Mental Alterations
I would like to add several items to the chart on the Site Selection Ballot. I raised my hand to do that at the public meeting when Marvin asked what should be added, but he didn't see my hand--probably not surprising since I was sitting along an outside aisle. I said it later instead. I would also choose a different descriptor on at least one item.
It's a 3-column chart with the center column naming a factor such as "Accessibility." The two outside columns rate each location on that factor, using describing words. The format was very easy to read and the effort was a help in creating clarity.
On site prep costs, I would choose the words "Expensive"" and "Less Expensive"" rather than "Expensive"" and "Minimal Cost." As I recall the numbers the lower number is between 1/3 and 1/2 of the other, and I think $37,000 does not sound like a minimal cost.
On the future expansion potential, I note simply that the Partridge Road site has plenty of room for as much expansion as needed for a school. The original chart calls the potential "limited." If we could have considered the community building possibility as a separate item--to be constructed elsewhere possibly, this line would say "Adequate" for both locations. Also, as soon as the combined high school and grade school become a reality, the Distance to Pilgrim High factor would read "zero" in both columns.
The two factors I would like to add are "Opportunity Cost" and "Natural Environment". I should probably define "opportunity cost". It means something everyone is very familiar with--something like this: If you do one thing, it often makes another thing impossible. For example, if you go the the youth group activity on a Thursday evening, you won't be able to be at home studying during that time. Or, if you decide to travel to Europe in early July, you won't be present for the family reunion on July 4.
In our case, the specific opportunity cost I see has to do with location for a business and for wise stewardship of productive farmland. The Dean Road property is ideal as a business location, but it will never be used for that if we build there. It's also very good farmland. It will likely never be returned to production if we build there. On the flip side of this issue is the reality that a school/community building location does not require ideal farmland or an ideal business location. Granted, neither business or agriculture are priorities above all others, but it's clear to me that on both counts the Partridge Road site would have minimal "opportunity cost" and the Dean Road site would have a high "opportunity cost."
On "Natural Environment" the Dean Road property has minimal appeal while the Partridge Road property has extravagant appeal.
Because I believe them to reflect reality I will mentally make these alterations on the chart before I cast my ballot.
It's a 3-column chart with the center column naming a factor such as "Accessibility." The two outside columns rate each location on that factor, using describing words. The format was very easy to read and the effort was a help in creating clarity.
On site prep costs, I would choose the words "Expensive"" and "Less Expensive"" rather than "Expensive"" and "Minimal Cost." As I recall the numbers the lower number is between 1/3 and 1/2 of the other, and I think $37,000 does not sound like a minimal cost.
On the future expansion potential, I note simply that the Partridge Road site has plenty of room for as much expansion as needed for a school. The original chart calls the potential "limited." If we could have considered the community building possibility as a separate item--to be constructed elsewhere possibly, this line would say "Adequate" for both locations. Also, as soon as the combined high school and grade school become a reality, the Distance to Pilgrim High factor would read "zero" in both columns.
The two factors I would like to add are "Opportunity Cost" and "Natural Environment". I should probably define "opportunity cost". It means something everyone is very familiar with--something like this: If you do one thing, it often makes another thing impossible. For example, if you go the the youth group activity on a Thursday evening, you won't be able to be at home studying during that time. Or, if you decide to travel to Europe in early July, you won't be present for the family reunion on July 4.
In our case, the specific opportunity cost I see has to do with location for a business and for wise stewardship of productive farmland. The Dean Road property is ideal as a business location, but it will never be used for that if we build there. It's also very good farmland. It will likely never be returned to production if we build there. On the flip side of this issue is the reality that a school/community building location does not require ideal farmland or an ideal business location. Granted, neither business or agriculture are priorities above all others, but it's clear to me that on both counts the Partridge Road site would have minimal "opportunity cost" and the Dean Road site would have a high "opportunity cost."
On "Natural Environment" the Dean Road property has minimal appeal while the Partridge Road property has extravagant appeal.
Because I believe them to reflect reality I will mentally make these alterations on the chart before I cast my ballot.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
6:19 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home