On September 13, residents will vote on a bond issue that, if approved, will allow us to move ahead on a series of facility improvements to Hudson High School. Some community members have asked why the district has not considered closing Washington Street, which runs between our junior high and elementary/high school building.
This issue was thoroughly discussed by our Community Task Force, beginning in 2018. At the time, an idea was brought forth to have a junior building that linked the elementary and high school buildings. Because students often travel between the two buildings for some classes, this seemed to make sense.
Considering the through traffic on Washington Street and constant pedestrian traffic, the case was further strengthened from a safety standpoint.
However, the plan also had its flaws—including high projected costs. The original estimates for the facility master plan, as proposed in 2018, was an eye popping $40+ million. So, even if that was something we were interested in pursuing, it was well beyond our financial capacity.
Still, we did our due diligence and fully explored the idea. This led to a finding that, according to the Department of Transportation, Washington Street is considered a “collector road.” To close that street, we would need to demonstrate that it no longer served a legitimate public purpose. About that same time, several members of the community shared that they were not supportive of this plan.
By then, we had gathered enough data to make the determination that closing Washington Street simply was not a viable solution.
When the taskforce reconvened in January 2022 to begin evaluating needs at our high school, the idea of closing Washington resurfaced. However, the same hurdles that existed in 2018 were still prevalent. The only missing data point was true community feedback. In 2018, we had anecdotal data from the community that suggested soft support for the plan. Before moving forward with any type of project, it needed to be poll tested in our community. We did that, and it was clear that closing Washington Street did not have enough support for further consideration.
Because of community feedback, Washington Street will remain open—regardless of how the balance of our high school renovation progresses.
At the same time, we intend to move forward with some key additions to the high school if the bond issue is approved September 13. Among other things, this will include a career and technical education center (CTE) addition. The exact location of the addition is still under consideration, but we intend to complete it in a way that does not disturb Washington Street or any other public road.
The CTE center will serve as a valuable space for classrooms and labs dedicated to our agriculture and industrial technology programs. Time and again, we have heard from local business leaders that they are continually looking for employees. They have good-paying jobs available right now that quite literally are the gateway to the middle class.
Furthermore, these jobs look quite a bit different than they did when many of us were students. Today's skilled labor force—including farmers, mechanics, and HVAC technicians—are accustomed to comfortable, clean, and climate-controlled environments. If you have been in our industrial technology building lately, you’ll probably note the building is a far cry from a modern facility that meets industry standards. It is very difficult for young people to be excited about entering these high-demand fields when we are not providing them with the right tools and environment.
So, what's the takeaway? Washington Street will remain open. The old industrial technology and agriculture building will be torn down. A new center will be built that meets industry standards and exposes our students to a clean and comfortable work environment that mirrors what they will see in today’s world of work.
Election day is Tuesday, September 13, 2022. Don't forget to vote!
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