Blue Ribbon Panel

Overview

The Board of Education established a “Blue Ribbon Panel,” comprised of leaders in our community to review the list of potential bond projects submitted by the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee (LRFPC).

Charge

The BOE desired an independent review of the outcomes from the 1999 bond and the recommendations made by the LRFPC for a potential bond. The panel reviewed the process employed by LRFPC, including the list of proposed projects using the following criteria (at a minimum): age of facilities, condition, growth, equity, and community benefit. These criteria are defined as:

1. Age of the Facilities: Generally, those buildings that are the oldest should be scheduled for renovation before those that are newest.
2. Condition of Facilities: Generally, those buildings that are in the worst condition should be scheduled for renovation before those that are in better condition. Measures of this criterion might include the facilities condition assessments performed by district facilities staff and maintenance cost.
3. Growth: The district is expecting substantial growth in the future. A reasonable allocation for growth contingency should be included.
4. Equity: The needs of every area of the district will be considered to assure fairness and impartiality.
5. Benefit to the Community: Proposed construction projects should provide maximum benefit to the greater Hermiston community.

The panel used these criteria (and any others deemed appropriate in their analysis) to determine if the process employed by LRFPC was effective and the scope and content of the projects proposed is appropriate. The panel  then made a recommendation for the most appropriate package based upon their judgment to the BOE.

Staff Cooperation

The panel is to be granted access to LRFPC reports and other documents pertinent to their investigation. Staff members in the maintenance department shall also be made available to the panel upon request.

Duration of Charge

The panel is to report their findings to the BOE in December 2007. A written summary of these findings should be provided at that time. The panel will sunset following completion of this report.

Staff Liaison

The panel will work directly with the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources who will make necessary resources and staff available to the panel.

Membership