By approving a conditional use permit to allow the Children’s Kiva Montessori School to be housed in the business district on North Beech, the majority of City Council members have once again proven that they do not have the best interest of the community at heart. Not only are they wasting our tax dollars to build sidewalks, put in a crosswalk and hang school signs for what is supposed to be a temporary placement for the school, they are also placing the children in a potentially dangerous situation. They pass laws making it illegal for a business that sells liquor or marijuana to open within a certain perimeter of a school, but they then allow a school to move into the same restricted area. How is this protecting the children?
Tom Butler seems to be the only member that actually did his due diligence and saw the impracticality of the proposal. Wouldn’t it be more feasible to temporarily house the charter school in the old high school building which is sitting empty? There is plenty of parking and sidewalks and it is in a much safer area than North Beech. There is a play field for the children and a gymnasium in the same building. No need to be putting the children in harm’s way by having them going back and forth across North Beech. I will no longer monetarily support the Children’s Kiva Montessori School as it does not appear that the officials of the school have the best interest and safety of the children at the forefront of their decisions. Putting the school in this high-traffic area, where many will have to cross Main Street at a very dangerous intersection, is not in the best interest of the children. Putting the school in close proximity to a marijuana shop and several establishments that sell liquor is not in the best interest of the children.
Jodie Henley
Cortez