Make PHS roof a community project
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Editor,
I read in the April 4 edition of the Valley Journal that the Polson High School has a leaky roof problem — not a new problem, but a seemingly perpetual problem. It appears that no amount of Scotch tape keeps the rain out and that previous fixes have only exacerbated the problem after birds found it to be a virtual delicatessen, creating a roofing sponge rather than a shield from the elements. The school, a place where our children spend an inordinate amount of their lives, is basically a public structure under city control, unless I’m mistaken — public, in that we, Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, all own it, are responsible for it and should be able to, as a community, come together and maintain it properly.
So, how about a good old-fashioned barn raising? Pay a local someone a reasonable sum to design an appropriate roof system for the existing school, negotiate a cost (plus 5 or 10 percent materials deal with a local materials company), and then use volunteer manpower to accomplish the task — to include students from the high school or local vocational school for a little on-the-job training. I’m sure the City of Polson can come up with these dramatically reduced funds as opposed to the published proposal with built-in higher costs (that the city likely cannot afford without looking for a “grant” or “borrowing” the funds that they don’t have from somewhere else, like our children’s futures). Why do we resort to throwing money at a problem when a little elbow grease is all that’s needed?
Talk about an opportunity for a “community project” to bring people together and perform a necessary and noble task while “envisioning” a better Polson and utilizing what made this valley of pioneers special……gee, a fit made in heaven, without outside intervention. Have we become such a litigious society that we refuse to defend our own moral values or act with the good sense we should have inherited from our ancestors.
Nope, guess not, better to just use the “fast food” method and finance the deal with money we don’t have while benefiting only the design and construction outfits for a day or two of gainful employment.
Michael Gale
Ronan
