Moses Lake school bond: Time to work together

If the court challenges and responses to the contested Moses Lake bond election are over, we think it’s time to work together. An opportunity to do so presents itself from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, April 17 at a community visioning night held at the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center. School officials are asking the public for help and input to develop a vision for what 21st-century learning likes as part of the bond construction project.

The $135 million bond request was narrowly approved by three votes, or 60.03 percent, in a contested election on Feb. 14. A group of six voters asked the court to annul the election results. Questions arose because the county auditor’s office allegedly didn’t follow up by phone with voters whose ballots had missing or “irregular” signatures compared to what was on file at the courthouse. In response, a group of bond supporters asked the court to uphold the election results and had legal representation to argue the case during a Monday hearing. During the hearing, Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz ruled to uphold the election.

We’ve not been made formally aware of other challenges. And if that’s the case, it is time for our community to help district officials form a vision for modern learning in Moses Lake. The visioning night on April 17 will carve out time for discussion and give the public a chance to provide feedback to the architectural firm handling the project.

The plans are to build a new 1,600-student high school at the corner of Paxson Drive and Valley Road. The bond also includes funds to build a new 450-student elementary school and make upgrades to the existing Moses Lake High School.

Needless to say, there are many details to finalize as well as the larger vision as a whole.

There’s plenty to discuss, and it’s better to come together as a community to make it all happen. Please save the date and attend the visioning night with an open mind.

— Editorial Board