The debate over the best location for a new elementary school in the Great Falls area came to an end Thursday, Feb. 7.
The School Board voted 8-0, with at-large members Rita Thompson and Mychele Brickner abstaining and fellow at-large member Robert Frye absent, in favor of awarding the $9 million construction contract to Whitener & Jackson Inc. at the Andrew Chapel site, located off Trap Road.
Both Thompson and Brickner said they supported building the school at Andrew Chapel but were abstaining because they had concerns over the site selection process. Several board members also took the time to urge the community to put aside differences and work together during the forthcoming boundary process.
At the beginning of the meeting, the 10 speakers who signed up for the citizens' participation portion came to speak either for or against the Andrew Chapel site.
In a press released issued after the decision, Jeff Grieco, a board member of the Great Falls Concerned Citizens Association, which opposed the Andrew Chapel site, said, "It seems as if this process has been unfair from the start with the decision made fait accompli one year ago, exempting participation by the very parents whose kids will be most impacted. In our view, this decision is ill conceived because the board has never been presented with two alternative site plans from which to make an informed decision."
The GFCCA favored a site known as Hickory Run located off Pensive Lane.