Gazette Daily News Briefing, July 27
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for Thursday, July 27.
It was really hot Wednesday, but Thursday is going to reach the rare triple digits. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 100 degrees. Heat index values are predicted to be up in the 105 range again. There will be a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday evening into Friday morning.
In a joint meeting between the Cedar Rapids City Council and Cedar Rapids school board on Wednesday, council members expressed concern about schools near downtown and on the west side of the city closing under a facility master plan proposed by school leaders.
Under the plan as it stands now, the number of middle schools in the district would be reduced from six to four and a stronger feeder system would be created for students in K-12. School leaders believe this would provide more equitable services to all students and reduce operational and maintenance costs for the district.
The plan requires a combined $445 million bond referendum to be approved by voters — the first half of which could go to voters in November. The second bond referendum of $225 million could go to voters in November 2029.
“I don’t see how this passes in November,” Ashley Vanorny, a city council member who also has been a part of the school district’s facility master planning committee
“You’re basically closing all the middle schools on the west side,” Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell added that the city of Cedar Rapids has been focused on the downtown core of the city, with about 1,000 new living units opening this fall. She added that neighborhoods are often anchored by schools, and the facility plan hollows out the city.
Cedar Rapids Superintendent Tawana Grover defended the plan, saying she wants Cedar Rapids schools to be able to compete with neighboring districts like College Community and Linn-Mar. Students are “opting out” of Cedar Rapids schools, she said.
Educators who have turned down jobs in the district have said it’s because other districts offer newer facilities, Grover said.
Meanwhile, Mercy Iowa City and the owners of some of its debt continue to fight through their lawyers.
Charlie Visconsi, a managing director and representative of investment group Preston Hollow Community Capital, told the court the 150-year-old Mercy Hospital in Iowa City is in dire financial circumstances. He urged the court to act quickly on a request for receivership so the owners of $41.8 million can recoup some of their investment before it is too late.
District Court Judge Valerie L. Clay denied the request, in part because the bond holders have moved so fast they haven’t served Mercy with the original petition.
For their part Mercy Iowa City said that not only were the claims made by Preston Hollow false, they were making these claims in a power play because the investment fund did not agree with Mercy’s board on who should manage the hospital.
Mercy urged the judge to deny Preston Hollow’s petition that the hospital be put in receivership, saying that the boars efforts to turn around the hospital’s recent financial woes are already in motion.
