To the Editor:
I would like to address Erica Voss' letter to the editor about Tara Volesky being ignorant about the facts.
Volesky has done much research about the school and fine arts facility, and she has participated. She ran for the school board. She knows that the fine arts facility will be used for more than show choir, but what she is taking issue with is the cost to build it, which could be used to renovate the entire Mitchell High School right now.
Brookings just remodeled its entire high school (which is the same age as MHS), including a complete gutting and renovation of its existing auditorium, three new classrooms and a new commons area, for just under $6 million. That is half of what it will cost MHS to build just the fine arts facility.
When Voss attended MHS, there were around 300 students in each class, and now there are just under 200 in a class. How did the current facility suffice when she attended school, with all of the activities that Voss was in, but is not good enough now?
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I do agree, and so does Volesky, that there should be a new fine arts facility. But keep in its current location, only renovated. As for not having enough room for everything, the entire vocational technical classes have moved or are moving across the street, which would leave enough room to have band, choir and storage rooms available.
If Ms. Voss truly believes that MHS needs this large facility at the current cost, maybe she and others should do like Sioux Falls O'Gorman did, and raise the money from private individuals instead of using taxpayer money.
Melody Gross
Alexandria
