Dubuque Initiatives Communication to Dubuque Community School BoardOctober 29, 2010
Mr. Michael Brannon, President
Dubuque Community School Board
2300 Chaney Road
Dubuque, IA 52001
Mr. Brannon:
DUBUQUE
INITIATIVES
Dubuque Initiatives is a local not - for - profit organization that assists with
economic development projects that will enhance the quality of life for the
residents of Dubuque. We focus our efforts in the downtown area and most
recently have renovated the Historic Roshek Building to accommodate IBM's
new Information Technology Delivery Center. As a board, we would like to
provide some comments about the process of selecting a path for the facilities of
the school district.
The board applauds the new process of seeking input for the redesign the facility
planning process to gain input every step of the way to build on the strength of
the community. This new process will allow for a complete public discussion
reaching out to all stakeholders within the community.
With our focus being the downtown area, we believe it is very important to keep
a strong education presence in downtown, as well as the neighborhoods
adjacent to the central business district. Having a strong downtown with
struggling neighborhoods surrounding it could have the potential to negatively
impact economic growth for the community.
A notable trend in our community is the resurgence in the number of downtown
apartments, which will continue to grow over the next several years. These new
residents will have an impact on where education is provided in our community
and should be factored into the decision process.
Dubuque Initiatives believes one requirement of a strong neighborhood us a
quality school to solidify the area. Neighborhood schools provide a focal point of
which residents can be proud. Neighborhood schools also provide children with
the opportunity to walk or bike to school, making transportation less of an issue
for parents and the school district. A neighborhood school will also maintain
residential property values, thus encouraging additional investment in the
neighborhood.
P.O. Box 1 745 • Du13uouE. IA 52004-1745 • (563) 589 -4393
If there is anything the Dubuque Initiatives Board can do to assist in the School
District's decision process, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your consideration.
Bill Callahan
President
Cc: Larie Godinez