3 new classrooms OK'd

The Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board unanimously approved a plan to build three new classrooms on the southeast corner of the school property after tabling the matter at the previous board meeting. Board member Nancy Young Wright was absent from the latest meeting.

The approved plan calls for sound abatement around the school's heating and cooling towers to begin immediately.

The plan to build the classrooms on that spot was vehemently opposed by Painted Sky's neighbors to the south, who said they have lived for six years with air-conditioning-unit noise akin to the sound of a jet taking off in their back yards.

Kathy and John Shaheen, who have become the de facto spokespeople for the 16-member group of affected residents, spoke again to the board about their reservations with the plan.

Kathy Shaheen took issue with some of board President Kent Barrabee's earlier comments on the matter.

At the previous meeting, Barrabee said the original decisions about Painted Sky were made by a different set of people sitting on the Amphi school board.

"Why are you willing to perpetuate bad decisions?" Shaheen asked at the most recent board meeting. "Future school boards will distance themselves from tonight's decision also, but the fact remains that once the addition goes up, the impact on our neighboring homes will be permanent."

John Shaheen, who was more emotional at the previous meeting, was calmer this time as he presented his opinions.

"The reason we're here, really, is because you're hurting us," he said.

He went on to describe the scenic mountain views that some neighbors lost when Painted Sky was built six years ago, combined with the never-ending sound from the heating and cooling unit whooshing into their yards.

"The previous board made some very poor choices when building this school," he said. "Many promises were made to the neighbors regarding aesthetics, noise control, building heights, et cetera, which were not kept. I believe all of you sought your board position to put a stop to this type of decision-making."

Before taking the board's final vote, Barrabee spoke on the situation.

The Governing Board visited the school between meetings, he said, examining each of the potential sites for the classroom additions. The cooling system was running at that time on one of its lower settings, he said.

"I had no trouble at all recognizing the unreasonable level of imposition the sound has been making on the Shaheens over the years," he said.

Making that determination was "not even a close call."

He also noted how many factors influenced the district staff's decision that the southeast corner of the property is the best site on which to build the classrooms. The staff considered building cost, how disruptive construction would be to classes, the ease of linking to existing utilities and after-school use.

With that, the board gave its final approval to the $610,000 project, which will add 2,700 square feet of classroom space to the school, paid for from funds donated by developers.

The good news, perhaps, for the Shaheens is that the money allotted for the project includes $12,000 to $15,000 for installation of "sound attenuators" on the school's cooling towers, said Doug Aho, Amphi executive manager of student operations.

Sound attenuators are devices that attach to each tower and are designed to reduce the noise from the tower itself, Aho said.

"The sad thing in all of this: They have had to put up with the noise. But I really feel we can get them some better, quieter times in their yard," he said.

The district also will raise the wall surrounding the back of the school from 6 feet to 9 feet, he said, to stop the noise from bouncing around, and the rear access gates will be closed as well to muffle the sound.

In a telephone interview, Barrabee said he understands why the Shaheens are so upset, considering the level of noise they've lived with all this time with nothing being done about it. The classroom plan is just one more thing to cause them aggravation when they've had to put up with the nuisance all along, he said.

"These folks have been living for several years with an unremedied noise problem that was unreasonable for them to have to endure," he said. "I don't think it's fair for me to criticize anything they say about the situation, because they're the ones who've been suffering."