[ Contents | Posting form | Next | Previous | Up ]
Name: Helen D. Gunderson
Category: Former Rolfe student
Year: 1963
Contact: gunderson@globalccs.net
Remote Name: 207.199.197.31
Date: February 14, 2006
Time: 01:11 AM
I just returned to Gilbert from Pocahontas where I attended a hearing held by the board of the Pocahontas Area Community School District at 7 pm tonight at the district's central office. The hour is now well past midnight, and even though my Honda Civic didn’t turn into a pumpkin, I feel quite weary after the nearly two-hour drive. So here is a quick report on the hearing that was held to determine what to do with the gym and other buildings in the east wing of the Rolfe school and all the school property east of the railroad tracks.
To the best of my memory, those persons sitting at the board table included: Superintendent Joseph Kramer, who is in his first year with the PAC district; Diane Pattee, board secretary; Jim Hudson, Sr., attorney for the school district; the president of the board; three board members from the Rolfe area; and two other board members. Andrew Woiwood, the middle school principal, was also present. And I am assuming that the other staff member at the meeting was Lynn Moody, the elementary school principal. About 35 visitors were present, crowding the room with some people standing in the hallway.
Jim Hudson, Sr. (a native of Pocahontas and a Poky graduate most likely some time in the 1940s) spoke at length about the purpose of the hearing then essentially moderated the hearing. Rolfe’s mayor, Al Kuchenreuther (RHS 1974), spoke about the resolution adopted by the Rolfe city council at its meeting on February 4 that asked the PAC school board to give the property to the town of Rolfe. Bill Winkleblack (RHS 1972) of Rolfe Betterment Incorporated spoke in support of the resolution as did other people. One thing that Bill made clear is that the city of Rolfe has no interest in maintaining responsibility for all the property and that some, if not all of it, could be sold.
The important point that Al, Bill, and the others made was that Rolfe should have the final say over what happens to the property. Even George Tuttle, Mayor of Pocahontas, spoke to that point. (George attended school in the town of Ware, then graduated from the Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Pocahontas in about 1962.) He suggested that at some future date, the town of Pocahontas might be faced with an analogous situation with the school board needing to dispose of a Pocahontas school building and that the Pocahontas community would certainly want the final say over the decision. He said things are no different in the situation with the Rolfe school, and that the Rolfe community should have the final say over what happens with the school property within its city limits.
Coming into the meeting, the school board already had a bid $500 for the school property in Rolfe east of the tracks. Some visitors raised the bid with the highest bid at $3,500. However, many of the persons who bid on the property said that they preferred the property be given to the town of Rolfe so that they could deal directly with the town and negotiate zoning issues before they finalized their offers on the property. It sounds like some viable businesses are interested in the property, and that their use of it could bring economic growth to the town of Rolfe, which in the long run would benefit the entire school district. At least one bidder, Martin Zaug, spoke negatively about the ability of the town and RBI to viably handle the transfer of the property. I looked for Martin on www.switchboard.com, and it appears he is either from West Bend or Ottosen.
In the end, school board member, Dan Duitscher (RHS 1984), moved that the board honor the resolution from the Rolfe city council and give the property to the town of Rolfe. The motion was seconded by John Behrendsen (RHS 1980), and it passed unanimously. Jeff Kerns (RHS 1978) was the third member of the board who represents the Rolfe area. Jim Hudson, Sr. will draw up the appropriate legal paperwork to finalize the transaction.
It is not clear in my mind whether there will need to be another hearing — one more chance for the board to hear public input on tonight’s decision. But whether there is another hearing or not, it seems like it is now a done deal that the school district will give the property to the town of Rolfe. Now the ball is in Rolfe's court.
I hope that the Rolfe city council and RBI use every appropriate communication channel, including the town's web site and this message board, to keep local citizens and the school's diaspora informed about the process of deciding the fate of the property. I wish them well in finding viable solutions.
Enough said for now. Good night.
A post script note: three members of the Rolfe City Council were among the visitors at the meeting. They included: Gloria Pauluk Gunderson (a Minnesota native who came to Rolfe in 1971 as an elementary school teacher), Richard Higgins (a Gilmore City native), and Rick Johnson (RHS 1974).