace through a threat of raising taxes to a point that some people cannot afford?
The definition of bullying is to “use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants.”
So, if those statements are said in a purely benevolent way in an attempt to educate the populace (imagine sitting down to a wedding dinner and being told you can either have the steak or fish … or in this case a bond or tax) then it’s hard to level a bullying claim.
However, if there is even an inkling of intimidation in any of these statements or tone by the district, it’s hard to come to any other conclusion than this is a case of bullying.
Is the school district just making sure we know we have a choice between bond and tax, or is it a no-so-veiled attempt to influence the voter through coercion?
I guess that slight distinction appears to be in the eye of the beholder.
What Exactly Is the Role of Mountain Accord?
I received an email over the weekend, touting Mountain Accord’s involvement in funding a trails project at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. When I first read the email, I thought, “Well, at least some good is coming out of the Mountain Accord.” Yet a question kept nagging at me. Is this what we expect the Mountain Accord to be doing?
In this case they provided $20,000 to the effort to clean up the Grit Mill area at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s an area frequented by climbers, has a graffiti problem and lots of unofficial “trails” that lead to erosion. The recipient of the funding, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance says, “years of unplanned usage has been a “spiderwebbed” collection of access trails that cause erosion and degradation of the water shed.” The article references Mountain Accord Director Laynee Jones and says “the project is emblematic of the sensible planning Accord signers want to see throughout the Central Wasatch.”
That all sounds good.
Yet, Summit County is putting about $50,000 into the Mountain Accord this year. So about two-fifths of that amount is going toward this trail project. More importantly, is building trails how we envisioned a portion of our money being used? In my mind, I thought it was looking at grand solutions like massive land swaps, protecting forestry land, changing the face of transportation, and providing studies. In fact, I, incorrectly I guess, thought we were still in the research phase of making plans. I didn’t realize projects were being funded.
Perhaps, this is a good use of Mountain Accord funds. As stated, maybe it is emblematic of the type of project and organization the Mountain Accord members (i.e. you and me) want to support. Maybe the idea of Mountain Accord is to focus on both the macro and micro level over the next few years, and while working on the grand solution, they’ll be using their funding on local projects.
If it is, and projects like these are where Mountain Accord is going to be spending their money, I hope Rena Jordan at Basin Rec and Charlie Sturgis at Mountain Trails are trying to get on that gravy train. I’m sure the Park City area has many trails that could benefit from this funding. If Mountain Accord truly is a regional solution, and is now into funding trail rehab, it should also support trail efforts on this side of the Wasatch.
The Super Market Scam That You Should Be Aware of
I was in Walmart on Sunday morning and saw something that may happen often but I’d never been aware of it. There was a man standing by the strawberries opening a number of tubs. I thought may be he was just inspecting them, trying to find the best batch. Then I thought maybe he was a worker… but no it turned out that he was just a thief shopper.
After he had left, I had to go see what was going on. As I walked over, it became evident. He had taken a whole bunch of strawberries from other packs and smashed them into his container. Since strawberries are sold by the pack and not by weight) this guy appears to have gotten about 2 for 1.
Some people may give the “Robin Hood Excuse” of “It’s OK to steal because I am stealing from Walmart and they are rich.” The problem is that other people, who may not notice the missing strawberries, are going to get shorted too. So, in this case, Walmart got ripped off and at least 5 other people probably did too.
In hindsight, I should have found a Walmart employee and told him/her about it. Although I’ve tried that before at other stores and just received the “shrugged” shoulders of indifference.
So, the best I can offer is a warning to take a look at everything you buy and make sure you are getting what you are paying for. It’s a problem I never knew existed.
If you happen to work at Walmart and care, the alleged thief will be easy to spot on video. He had long white hair and was standing by the fruit case (where all the berries are) at about 9:20 AM on Sunday morning. I’d guess this wasn’t the first time (or the last) that he’s pulled that “trick.”
in Election
Mountain Accord As a Political Issue
Remember the Mountain Accord? It was that crazy plan that was going to build a tunnel from Brighton to PCMR in order to enable light rail up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Park City. Over 400 people showed up at Park City High to provide their opinion on Mountain Accord and the tunnel. Most of it was anti-Accord. Yet, that was months ago, and with the tunnel being put on “hold”, many people have cleared the Accord from their minds.
Yet the Mountain Accord is about many other things. Back country skiing. The watershed. Transportation. Corruption. Land management.
It seems the people in Salt Lake City may not have forgotten about Mountain Accord. A friend of the Park Rag emailed a letter received from a Jackie Biskupski, a candidate that is running for Salt Lake City Mayor. It included the following, “While I appreciate the effort that has gone into the Mountain Accord and the time spent trying to solve the problem of slow degradation of our canyons, this document needs someone who will look at it with a critical eye.” If you delve into her campaign you will find a scathing assessment of the Mountain Accord. She cites:
- Canyon expansion benefits a small number of Utah residents at a very high cost to residents of Salt Lake City.
- We all know the saying, “if you build it, they will come.” We should be building to meet the needs, not creating pressure for future growth by high cost expansion.
- We face great uncertainty about the impact of climate change on our canyons. We need to invest our resources in strategies that allow us to respond in a flexible manner when conditions change.
- One of the most pressing issues confronting Utah over the next few decades is water supply. Mountain Accord promises new culinary water to Alta for expansion and increased water for snowmaking purposes, a demand that is likely to increase with the expected impacts of climate change. Any promise of water rights should be nonbinding to allow for reevaluation, and contingent upon future water needs.
While those people in Salt Lake City have a large number of considerations to take into account when voting for their next Mayor, it makes me think about our local Park City elections. In a recent article, the Park Record said, “There does not seem to be an overriding issue this election season like some years in the past.” Yet, is there anything bigger to us than the Mountain Accord and the-still-possible tunnel through to PCMR? Probably not.
The question is whether any Park City City Council Candidate will bring this up as an issue this Fall. Incumbent Andy Beerman is running for a second term, sits on the Mountain Accord, and has been an ardent supporter of the Mountain Accord. Mountain Accord seems like the perfect topic to differentiate one’s candidacy.
It will be interesting to see if most candidates play small ball or whether they decide to go big with something like Mountain Accord. I understand the draw of talking about something like “fixing transportation” but the concept is so amorphous. Attacking an incumbent based on his support of Mountain Accord and the potential negative impacts not only to local citizens but on local businesses (which hire citizens) seems so much more concrete.
It should be interesting to watch over the next few months.
h/t to the friend who sent the Jackie Biskupki email
in Park City
You Don’t See This Every Day …
A reader emailed this picture of the General Lee UDOT cruising the streets of the Snyderville Basin this morning. I suppose you have to admire this driver’s creativity, and as a fan of the Dukes of Hazzard, I have to give the obligatory golf clap. Yet, slapping a confederate flag on the back of a state of Utah vehicle, given recent events, probably isn’t the smartest thing (or most racially sensitive thing) you could do.
Park City Businesses Who Take Credit Cards Face Upcoming Liability Shift
Many of us are getting geared up for the winter season. If you are a local merchant, you probably are even making more preparations. However, as you are getting ready, don’t forget about the looming change that Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are dropping on your counter starting October 1. Beginning October 1, merchants who do not use chip card readers for credit card transactions will generally be held liable for fraudulent transactions.
Traditionally, in the U.S., most credit cards were simply swiped through a magnetic card reader. However, the credit card industry found that it was too easy for criminals to make fake cards with stolen credit card numbers on them. Thieves would somehow find credit card numbers and then make up fake physical credit cards and use them at merchants. In the past, the credit card company would be responsible for any fraudulent charges. As of October 1, that liability will now be shifted to any merchant not using a chip card reader.
How do you know if you have a chip card reader currently? They are often built into a traditional credit card terminal at the bottom of the machine or is a separate little box where a credit card can be inserted. However, unless you started your business in the last year, it is likely you’ll need to upgrade to new equipment. If you are the smallest of business and use a company like Square to process credit cards through your iPad or iPhone they have you covered as well. Square has a new box they offer that reads credit card chips. The company states that they will cover any fraudulent charges from the moment you order the device.
The good news is that if you are a consumer, this “liability shift” does not generally affect you. Your credit card liability continues to be limited, as it was before.
If you are a local merchant and haven’t looked into this yet, it may be a good time to speak with your merchant account provider and better understand what this change means for your business. Nationwide, it is estimated that 80% of small businesses haven’t yet shifted over to chip card readers and this change looms as a potentially big wake up call. Park City prides itself on its small businesses, up and down Main Street, throughout Kimball Junction, and around the Basin.
While it’s likely the big guys like Vail, Walmart, and Smiths are prepared, I’d hate for some of our much-loved, local businesses to get bitten by this.
in Schools
Park City School Board Skews the Numbers to Support Their Position
Quick quiz. How much bigger is 2% than 1.1%? It’s 81% bigger (thank you HP 12C calculator).
Why does 81% matter? Potentially it’s confirmation bias and reflects skewing of numbers by the Park City School Board to support their position.
I was reviewing slides from last night’s Park City School District Board meeting related to capital needs and the school board’s bond offering. Last night’s meeting was the first public hearing where the school district was officially explaining their arguments for why we needed to expand our schools. During the meeting slides were to be presented that justified the district’s decision to rebuild the Kearns Campus and put a bond offering on this November’s ballot.
The school district has stated that they need to have all day Kindergarten to improve the performance of Hispanic students (only 9% of 11th graders were proficient in english Studies in 2014). In order to have all day kindergarten, there needs to be enough space in our elementary schools to support the addition of all day kindergarteners. The school district has argued there isn’t space given the growth that is coming to our schools. In the slide below, they state that the student population is growing at about 2% per year.
What I have issue with is that the forecasted growth says “approximately 2% annually.” Yet, in a July 21, 2015 meeting school Business Administrator Todd Hauber stated that they had hired a demographer to look at enrollment growth at Park City Schools. They came in with 3 estimates. At the low end, students would decrease by 0.3%. The mid-line estimate was 1.1% growth. The high end was 2.3%.
In an unbiased world, the slide from the school board (presented above) would state that growth is expected to be 1.1% or if you were approximating you may just say 1%… but that doesn’t sound as good as the 2% presented above.
You may say, “what’s a measly 0.9% over the estimate. Parkrag, you are just being anti schools!” Yet, what if the Park Record reported that annual student growth was that same 0.9% difference, but this time less than the annual average (instead of over the annual average like the school board presented). Perhaps they had a bias against the bond initiative. They would report that Park City Schools are spending $66 million to prepare for 0.2% growth each year. Or to put it another way, we are spending $66 million to prepare for 8 new students each year.
In my opinion, the details matter. The school district paid for a growth study and received three numbers on student growth: -.3%, +1.1%, and +2.3%. It appears they chose to present information using the very top end of the range to influence voters.
I don’t have a problem with having an opinion (god knows I have more than a few) but please, as an official school body, don’t dramatically skew the numbers to support your position. It just calls into question all the other decisions that have been made.
in Economy
Danger Park City Main Street…Danger
Reuters is reporting that the 2015 holiday season could be the weakest since the recession started in 2009:
Dollars saved at the pump are being directed to personal savings or on non-retail activities, such as holidays, instead of discretionary items.
Higher income consumers are also expected to rein in spending after seeing their stock portfolios oscillate, due to the turmoil in the global stock markets following the devaluation of the Chinese yuan and the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold off raising interest rates.
The truth is that you never know. A healthy dose of El Nino snow could change everything, but as of right now, the default forecast doesn’t look good for the holidays.
in Schools
Coming to a Mailbox Near You …
Part of the requirements of any local bond offering is to provide language, in favor of the bond offering, that will be sent to voters. This year, Park City School District is placing a bond on the ballot for $56 million to renovate and rebuild schools. Therefore they had to submit language for the postcard. Here is that language, and the school district’s justification, for the bond offering:
Argument in Favor of a $56,000,000 Bond Election Proposition
Since 2006, the Park City School District has seen 13% enrollment growth, with growth accelerating the last few years. Five of seven schools have reached capacity. Trailside Elementary installed mobile trailer classrooms this year and Parley’s Park Elementary had a summer remodel to increase classroom count. As student population grows, the goal is to provide excellent and innovative education while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
As Park City and Summit County forecast further growth, a team of citizens and educators spent over a year studying school facilities, with public input. The team developed the following, prioritized list of projects totaling $66,306,336:
- PCHS Expansion including performing arts, career programming, and gymnasium remodel – $27,500,000
- New 5/6 School at EHMS Campus – $24,800,000
- McPolin Student Safety Improvements – $1,400,000
- Treasure Mountain Junior High Demolition – $606,336
- Athletic Facilities Improvements – $12,000,000
This list addresses essential needs, only, with over 80% of the cost relating to needed classroom space.
The high school expansion includes 16 classrooms, additional music, dance, and drama facilities, specialty rooms for biomedical, engineering, and technical programs, and gymnasium improvement. The original, unimproved 1977 gym doesn’t have enough space for PE classes as we grow. Almost all students take PE class.
The new 5/6 school will be built adjacent to the current Ecker Hill school, allowing for improved programming for all courses, conforming to state definitions of elementary/secondary programming, and reducing the number of student school transitions. The school will share fields, auditorium and kitchen with the current facility that will become the 7/8 school.
The changes to McPolin mitigate safety issues and increase future expansion opportunities. The current Treasure Mountain Junior High facility has reached end of useful life, requiring major system maintenance approaching the cost of a new, greener, better laid-out school.
Athletic facilities improvements will group fields, tennis courts, and ancillary structures (locker rooms, concessions, score/press box, equipment storage, multi-use indoor practice space) to support our student athletes.
Paying for construction costs over the proposed 20-year bond term is the least taxpayer impacting way to proceed. Bond financing also speeds project completion, which limits taxpayer exposure to construction cost inflation. The more expensive alternative would be for taxpayers to fund student population growth through a higher school capital tax levy.
Because the District has completely paid off its debt and has a $19 million capital reserve, it can borrow on historically favorable terms. A portion of the total project cost, $10 million, will be paid from the capital reserve; decreasing the amount borrowed and cost to taxpayers.
If district voters pass the proposed $56 million bond, estimates show that a $639,000 average primary residence would pay $10.27 per month and a business property or second home of the same value would pay $18.68 per month. By voting YES, school district taxpayers make a cost-effective investment in public education, supporting local students and families.
in Environment
Provide Public Comment on Toll Canyon Management Plan
I will file this one under Gone But Not Forgotten. The leaders of the group CAGE (a group that fought for the environment around Park City for many years) reached out from their residence in Portland to make sure we were aware of developments related to Toll Canyon. Their thoughtful letter is worth a read:
Hello Everyone,
Greetings from the Pacific Northwest! Although we have moved to Portland, we still own our house in Summit Park and have been watching the remarkable amount of growth in Park City from afar.
We want to encourage CAGE members and any interested citizens, particularly those who were instrumental in preserving the Toll Canyon property, to voice their opinions on how this canyon should be managed (see information on the Basin Recreation District public comment opportunity on the management of Toll Canyon found at http://basinrec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/?appid=a9841c103588484496d0ac3978c3e2c0). The public comment period will close Mon. Oct. 26, 2015. All the necessary and relevant information, including how to make a public comment online can be found on that web page.
There will be two “Open House Events” in which questions can be directed to Basin Recreation. The first open house will be this Thurs. Sept. 24, 2015 at the Summit County Library in Kimball Junction (1885 W. Ute Blvd, PC, UT, 84098) from 6-8 pm. The second open house will be held Thurs. Oct. 22, 2015 at the Basin Recreation Trailside Boardroom (5715 Trailside Dr., Park City, UT 84098) from 6-8 pm.
We encourage people to read the management plan and voice their opinions. Here are some of our observations and opinions based on our reading of the plan summary:
1. Back Country Demarcation: Basin Recreation is to be commended for designating a large portion of the parcel for backcountry. The reason this parcel is so special is that the previous land owner, Jim Sorenson, managed it in a very low-impact way. This designation will help ensure the integrity and wildness of the backcountry portion of the parcel.
2. Riparian Area: The plan proposes that the trail following Toll Creek will be designated as hiking and equestrian use only, since this is a very narrow and confined trail that often has downed trees and is one of the most environmentally sensitive areas on the parcel. Although foot and horse traffic will likely increase along this trail (and potentially impact wildlife viewing), it will protect it from potentially destructive multi-purpose uses and is consistent with the conservation easement.
3. Mid-Mountain Trail Connector: There are two proposed new trails that would be multi-use, non-motorized trails and would allow mountain bikes. One trail would connect the Mid-Mountain Trail to a northern terminus/trail head. The concern we have with this Mid-Mountain connector include:
a. this trail parallels portions of existing mountain bike trails owned by the Pinebrook Homeowners Association. It seems a shame to not come to some type of agreement regarding use of the already-existing trail to minimize negative impacts on Toll Canyon;
b. this proposed trail also parallels Toll Creek and has the potential for significant impact on the wildlife due to substantially increased mountain bike traffic;
c. making this connection will turn the Mid-Mountain Trail into a “big destination” shuttle-type ride with bikers shuttling to start their ride at Guardsman’s Pass and using Toll Canyon to terminate their ride. This use has the potential for negative impacts to the wild aspects of the parcel from this increased traffic;
d. many of the trailhead parking spaces will be used for parked cars (that will be there for a long period of time), while riders complete the Mid-Mountain Trail, leaving less access for local community members and day hikers.
e. We believe an alternative route to a Northern Trailhead could be routed through the High-Ute parcel, and this warrants studying as an alternative IF as a community we believe the mid mountain trail should not be left as an out and back trail.
4. Summit Park Forest Legacy Trail Connector: Similarly, a proposed non-motorized trail (i.e. allowing mountain biking) would connect the Summit Park Forest Legacy open Space (i.e. the existing mountain bike trails on the west/southwest area of Summit Park) to the paved double-track which connects Summit Park to Pine Brook. Again, this would also create a situation where people will drive shuttles to the higher elevation while they leave their cars at the lower trail head. This will result in bikers bombing through the canyon and will severely degrade the solitude and wildlife experience visitors have of this currently serene location.
Do we want to allow mountain biking in Toll Canyon? We personally think this is not a good choice. There is ample mountain biking opportunities already available to the residents of Timberline, Summit Park and Pinebrook. There are very few places where people can hike without the presence of mountain bikes. We have nothing against mountain biking per se, but realize that there is a degradation to the hiking and wildlife viewing experience when you have to be constantly watching out for vehicles that are traveling at a high rate of speed down a rough trail. Wildlife is also more likely to be negatively impacted by the large influx of new users, which these proposed mountain bike trails will bring in to Too Canyon. One of the reasons that the canyon has been so wonderfully preserved is because the previous owner recognized these negative impacts and only approved limited access of hikers and horseback riders (with limited permits) and prohibited mountain bikes altogether.
Taking a long-range view: As Park City continues to grow, the opportunity to find wild areas will become increasingly difficult to find. If we can take a long-term view, with vision for generations of the future, we can manage this parcel in a manner that assures it does not become a high-multi-use, highly environmentally-impacted hotbox where bikers and hikers frequently conflict (think Round Valley). If we have offended mountain bikers, that is not our intention. We only hope to draw your attention to the importance of voicing your opinion about how this parcel is managed. We encourage everyone to attend the open houses and to submit their comments to Basin Recreation. And if you have never been to Toll Canyon visit it yourself on Thurs. Oct. 1, 2015 when Utah Open Lands and Basin Recreation will be hosting a hike. Meet at the Gorgoza Park Trailhead – 3863 Kilby Rd, PC, UT 84098 from 5:30-7:30. Shuttlebuses will be taking hikers to the Toll Canyon Trailhead.
We recently visited Park City after an almost 2-year absence. We were surprised to see the amount of building and change that has taken place in such a short period of time. This is why it is critical that we think long-term about how we manage the recently acquired open-space jewel of Toll Canyon. Speak up, let your voice be heard and realize that your recommendations will have an impact now and in the future.
Sancy and Craig
Parkrag
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