As the district released the final count on the school bond vote, the Friends of Reynolds Field, a group that lobbied against it, issued a statement.
From the voting booths:
1,027 Yes
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1,543 No
Absentee ballots:
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33 Yes
52 No
Grand totals:
1,060 Yes
1,595 No
Read last night's report here.
Spokesman Dan Lemon told Patch last night that Friends of Reynolds Field appreciated the turnout and called for a constructive, structured community dialog to work out the issues and challenges that have become clear.
Here is the statement in its entirety:
We’d like to thank all the residents of Hastings for coming out to vote after following an intense discussion about a complex issue for many weeks. We believe they made a sound decision by a large majority to reject the bond proposal. We also believe that the community’s decision sets the stage for a new and better solution for Reynolds Field. Such a successful solution can only arise from a process that seeks broad input and genuinely uses it to build consensus around a plan. The exit poll filled out by some voters will be inadequate by itself for that purpose, and will need to be supplemented by more thorough engagement of stakeholders. It is our impression that the critical issues motivating voters were the high $4.6 million price tag, the environmental impact of a plastic field and the imminent disruption of a cherished central village resource.
We also hope for a time of healing the ragged edges that now exist between the opposing groups as a result of the intense debate leading up to the vote. The adults and students who have poured their energies and their resources into this issue need to take the steps now to move on constructively. We will make ourselves available to the greatest extent possible to facilitate that process.
The worst aftermath of this vote would be an attempt by the Board and supporters of the bond to maneuver around the voting outcome. The best result would be a decision by everyone to come together in a structured dialogue or Charrette, joining forces and tapping our considerable communal creativity to solve a challenging, but not insurmountable, problem. We strongly hope for the best result, and we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work to help realize it.
The Friends of Reynolds field is a large and diverse group of residents, including those with children in all levels of our schools, and those with children who went through the Hastings schools.
Friends of Reynolds Field info@savereynoldsfield.org
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