Neighbor
brings gym
considerations to school board
By STERRY BUTCHER
MARFA – A Marfa homeowner asked
for consideration from the school district in the placement of a new gym
facility planned next to his residence.
Stuart Isgur
owns the
“The only reason there’s a
for-sale sign in front of my house is that we didn’t want to live next to a
30-foot wall,” Isgur told trustees. “It is impacting
my family’s enjoyment of the house.”
Isgur
offered several alternatives to locating the gym and a lighted parking area
there. He could buy the lots from the district and the gym could go elsewhere;
the district could buy his house; the gym could be built on the practice field
and the lots next to the house could become the practice field.
The current placement of the gym
may violate standing city ordinances on zoning setbacks and parking
regulations, he pointed out. He worried that its presence would diminish the
value of his house. Perhaps an independent appraiser could determine the
diminished value of his property, he suggested, and the district could pay that
amount to Isgur in installments over the course of
several years.
“Everyone on this board is ready
for the gym to be built,” said Trustee Raul Lara.
“I’m not fighting the gym,” Isgur clarified.
Board President Yvonne Lujan
thanked Isgur for giving the board information about
the issue.
“I like the option of looking into
purchasing the home,” added Trustee Eddie Pallarez,
and there was a round of nods at the table. “We’re looking for housing. We’re
not a wealthy ISD, but this would be something good for the budget committee to
look into.”
No action was taken on the
homeowner’s request for consideration, although Trustee Paul Hunt offered to
talk with Isgur about the board’s reasoning for
placing one of the gyms at that site. Consensus was that a dialogue about the
issue would continue.
There was no formal update on the
design or construction of the gyms at Monday’s meeting. Coach Ruth McWilliams,
however, did suggest that a bit of extra space be found in the competitive gym
for a girls’ weight room.
Right now, the girls and boys
share the weight facility at the field house. Weight equipment that is
appropriate for girls is lighter, smaller, and a bit different than it is for
boys, McWilliams explained.
“It’d be good for the girls’
program,” she said. “It’d be a way for the girls to get in the weight room
without the pressure of having to share.”
The board was agreeable and
brainstormed that there might be room created by the removal of a stage once
planned for the gym. Pallarez suggested that a spot
might be created from otherwise un-used space beneath the bleachers. It
wouldn’t take much, said McWilliams.
“Just sheetrock and a rubberized
floor and the girls could start fundraising to buy the weights,” she said.
No action was needed, but
McWilliams’ request will be forwarded to the project architect.
In other district business, school
board trustees:
• accepted the resignation of
librarian Martha Mendoza, effective March 2008.
• authorized a 40-month contract
with the General Land Office as an electrical provider.
• approved an engagement letter
with auditor Craig Gibson of
• renamed the budget committee the
Budget/Finance Committee. Committee members include Trustees Raul Lara, Elvia Agan, Jessie Molinar, Principals Graydon
Hicks and Liana Sawyer, Business Manager Vicky Sanchez, and Superintendent Swinnea.