HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 07-31 Maplewood council won't get involved in school closing DISPATCH Mdpléwood council
won'tg et involved
in scho I closing
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Maplewood's City Council, r Anderson admitted that his
Councilman Norm Anderson comments, especially if he
says, should actively oppose the speaks as a councilman, may be
closing of Gladstone Elementary out of place.
School. "But I am still going to speak
BUT it was apparent at a out," he said, "because we (as
council meeting last'week that councilmen) should take care of
Anderson will have to wage the or neighborhoods."
battle himself. HOWEVER, Councilman Burt
The council as a whole was in Murdock said, "I am not truly
no mood to become involved in upset about Gladstone being
the protest of the controversial closed."
decision of the North St. Paul- In fact, he suggested there
Maplewood District 622 School should be still another school
Board to shut down the school, closing because of declining en-
which is across the street from rollment. He also said the build-
the city hall. ing utilization committee,in ad-
"I'VE had people call me up vising the school board on what
and ask, 'Norm, why don't you school to close, was "very objec-
do something? We need city tive."
support,' "Anderson stated. "There's no sense," Murdock
"I brought it up," he told the concluded, "in keeping a school
council, "because I don't think open if it's going to cost District
one person can do it all alone." 622 a lot of money."
Anderson argued that the Councilman Don W i e g e r t
closing of the school, at Frost urged the council to remain neu-
Avenue and Manton Street, was tral on the issue.
a blow to the neighborhood But it's okay for Anderson to
school concept. "speak to the top of his lungs"
• "There's no reason," he as- on the matter,he said,as long as
serted, "why they cannot reduce he disassociates his statements
the size of schools so they can from those of the council.
keep them in the neighbor- "THE council shouldn't get
hoods. It's a proven fact that as into it," Mayor Robert Bruton
things get larger, they are not interjected. "I, personally, don't
any better." want to get into a hassle,with or
Residents of the Gladstone without council support.",
neighborhood,he said,are upset Councilman John Greavu said
mostly because children who he thinks the school board
used to walk to school must should provide more evidence to
now be bused. substantiate claims that'the clos-
Pa m i'li e s moved into the `_ing actually will result in a sub-
neighborhood partly because of stantial savings. -
the proximity to the school, plus "I'm not saying," he added,
its reputation for quality educa- "that the school should not be
tion,he said. closed."
In a time of rising fuel prices, _
Anderson stated,, the school
board seems to be saying, 'Hey,
we can bus s them(students) any
length we want.' "
"WELL, we are just building
a bus syndicate," the council-
man insisted, "for somebody
making a big ripoff on the tax-
payers."