The results of a JCHS Steering Committee poll have been released.
Geary USD 475 Interim Superintendent Dr. Beth Hudson said the poll is preliminary.
The poll, in part revealed that:
97% favor a new school with all grades, 9 through 12
90% favor a new site for a new high school as oppose to the current site
57% percent are in favor of moving forward with the new school with no tax increase
43% are willing to support a 2 mil tax increase
NOBODY favored a 4 mil tax increase
This poll is being stressed as preliminary – numbers and viewpoints may change.
The Steering Committee is studying the possibility of a new Junction City High School and will make a recommendation on the issue to the Board of Education in February.
Different options for a new school have ranged from projects that would not increase the property tax levy, or a 2 or 4 mil increase.
When Saint Xavier School and Parish officials began a capital fundraising campaign this past fall they had a feasibility study that had been done that showed they could expect to raise between $700,000 and $850,000. Father Gale Hammerschmidt announced at the ‘Freezin for a Reason’ Celebration on Saturday that the pledges have exceeded $900,000.
“We’ve been receiving pledges now for about two-and-a-half weeks, and we’re up over $900,000. So we’re really excited about what that can do for our school, our church, just for our whole parish.”
The funds will primarily be used to upgrade facilities. “There are some things that we need to just improve. We need to be more handicapped accessible, we have a new roof that we need to put on, a lot of those kind of things. We’re excited that now we’re going to have the capacity to do that.”
Capital Campaign Co-Chair Kurt Leistner stated it was outstanding. ” We exceeded our expectations pretty much there.” Leistner stated. “Everybody stepped up to the plate, and we worked really hard.” On the Saint Xavier parish he said, “It’s just a great parish. It just keeps getting better and better here. And Father Gale, he’s an inspiration to us, he kept us motivated.”
Leistner added the funds will be collected over a three year period, meaning the projects that will fund can be done over a three to four year period.
Father Gale Hammerschmidt after a polar plunge into Milford Lake at the St. Xavier Freezin for a Reason Celebration
Parish and community members gathered Saturday at the Flagstop Resort and RV Park for the Freezin for a Reason Celebration, which celebrated Saint Francis Xavier Day, and kicked off the celebration of the 150th year of existence for the parish. That included a two-mile fun run, a polar plunge into the cold waters of Milford Lake, and lunch from Cox Brothers Barbecue. Saint Xavier School Principal Shawn Augustine confirmed that the event raised approximately $10,000.
Father Hammerschmidt said the group that made the polar plunge into the lake included in addition to himself and Shawn Augustine, some teachers, two other priests, and Coach Randall Zimmerman. Father Hammerschmidt led the group into the lake, but they played a joke on him. After getting into the water he turned around and saw the rest of them standing on the shore and applauding him. No one else ran into the lake. But…..finally….the rest of them entered the water.
Saint Xavier School Principal Shawn Augustine before the Polar Plunge
In honor of the Patron Saint, Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School and Parish will celebrate the Saint Francis’ Feast Day on December 3rd.
The celebration of Saints isn’t an uncommon practice in many communities, like the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, or St. Nicholas (actual Feast Day is December 6th).
‘Freezin for a Reason’ will take place on Saturday, December 3rd – the feast day for St. Francis Xavier – and begin with 8:00 am mass at Saint Xavier’s Church located at 218 N Washington Street in Junction City.
Following mass, community members will meet at the Flag Stop Resort and RV Park in Milford for the 10:00 am Two Mile Fun Run. Registration for the Fun Run begins at 9:00 am. The top three male and female finishes will receive a trophy, and an additional 20 participants will receive medals that playfully read, “I beat Father Gale”. Father Gale Hammerschmidt has challenged students at St. Xavier’s Catholic School that he is the fastest man in the county.
Immediately following the run will be the Frozen Plunge – a frosty dive into Milford Lake at 11:00 am. Lunch catered by Cox Brothers Barbecue will be served afterward.
This event is open to the community, and serves as a fundraiser for Saint Xavier’s Catholic School.
There is support for a new Junction City High School project.
It does not appear unanimous, but as members of the JCHS Steering Committee learn more about the project, particularly the proposed financing method which would result in no increase or a very small increase in the property tax levy, the support is growing.
Robert Munson was one who listened to a presentation Thursday evening by district staff and architects. Hecalled it a unique opportunity that exists here . He cited the projected $45 million in federal heavily impacted aid the district expects to receive, and the state aid formula that would provide 48% of the funding for a project. Munson stated, “The time is now to do a project like this.” He added there is an opportunity to do good things in the community with the way the finances are structured here.
City Commissioner Pat Landes observed the negative views on this project are due in part to the past, but he noted the City is now paying their debt and the biggest part will be retired by 2029. This year the City fixed streets with no debt. Landes said people have to separate the past with what this project is, and observed, “we’re providing something for our kids.”
Mayor Mick McCallister noted that he has received 33 telephone calls on the topic this week, and in 25 of them he couldn’t get a word in edge-wise. He stated people are looking at the past and do not want more debt. McCallister said the communication and education effort is not reaching the people who are going to vote. It has to be an educational effort.
Others noted that this is for the youth of the community, kids need something to be proud of, and that the focus should be on the youth and not on what happened in 2008.
Mark Edwards, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, noted that he felt you are either for the project or you are not. “We owe it to our community. This is federal money, military money, coming to our community.” And he added the military is watching, and would like to see a world class high school here. Edwards urged the committee and school officials to look at who votes, adding if there is not a great job of selling this to voters “we’ll run out of opportunity here.”
Cost estimates on a new school range from $85 million to $105 million. The project could be undertaken with no increase in the property tax levy, or there are options that could increase the levy by either two or four mills, depending on the size of the school and the location. The site could be at the current JCHS location or on the west side of the city where two 160 acre tracts of land have been identified.
One idea that received mention is that it would be a hard sell to tear down the Al Simpler Stadium, and perhaps that location on the current JCHS site could be made into a sports area. Then as an example, tennis courts and a football field would not have to developed at a new site on the west side of town. At this point no final decisions have been made on that.
The committee did vote by show of hands to move back the time frame on submitting their recommendation on the school project. Instead of going to the BOE in January, a majority of the committee voted to submit the recommendation in February.The Committee wanted to push the recommendation back to a later date to allow more time for a town hall meeting, where more of the information they have heard can be shared with the community before going to the Board of Education.
Upcoming meetings for committee members include a tour of Fort Riley Middle School on December 8th, and a regular committee meeting at the senior high on December 15th.
Steering committee listening to a presentation by USD 475 Business Operations Director Bill Clark
The 33rd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony took place on Fort Riley’s Ware Parade Field on Thursday, December 1st.
1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley acting Senior Commander Brig. Gen. Frank took during the ceremony to thank the families of deployed soldiers. “It is always difficult when a soldier is deployed over the Holidays as Army families celebrate their family traditions here in the United State; these families know the sacrifices that their soldiers make to accomplish the mission – that doesn’t make their absence any easier, but our families actually live the 1 ID motto – duty first.”
Neviah Brown, daughter of Sgt Morris Brown and Estella Chavez, daughter of Sgt. Israel Chavez joined Brig. Gen. Patrick Frank, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley acting Senior Commander to flip the switch and light the Christmas tree. Brown and Israel are deployed and will not be with their children and families over the Holiday season.
The evening was capped off with the arrival of Santa Claus, and holiday carols.
On November 30, 2016 at approximately 1:15 pm a citizen was walking the paths at Helland Park in the 1300 block of West 8th Street when he observed a subject lying on the ground unresponsive with apparent injury.
Officers were dispatched to the location and observed the victim, later identified as 21 year old Joseph Michael Nelson, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.
The JCPD believes this death was not criminal in nature, but a complete investigation is being conducted. An autopsy is scheduled for December 1st.
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Junction City Police Investigations Captain Chuck Leithoff provided an update Thursday morning on the death investigation that commenced Wednesday when officers responded to the area of 8th Street and Rucker Road in reference to a body located in the wood line.
Upon arrival officers located a 21-year old white man deceased. While no foul play is suspected at this time the case is being investigated by detectives. An autopsy is scheduled later on Thursday.
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Junction City police report that a death investigation is under way.
Officers responded Wednesday afternoon at 1:15 to the area of 8th Street and Rucker Road for a report of a deceased subject. No other information has been released at this time.
A new status check date has been set in Geary County District Court for the man accused in the I-70 traffic fatality deaths of three members of a Junction City family in November.
The next status check for 42 year old Steven Johnson has been scheduled on January 12th. His first status check was held yesterday.
According to County Attorney Steve Opat, formal court charges have been filed against 42 year old Johnson of Houston, Texas including three counts of involuntary manslaughter, plus one each of DUI and improper driving on a laned roadway.
Johnson was the driver of an Eastbound truck on Interstate 70 which went across the Interstate median into the Westbound lanes of the Interstate near Grandview Plaza, and hit a Ford 500 driven by 26 year old Jessica Michelle Thompson of Junction City. She and her children, five year old Leah and six year old Jaydon died as a result of the accident.
Johnson is incarcerated in the Geary County Detention Center. His bond remains at $250,000.
Rezac Auditorium at Manhattan High School’s West Campus was the site of an open forum held by the USD 383 Board of Education to hear arguments and pleas in favor and against eradicating the Indian mascot.
The Indian mascot was born in 1940 after the student body voted to change it in honor of their beloved football coach. Frank Prentup, a Native American man of the Tuscarora tribe turned the Varsity team from a 0-10 record to 7-3 – becoming a local hero. Students, staff, and fans alike affectionately referred to him as “Chief” and they voted to become his Indians.
Prentup’s son, Duke Prentup spoke on behalf of the family saying that the Indian mascot is an “iconic, spiritual, wonderful part of MHS history and heritage” and that it is only “insulting to those that want to be insulted.” Naturally, Prentup’s remarks garnered a roaring applause from the many community members deeply committed to retaining the mascot.
MHS Senior Gabriella Radina said that the Indian mascot represents a legacy. “No matter what we change our mascot to, someone will be offended…the traits that [Prentup] really pushed here at MHS and stood for are positive traits that all of our students should learn, to have courage, tenacity, especially during this time where we have a lot of tension and displaying these traits and learning what Coach Prentup taught and learning how to honor Native Americans and stand for a minority instead of standing for a majority is something that would really strengthen our students.”
Those in favor of changing the mascot cited the misuse of the mascot by rival teams in sporting events.
MHS student-athletes attended the open forum proudly wearing their Indian gear and saying “I will always be an Indian no matter what”.
Laverne Bitsie-Baldwin, mother of two MHS students, and a member of the Navajo tribe said that the mascot deeply offends her and many other people. Baldwin said when people of other races/ethnicities are honored, a building is named after them, or a street, or field – they are not dehumanized and made a mascot. “Would you allow people to say, ‘I’m Asian, I’m Black, or my kids are going to be Asian, my kids are going to be Black’ just by going to a school; it is a misrepresentation of what it means to be an Indigenous person in this country.”
One student remarked, “offensive is an overused word – the mascot is wrong.”
MHS Parent Richard Gehring argued what if the mascot were an actual person from India, an East Indian rather than an “American Indian”. “What if we had instead of a man with a feather headdress, a man with a turban, what if we used the term caste instead of tribe.,” said Gehring. “Why do we think that it’s okay to do that to Native American Indians?”
The mascot was drawn by Native American artist Brent Yancey.
According to student surveys presented at the forum, 84% of students were in favor of retaining the mascot, 13% had no opinion and 3% voted to change it.
The auditorium was split down the middle – those in favor of reimaging largely sat on the right, and those in favor of retaining on the left.
The Board of Education heard statements from dozens of supporters and those who wish to see the mascot changed. A final decision will be made at the December 7th Board meeting.
A large crowd attend the mascot forum at Manhattan’s
The Fourth of July Sundown Salute celebration in Junction City this year finished $32,000 in the red. That money is still owed creditors.
A meeting of local citizens on Tuesday produced a consensus to approach attorney Vic Davis about possible reorganization of the event. He will be asked to sign over Sundown Salute Inc. to a new board of directors. The group determined that in 1987 Davis was the head of Sundown Salute when it was incorporated and there was an additional three-person board of directors who oversaw the celebration.
City Commissioner Jim Sands said Sundown Salute needs structure. “We have got to have the board, we have got to have the chair. We have folks that show up at every meeting, but we don’t act like the board. We act like we approve what our chair says and we’ve got to do a little bit more. We’ve got to give some assistance, whoever is leading this.”
Longtime Sundown Salute executive director Sharon Glessner has resigned. She indicated to JC Post that she does not want to be on a committee, but would like to remain as a consultant for the celebration.
There is also sentiment to form two committees, one that would work to raise the $200,000-plus amount needed for Sundown Salute in 2017, and another to work on making up the $32,000 debt still owed. It is possible in a restructuring the name Sundown Salute could be retained, or it could be changed.
Right now the dates for the celebration next July have not been set.
It’s come up once, twice and then again – the proposed new high school project.
City and county leaders had the opportunity to hear the proposal from School District officials during the November 28th joint City – County meeting. Not surprisingly, many elected leaders are choosing to stay neutral on the issue.
Geary County USD 475 may be facing an uphill battle in gaining the trust of the community, especially when it’s leaders are remaining mum.
Hugh Davis, USD 475 Executive Director of Communications, said that elected official’s public support will be essential for this proposed projection to come to fruition. “This is a community decision and it has a very big community impact as we talk about the future decline or growth of Junction City we have to look at where does this project fit in the economic growth of Junction City.”
Former School Board member Mark Roeser expressed strong opposition to the new school proposal pointing to a depressed market, difficulty running businesses in Geary County,and a lack of expected growth in the community amongst other things.
One JC Post user (delmar) commented: “This whole issue has been completely mishandled from the beginning. Secret gatherings to create a quasiofficial committee, meetings held at times inaccessible to many citizens, sudden pronouncements out of nowhere about previously unknown ‘options’. I believe these decisions are going to alienate the voters the issue will need to pass.”
Davis said that he believes those types of sentiments are the result of a lack of understanding. “They’re confusing a proposal with options that are being discussed…there is no secret meetings, we’ve been discussing in Board meetings our plans in terms of what the Board of Education charged us with doing early on which was to put a steering committee together and that was done at a public session, at a Board meeting, and then every Board meeting since we have shared information that has come from that committee.”
As for the sharp criticism of the District, Davis said that they have tried to incorporate community feedback as much as possible. “Everyone has an opinion and we are striving to get those opinions from the Steering Committee and then going a little bit extra and including a telephone [and online] community survey to get in put on people’s thoughts and comments on where they think the District should go in terms of renovating, building new, or building at a new site and how we should finance it.”
Board of Education meetings are public, and the schedule can be viewed here. Davis said that all Steering Committee meetings are held in the Cafeteria at Junction City High School and not closed off to the public. For more information the Steering Committee meetings click here.
A new high school facility could be the deciding factor for military families choosing where to live or to send their children to school, as well as potentially hosting state tournaments – something that can not be done at the school’s current state, according to Davis.
The results of a JCHS Steering Committee poll have been released.
