Bids totaling more than $32 million for the new Lincoln Park Middle School are up for approval at next week's Duluth School Board meeting.
If approved, the majority of work for the project can commence. The board discussed the project at Monday night's business committee meeting.
Member Art Johnston said it was foolish to vote on the bids with a pending lawsuit to stop the project and because of the November Plan B vote. The lawsuit, filed in April by three Duluth residents, contends that the city's planning commission and the district didn't adequately consider the project's environmental impact.
"The community doesn't want it," Johnston said. "We should not be doing this."
Board Chairman Tim Grover said the board has not been told by legal
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counsel that it shouldn't move forward. He also noted that he grew up in the area where the new school is to be built and said residents and business owners in Lincoln Park are excited about a new school.
"I just do not hear the negativity," he said. "It's just not there."
Member Judy Seliga Punyko agreed, saying western middle school naysayers are in the minority.
Member Gary Glass said there are more reasonably priced alternatives to
building a new middle school, including using one of the schools meant to be vacated.
"This is the most extravagant decision that this board is making," he said.
The board also will approve layoffs of tenured teachers and eliminate positions next week, although the total number of each was unavailable at Monday night's meeting.
