I've been thinking for a while about spending time in Copenhagen. Today I discovered the perfect time and reason to be there.

I'm planning on returning to school fall 2008, and I've thought that a semester in Copenhagen would be a wonderful complement to my education. But the timing of that semester has been kind of up in the air for me.

Today I found out that the U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen will be in December of 2009. Perfect. After a year at SPEA I can go to Europe in the Summer of 2009, take class in Copenhagen in the Fall, and then attend (and hopefully play some role) in the climate change conference that will take place at the end of the semester.

Hooray for happy coincidences. :)

Richland Bean Blossom School Board

The RBBSB covered one issue of import in the meeting we covered last night: the proposal to issue a bond to cover the costs of a new junior high school and renovations/additions to the current high school. The total cost of the project was slated at something like $83 million.

To give some background: RBB schools cover the areas including and surrounding Ellettsville, Indiana. There are around 19,000 residents in the area covered. It isn't a particularly affluent area, but certainly isn't poor. It is worth noting that the area used to be supported by jobs from several local factories in the immediate area. These factories have now left town or are in the process of doing so.

So a small town is talking about taking out a 20-year loan that will cost members of of that community something like $4500 each over that period of time. That wouldn't seem all that burdensome if property taxes were low or if the economy was booming. But neither of those is the case. Ellettsville's area is bleeding good jobs, and their property taxes have nearly doubled in the last couple of years, according to some citizens who spoke last night.

I think this is a worrisome action. They are putting a significant burden on the residents of that township for the next 20 years. While the new school and renovations to the high school will certainly be an improvement, I'm not sure it is a sound investment.

They are talking about a 4 million dollar outlay every year. It seems to me that the school corp could easily contract 4 million in improvements every year and gradually build things up, but not obligate themselves to such a huge outlay at once.

I really like the idea of having a small team of workers on retainer at the school system. A team of 10 experienced workers could make $50,000 each per year and only cost the school corp a half-million. That would leave 3.5 million for materials out of their projected budget. You can easily build a couple of new classrooms, or seriously renovate sections of existing school for that much money.

Plus, one of the downsides of this huge bond is that their projects were estimated at $56 million. But after interest and administration of the bond, they end up paying something like $83 million total. If they paid their $4 million yearly into immediate, non-financed repairs and renovations, they could end up with $80 million in direct improvements to the schools. They would gain $27 million in capital improvements just by paying as they go instead of in a big chunk right now. That seems like a no-brainer to me.

So I'm waiting on Melissa to arrive so we can go film the Richland Bean Blossom School Board meeting. I've never done this board, but school board meetings usually strike me as more annoying than other meetings. Maybe it is the inclusive and accepting nature, maybe it is just the passive-aggressive people on the MCCSC board. Hard to tell. In any case, a new experience and some time with Melissa. Can't be all bad. :)

Speaking of Melissa and boards, a congratulations are in order. She called last night when she got to her apartment to let me know she'd been appointed to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee. Yay for Melissa! :D

Full disclosure: I also applied for the vacancy, so I have some mixed feelings about the whole thing, given that it doesn't seem that I got offered a spot. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get the chance to serve on that Committee, but I'm really happy for her that she'll have that opportunity. She'll do a great job for them.

This town may not be big enough for the two of us, Missy! ;)

After an hour of perusing the limited section at the local BikeSmith's, Karen, the familiar rep who sold me my back light just weeks before, does a convincing enough demonstration on the features that I can't wait another week to purchase the strange looking contraption. As much as I'm excited to bike across the country while documenting sustainable ways, charging $200 on my card a week before Christmas feels briefly unsettling. Rather quickly, I get over my hesitation, and am surprised when Karen suggests she could drop it off for me at my place, as I expressed my inability to walk home with a 25lb bike trainer today....perfect, and this when I have to express "love this town" as there would be no way I'd get that type of service on-line. So I speedwalk the miles home, wait for Karen to hand deliver my recent needed splurge, and set up the glorious blue beauty. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I forgot that I actually needed to stop by the library to pick up my bike, as I had left it there days ago. hmmm, guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow to begin my training. Darn it.