Need, not economy, drives ‘Yes for Kids’ school bond campaign

Group says Forest Grove school needs replacing despite competition with library, safety levies

By Nancy Townsley

The Forest Grove News-Times, Jul 7, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

Accompanied by her son Sawyer, 4, Kristie Lesser of “Yes for Kids” talks about how her group is promoting Measure 34-178, Forest Grove School District’s bond levy. Their strategy includes a profile on Facebook at “FGSDBond 2010” and a Twitter page by the same name.

Chase Allgood / News-Times

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Ask Kristie Lesser how she justifies asking people to vote in favor of a $65.3 million Forest Grove School District bond levy in November, and she doesn’t bat an eye.

“We need a new school,” the 32-year-old mother of two says matter-of-factly. “I’m going to do everything I can to help make that happen.”

The levy would pay for the tear-down and reconstruction of Joseph Gale Elementary School on 18th Avenue in Old Town, a half-century-old structure with a soft roof, a substandard public address system and hard-to-access outdoor bathrooms.

“The facility is unsafe, and I honestly have no idea how kids are allowed to go there,” said Lesser.

Money would also finance additional class room space at Forest Grove High School and a remodeled cafeteria at Harvey Clarke Elementary, among other projects.

Passing a construction levy this fall is just plain necessary, Lesser believes, despite a dragging economy featuring a hanging on to a 10 `percent unemployment rate.

As co-chair of the “Yes for Kids” committee, a group of parents and grandparents in charge of marketing the bond measure to the public, Lesser’s out there lobbying for support nearly every day.

Committee members met Tuesday afternoon to come up with strategies for convincing folks to give a thumbs-up to Measure 34-178.

First up: fundraising and setting an initial community meeting for 6 p.m. on Aug. 3.

“That meeting is mostly to get people to help out with our door-to-door campaign and other items,” said Lesser, adding that money is needed for direct mail pieces and for a pro-bond statement in the Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet.

The group’s fundraising goal is about $10,000.

“Yes for Kids” also plans a series of community meetings in the fall that will focus on explaining the complexities of the levy to the taxpaying public. “We have our work cut out for us,” Lesser admits.

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