Library park gets graded

March 31, 2008

By a surprising 7-2 vote, the Muscogee school board Monday night made an abrupt U-turn in its plans for a new administration building off Macon Road.

It decided not to build a controversial $30 million school district headquarters on land adjacent to the Columbus Public Library, and instead voted to move 37 portable classrooms there from local schools and use them as administrative offices.

'This is really the most cost-effective solution, when you think about it,' said board member John Wails.

The value of the money saved and the message conveyed by reusing portables instead of constructing a new office building is difficult to measure, said at-large board member Catty Williams.

'I believe that by moving our top administrators into a Midtown mobile home park, we send a clear message that here in Columbus, Georgia, we value education,' she said.

Increasing the allure of this plan is that many voters feel they were promised a park near the library during a 1999 sales tax campaign.

'Terms like 'park' and 'landscaping' can mean many things,' said school board attorney George Vega. 'So let's settle this once and for all: If we said 'park,' we meant a mobile home park, OK?'

Gosh McKoon of the Education Park Coalition said: 'Check the record and you'll see that in 1999, we were told 'a green space and a park will find residence alongside the new library.' This is neither.'

This is both, Vega countered: 'The park will be a mobile home park and the green space will be the landscaping around it.' As defined in a 2007 library land-use agreement between Columbus Council and the school board, 'landscaping' can include stone walls, paved walkways and wooden decks -- all of which enhance portable housing, he said.

Among the board members switching sides on the issue was Philip Sly. He said local leaders now must look beyond aesthetics and focus on restoring public trust.

'I went back and listened to what I said at earlier school board meetings, and I want to apologize,' he said during Monday's meeting. 'I particularly want to apologize to board member White Fifeside and ask that he reconsider his decision not to seek re-election this year.'

Wiping back tears of reconciliation, the two then shared a long hug.

Administrators were pleased to know the money that would have been spent on their offices now will go to constructing new classrooms to replace the portables.

'And yet we still will be able to consolidate our offices in a central location,' said Superintendent John Phillups. 'Having parents register their kids for school in a mobile home can't be any worse than the Roberts Center.'

To maintain an administrative hierarchy, the Macon Road site will be graded into terraces descending like stair steps south toward Rigdon Road Elementary School. The superintendent's portable will be at the highest elevation, with subordinates below.

In keeping with its design, location and educational use, the office complex will be known as 'Macon Grades.'

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