SCHOOL DISTRICT

Brandy Fox served Vashon well

I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation for Ms. Brandy Fox, VISD’s Capital Projects Director, who will soon sever her contractual relationship with the district after six years of exemplary service.

I was fortunate to hire her in 2016 as we planned for our 2017 $10 million bond program to build the new all-season sports field and several other projects.

Brandy has over 35 years of experience directing multi-million dollar projects for school districts across the region. Her reputation and contacts in the industry produced great pricing for our projects, and she recruited the highest quality contractors.

The accolades for her work are numerous. Brandy had the right combination of experience, intelligence, persistence, demand for excellence, and the integrity to bring every project in on time and (usually) under budget. Our taxpayers were well-served as she squeezed every nickel to accomplish so much. A few of the larger projects to her credit are the high school athletic field, McMurray locker rooms, Student Link renovation, and the high school gym renovation. All students and faculty benefited from the many smaller projects including recarpeting, repainting, HVAC system renovations, and playground improvements.

Brandy navigated the various demands of her position through thoughtful communication, keeping promises but not over-promising, transparent record-keeping, and ensuring the district’s best interests were her primary consideration. Her departure leaves a huge hole in the management of the district’s capital projects program.

Recruiting a person with similar skills and experience must be a priority as the district considers running another bond election. Her departure also represents a concerning trend in the loss of executive leadership in VISD in areas such as finance, capital projects, nursing/health services, and executive services – a concern I hope has garnered the school board’s attention.

Thank you for six years of outstanding service, Brandy. You are appreciated!

Michael Soltman, former superintendent

SAFETY

Drivers, slow down and pay attention

I write as a follow-on to my kindred walker Peter Ray’s recent commentary (Sept. 23). Ray wrote: “walking provides a different perspective that allows one time to really see what one is passing.”

Mercifully, what one passes is more than the roadside cigarette butts (though these plastic discards are reported to be the most littered item on the planet) and other rubbish left behind by humans. More than the occasional smashed snake or bird or other critters.

I’m talking about drivers —often in ever-more massive vehicles — who do not slow down, not even for the three-to-five seconds it’d take to pass us at a calmer, kinder speed; and who might even be peeking at their phones.

Since November 2020, three individuals have been killed while walking on the island. I did not personally know Eileen or Nathan or Philip, but I think about each of them, often. And I think it bears repeating: They died as they walked on Vashon.

Despite all this, why do we walk? We walk because walking is free and freeing.

We walk because it boosts our moods and lowers our blood sugar levels. We walk because walking is fundamental to healthier, more socially connected communities. We walk to get from here to there. We walk for the pleasure of walking.

And so, in observance of WALKtober—as this month has been reshaped in some places around the U.S., and elsewhere—drivers, please give walkers a “brake.” Show you care and slow down.

Evy Horton