Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Dr. Dobler on Raven Radio

In the first of a series for Iowa Public Radio, KCAW's Robert Woosley interviewed Dr. Dobler and yours truly about the past, present, and future SJ(C?). Dr. Dobler's interview aired tonight, and I'm on Wednesday.

Also, comments are now moderated due to the spam we've been getting.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Poll deadline extended

Last week I added a poll to the blog (top right) to get a sense of what folks were thinking about a potential UD / SJ(C?) partnership that included Dr. Dobler and Trustees. I've since extended the deadline to November 13th.

Polls like these cannot be taken too seriously. Consider the biases of readers of this blog, for example. Many of us likely felt mislead by Dobler and company at the time of closing, so it only makes sense that the poll would skew as it does.

However, I do think it points to a potential problem UD may encounter in attempting to set up camp here. There is likely to be vocal opposition, or at least a lack of support, for any deal that doesn't signal a departure from the past.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Hmm...

On a recent virtual visit to the Unversity of Dubuque via their website, I came across the following:



Look familiar? It appears (if the site is up to date) that the former President of Sheldon Jackson College is a special assistant to the President of Dubuque. This could be a good thing, as Dr. Haaland is sure to be as aware of SJ(C?)'s strengths and weaknesses as anyone. Yet it may also signify that the future of the campus may indeed too closely resemble its past.

Monday, November 2, 2009

UD to get Alaska Outpost?

Here's a link to the article.

There aren't any revelations in the article, but of note: Dr. Dobler states that SJ(C?) will be giving the campus to UD should the deal go through. Does this mean that Trustees will no longer have a role? Not sure. Dobler's comments to the Chamber a few weeks ago seemed to suggest that he and Trustees were an active part of the future of the campus.

I come across like a cheerleader for the whole thing, which might be overstating things a bit! I am hopeful, like most people, that something good can come out of this partnership. I remain opposed to a scenario in which the Trustees play a role in the future of students. Time will tell...

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Dubuque Times-Herald article

This coming Saturday's Dubuque Telegraph-Herald is scheduled to print an article about the potential Dubuque / SJ(C?) partnership. I was interviewed this morning and did my best to present the case that while many people here are supportive of Dubuque's efforts, some must have assurances that the mistakes of the past (termination without notice, students left without a school to attend) will not be repeated. The surest way to accomplish this remains, in my opinion, the exclusion of President Dobler and the Trustees from the equation.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Cut from the same cloth?

Warning: My biases may be all too obvious here; judge for yourself.

My earlier post about Dubuque's interest in Sitka's academic workforce has garnered quite a few comments. Among them are concerns that criticism of Dobler and the Trustees is unproductive and may hurt the chances of a future partnership between the two schools.

My take: Any partnership that fails to address the issues of the past and hold accountable those responsble will not last. Secondly, any partnership that allows the SJ(C?) Board of Trustees authority over student welfare clearly fails to acknowledge the harm caused to students at the time of closure and fails to take seriously the responsibility an institution has to its students.

Unfortunately, Dubuque President Jeffrey Bullock seems to think that Dobler and the Trustees "served admirably" during this time. More of the same...

What do others think?

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Faculty Wanted

As reported in the Daily Sentinel, The City of Sitka is working with the University of Dubuque to assess Sitkan's readiness and/or willingness to teach college courses.

Sitka was, of course, far more ready and willing before 100 of us were laid off with no notice...What's to say things will be different this time if Dobler and the Trustees remain involved?

Friday, October 16, 2009

Good News

To hear the latest on Raven Radio about Dubuque taking over SJ click here: Dubuque

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hames

You can hear the latest news on Raven Radio here.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Sale Pending on Ocean Vista and Pears Cottage

Throughout the years whenever funds were low (which was, unfortunately, often), those properties that rung around the outside of the campus were often considered for sale. Houk House and Tillie Paul were sold just a few years back. With all ancillary properties on the market, it was only a matter of time before Ocean Vista and Pears Cottage found new owners. According to Davis Realty, both have sale pending. I've seen exterior work being done on Ocean Vista in recent weeks as well.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Hames once again in the news

KCAW Raven Radio has this story regarding last night's Assembly discussion on the future of the Hames Wellness Center. Debate mostly centered around the cost-benefit ratio of such a facility. A question not asked, but one I think relevant to the issue, is where is SJ(C?) on the issue?

Should the city decide to let their lease expire, Hames closes. SJ(C?) loses the revenue. Another building gets boarded up. What's in it for the former college to let this happen?

When University of Dubuque President Jeffrey Bullock stated that any future partnership between them and the community would require community support, I chuckled. Clearly he must not have known that the problem is the reverse. Despite community support, SJ(C?) remains uncooperative, secretive, and self-important.

SJ(C?) loses nothing by allowing the city to occupy Hames at little to no cost. The gesture would go far in establishing renewed support for a campus struggling to find a future of any kind.

Friday, August 21, 2009

More news on Raven Radio

Here is another story on Raven Radio. You can hear it here.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Hames PE Center Sale to City Off

According to the August 19, 2009 addition of the Daily Sitka Sentinel the SJ Trustees voted to pull the Hames PE Center off the market. The trustees said they took the action because they believed the Sitka voters would not approve a ballot measure to fund the purchase. Also, the board said the sale might be premature because of all the uncertainty and possibilities.

Dubuque shows some interest...

Raven Radio reports on the University of Dubuque visit via an interview of UD's President, Jeffrey Bullock.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Hames Assessment Completed

According to the Friday Daily Sitka Sentinel the report issues by CTA Architects and Engineers estimates the cost to repair the Hames Athletic and Wellness Center at 13.5 million dollars. Sitka City Administrator Jim Dinley issued an executive summery of the report and concluded to also purchase the building and land 15 million dollars would be needed. It was noted by Dinley to build a comparable new facility would more than likely exceed 20 million dollars.

There is a good chance that the voters of Sitka will be asked to vote in October on a 15 million dollar bond to purchase and repair the Hames Center.

Friday, July 10, 2009

National Park Service to Purchase 3 Acres

The National Park Service will purchase 3 undeveloped acres of the former Sheldon Jackson Campus. You can hear the Raven Radio story here.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

SJ(C?) in the Sentinel (Twice)

This past Wednesday, the SJ(C?) Trustees met on campus to discuss several things. Among them the sale of Hames PE Center and additional properties to cover a growing debt of over $13 million; An upcoming visit by University of Dubuque officials and donors scheduled for August, which seems to be the latest attempt at finding a suitor; and lastly the lukewarm response thus far from the state.

The Sitka Sentinel covered the meeting and these issues in their Wednesday, June 24th edition, and then followed up on Thursday with news that the city has allocated $5000 to help cover costs associated with the Dubuque visit.

More later...

Sunday, June 21, 2009

SJ Board Meeting

I received this e-mail today from a former SJ Faculty Member:

Due to people asking me about the SJC Board meeting, I thought I would send out an email. There is a public testimony agenda item at the SJC board of trustee meeting next Wed. June 24 at 1300 (1:00) in the afternoon at Rasmusen on campus. If you would like to present or be heard, show up at 1:00

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Enough Already: Sheldon Jackson will not reopen.

Why should it? Why would anyone want it to?

Don't mistake my sentiments for cynicism or pessimism. Simply put, the evidence just doesn't point to any reopening. For example:

The former college is carrying debt of over $12 million. The only way to to pay it off is to sell property. Selling every perimeter property doesn't come close to this figure. Add to this the start up costs of reopening the college. Deferred maintenance of several millions, recruiting staff and students, etc. would likely cost upwards of $50 million.

SJ(C?) is no longer accredited nor licensed to operate a college. This means that no federal aid is available. So add the costs of scholarships to the above figure, as well as the difficulty of attracting students to a formerly failed school without accreditation.

Most importantly, the Board of Trustees of Sheldon Jackson College have failed to persuade anyone that they should be responsible for running a college. The same people who fired employees and sent students packing with no notice are still there. I don't want them running any organization that requires a commitment to the welfare of students. Ever.

The effort now should be to preserve the campus core for history's sake, as well as for potential new uses; to call for the dissolution of Sheldon Jackson College as an entity, and to look to future organizations and leaders to bring about a new mission and purpose for a once proud institution.

The current one just has too much baggage.

Friday, June 5, 2009

David Sweetland Hall

I still frequently have people stop, call or e-mail me who think the school will reopen. When I tell people that all the buildings are in bad shape and need lots ans lots work people often think I’m over reacting.

Anyway the other day I was looking through some old photos I have from when I worked at SJ and I came across these photos taken during the summer of 2004. These are before we did repair work on the West 100 shower room. This damage was done from water leaking into the walls and floor in the showers. This damage was done because of poor construction techniques. Keep in mind that there are 7 more shower rooms in Sweetland Hall and I can tell you that all of them have similar damage. The last time I crawled under South 100 during the summer of 07 the rot looked this bad or worse. In fact in 2007 there was a hole all the way through the exterior wall big enough to put my hand through. So, I think I can safely assume that the inside of the South 100 wall looks worse than what you see in the posted photos.








In the top photo VIM Vern Boyer shows the rot after he pulled off the siding and sheeeting on the exterior wall. In the 2nd photo you can see how rotted the floor joist that are under the shower room. And in the 3rd photo you can see the damge done by ants.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hames Assessment

Over the past two days CTA Architects Engineers a large nation wide firm has been doing a complete assessment of the Hames PE Center. I was asked to be part of the team that did the on sight work. I have to say working with these folks, that they left few if any stones unturned. In other words the field work was top notch and very professional. There was also several other local people on the team including a local architect, surveyor, building contractor, several city employees and an earth excavator. CTA brought with them 5 highly qualified engineers that looked at the building envelope, mechanical systems, electrical systems and the pool. Bob Jones the Head Engineer from CTA said the report to the city should be done by the 15th of July. His mandate to the crew was to look at all the problems and figure out how to make improvements that will last 30 years with normal maintenance. CTA will do a complete cost analyses and this will be part of the report.

All in all CTA feels the building is in better shape than assumed and that cost may not be as high as some had feared, including myself. I know I’m anxiously waiting to see the results.

With any luck another part of the old SJC campus might survive.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Reality Check

After reading the PC USA article on the SJ Christmas Joy Offering I think it is time for a reality check, or maybe just simple mathematics.

But first a few things to think about

1. How much did SJ owe prior to closing the school?
2. How much debt has been paid down by selling land?
3. How much is it costing to maintain the school even in a mothballed status?
4. How much money is being generated by rents? Is SJ breaking even on these rents?
5. What is the debt service on the loans?

I think no matter how you do the above math it is simple to see that SJ continues to go in the hole. There is not enough land and it is not selling quick enough to ever dig out of the hole that is getting deeper.

My advice is to read quotes from the Former President of the board and School with a grain of salt.

Now I know the next bit is very long, but if you want to read why it is going to cost $50 plus million to get the buildings back up and running feel free to read below. Or, just skip to which every building you think would be needed to reopen the school.

This was quickly written and I know there are spelling and typo mistakes. Sorry!

Known Problems with the Main SJ Campus Buildings as of July 2007

This report is being prepared by Marcel LaPerriere who was the head of the SJC Maintenance Department for the last 4 years of the schools operation. This report is primarily being prepared for the SJ Task Force who is doing what they can to help insure something good comes from the former SJ College. It is not being prepared with malice but it is being prepared in hopes that people will realize the enormity of task at hand to rebuild the school.

This report will be broken down into these categories; Foundation, Structure, Roof, Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing for each of the main buildings on the main campus of the former Sheldon Jackson College.

General Notes

All of the buildings on the main campus of the former SJC Campus have many problems. All the way from asbestos and other contaminates to major rot as wall as mechanical and electrical problems.

Even though much work was done to remediate contaminated soils on the campus during the underground infrastructure work of 2003 to 2004 there are still many “Hot Spots” of contaminated soils located within the main campus area. It can safely be said that any excavating of soils near any of the historic buildings will have a high probability of unearthing oil contaminated soil.

It should also be noted that this report is only addressing known problems. There are undoubtedly many unknown problems. The report also does not take into account that any upgrade of the historic buildings would more than likely require that major structural work be done to bring the 100 year old buildings up to today’s seismic requirements. Of course the buildings do not meet today’s Fire and Life Safety Standards and these would have to be addressed too. Any restoration of the buildings would require that modern fire alarms and sprinklers be added.

Since the main historic buildings of the quad have not had heat within them since the school closed it can be assumed that the condition of the buildings has declined over the last 2 years. It can be very safely assumed that the plumbing within the buildings sustained freeze damage over the last 2 winters.

Armstrong

Foundation: No known Problems.

Structure: Minor rot and needed painting. Windows needed caulked.

Roof: In very poor shape with minor leaking. It needs replaced. This roof is also very susceptible to ice dams and ice buildup. It is assumed that there needs to be additional insulation added to the roof.

Electrical: Most of the lighting fixtures need replaced. The breaker box in located in the 1st floor boiler room which makes it inconvenient for people who occupy the 2nd floor offices.

Mechanical and Plumbing: The boiler is very problematic and there are problems with the heating zones working properly. The main water shut off valve located outside the building has a broken valve stem and will not shut off.

Stevenson Hall ( Historic Building)

Foundation: There has been a lot of settling over the years which makes the floor very uneven. There are a few minor crakes in the foundation. The crawlspace is loaded with asbestos which must be cleaned up before any work can commence in this location.

Structure: There is rot in many walls. The exterior of the building was mostly painted in 2005. Most of the windows do not operate very well and many have broken frames. The building for the most part is not insulated and all the windows are single pain. The front steps need replaced as they are in poor shape and do not meet code.

Roof: Is in very poor shape. In the 70’s plywood was shot down over the cedar shingles, and then composition shingles were attached. The shingles have now reached the end of their life and water is leaking through to both the plywood and the cedar shingles.

Electrical: Is in very poor shape and is drastically overloaded and undersized. Just prior to the school closing we were upgrading the interior wiring and were waiting for a new electric service to be installed.

Mechanical and Plumbing: Shortly after the school was closed the steam heat was disconnected from all the quad buildings. There is no heat in the building which has more than likely added to the decline of the structure. Much of the plumbing is in very poor shape, both the fresh water and waste water lines. Since the building got domestic hot water from a steam heat exchanger located in North Pacific Hall there is no hot water in the building.

North Pacific Hall ( Historic Building)

Foundation: Of all the quad buildings the foundation in North Pacific might be in the best shape. Like the other quad buildings the crawlspace is loaded with asbestos and it must be cleanup before any work can be done in that location.

Structure: There is rot in many walls. The front of the building is extremely rotted with many of the shingles falling off the walls. The sub sheeting is shiplap plans and many of them are rotted. It can be assumed that the framing is also rotted. The front steps need replaced as they are in poor shape and do not meet code. A new exterior fire escape was added to the east end of the building in 2006. The west 2nd floor fire escape was torn off and was in the process of being built when the school closed. All the windows are in poor shape, many have extremely rotted frames.

Roof: Is in very poor shape. In the 70’s plywood was shot down over the cedar shingles, and then composition shingles were attached. The shingles have now reached the end of their life and water is leaking through to both the plywood and the cedar shingles.

Electrical: Is in very poor shape and is drastically overloaded and undersized.

Mechanical and Plumbing: Shortly after the school was closed the steam heat was disconnected from all the quad buildings. There is no heat in the building which has more than likely added to the decline of the structure. Much of the plumbing is in very poor shape, both the fresh water and waste water lines. Since the building got domestic hot water from a steam heat exchanger located in exterior basement North Pacific Hall there is no hot water in the building. The restrooms are in very poor shape with leaking plumbing in the walls and the upstairs showers leak.

Ceramics Building ( Historic Building)

It is assumed this is the oldest building on campus. With the exception of no heat within the building this structure is more than likely in the best condition of all the historic buildings. Of course there are deficiencies in wiring, and plumbing. There is also more than likely some rot within the walls. New shingles were added to the building within the last 10 years.

Allen Auditorium ( Historic Building)

Much work was done to restore Allen over the years, but much work is still remaining. As of 2007 the estimate on the work that was still required ranged from 1.5 to 3 million. It can be assumed that these numbers are going up. The lack of maintenance during construction is also causing the building’s condition to decline. Moss and even small trees are growing on the roof. Just prior to the closer of the school rope anchor points were added to the cupola so that this moss and trees could be removed. Unfortunately the school closed and this work was never done.

Whitmore Hall ( Historic Building)

Foundation: The foundation is cracked in the northeast corner. A temporary patch was placed on the wall in 2004. Again there is asbestos in this crawlspace and it must be cleaned up before work can be done in this area.

Structure: There is rot in many walls. The front of the building is rotted with many of the shingles falling off the walls. The sub sheeting is shiplap planks and many of them are rotted. It can be assumed that the framing is also rotted. New exterior fire escapes were added to the building in 2006. The rear wall of the building was rebuilt in 2004 and the building was mostly painted. The annex apartment area of the building is in very poor shape. There is extensive rot in the walls and roof of the apartment. All the windows are in poor shape, many have extremely rotted frames.

Roof: Is in very poor shape. In the 70’s plywood was shot down over the cedar shingles, and then composition shingles were attached. The shingles have now reached the end of their life and water is leaking through to both the plywood and the cedar shingles. Of all the roofs in the quad this one is in the worst condition. Many shingles have blown off and have been patched. The plywood in one location is too rotted to hold nails. Water is leaking into the attic.

Electrical: Is in very poor shape and is drastically overloaded and undersized through much of the building.

Mechanical and Plumbing: Shortly after the school was closed the steam heat was disconnected from all the quad buildings. There is no heat in the building which has more than likely added to the decline of the structure. Much of the plumbing is in very poor shape, both the fresh water and waste water lines. Since the building’s domestic hot water came from a steam heat exchanger located in basement of the Laundry Building there is no hot water in the building. The restrooms are in very poor shape with leaking plumbing in the walls and the upstairs showers leak.

Frasher Hall ( Historic Building)

Foundation: The foundation is cracked in a few places and settling has caused some problems. Again there is asbestos in this crawlspace and it must be cleaned up before work can be done in this area.

Structure: There is rot in many walls. The Back of the building is rotted with many of the shingles falling off the walls. The sub sheeting is shiplap planks and many of them are rotted. It can be assumed that some of the framing is also rotted. The fire escape is in very poor shape and the City Building Department had ordered that it be replaced or the building would be condemned. All the windows are in poor shape, many have extremely rotted frames. Before the school closed this was the next building on the list to get painted.

Roof: Is in very poor shape. In the 70’s plywood was shot down over the cedar shingles, and then composition shingles were attached. The shingles have now reached the end of their life and water is leaking through to both the plywood and the cedar shingles. Water is leaking into the attic.

Electrical: Is in very poor shape and is drastically overloaded and undersized through all of the building. The wiring within this building is more the likely in the worst condition of all the historic quad buildings.

Mechanical and Plumbing: Shortly after the school was closed the steam heat was disconnected from all the quad buildings. There is no heat in the building which has more than likely added to the decline of the structure. Much of the plumbing is in very poor shape, both the fresh water and waste water lines. Since the building got domestic hot water from a steam heat exchanger located in basement of the Laundry Building there is no hot water in the building. The restrooms are in very poor shape.


Laundry Building ( Historic Building)

Foundation: Of the quad building this building’s foundation is in the best condition. There are no known major problems.

Structure: In 2006 a professional engineer did an assessment of the structural integrity of the building. There were no major problems noted with exception of major rot in the roof structure. Under orders from the City Building Department the stack was analyzed for structural integrity and it was found to be in relatively good condition. It is assumed the stack would survive a moderate earthquake. A wood and shingle cap was installed to the stack to keep water from migrating into the building and into the stack. The rot within the walls of the Laundry Building is not as bad as one would expect for a 100 year old building, but there are pockets of rot. Of course all the windows are in poor shape.

Roof: The roof is in poor shape. In 2006 temporary repairs were made to the roof framing structure and temporary roll roofing was installed to keep out the major leaking. The roof over the bunker fuel storage area was replaced and should be in fairly good condition for some years.

Electrical: Is in very poor shape and is drastically overloaded and undersized through all of the building. Much of the wiring within this building is potentially some of the oldest wring on the campus.

Mechanical and Plumbing: The basement of this building was the original central heat boiler room for the campus. In later years it was used as the main distribution center for the steam heat. In the early 2000’s the asbestos was mostly removed from this area, however there is still some asbestos that was missed during the cleanup. The majority of the plumbing within this building is in poor shape. Some of the old associated boiler equipment is contaminated with heavy oil and this would need to be cleanup before any major work could commence within this area.

Contamination: Adjacent to the main part of the building is the old bulk fuel storage area which started its life as a coal storage bunker. When the boilers were converted from coal to steam the concrete bunker was used as a storage tank for bunker oil. During the conversion from coal to oil no leak mitigation measures were taken so for well over 50 years oil has been leaching from this tank. The tank still contains in access of 1000 gallons of heavy waste oil. In 2006 several test pits were dug around the perimeter of this old tank and as expected the soils were very badly. In one location the backhoe was digging up more oil than dirt. There is also an old buried fuel oil tank located on the east side of the Laundry Building. This tank has an undetermined amount of fuel oil within. When tested in 2006 the tank was not leaking, but it was heavily rusted and it can be assumed the tank will start leaking in not too many years.
During the replacement of the roof over the bulk storage tank there was a floor drain noted that is just outside the oil tank and between the main boiler room. It is assumed that this floor drain is hooked into the city waste water system and if the tank was over to overflow due to water intrusion or leak the oil that is located within the old tank would drain into the city waste water system. Old city records indicate that a large amount of oil once entered the city system and it was assumed that the oil came from SJ. I think it is likely that this floor drain was the culprit. When the school closed dye tracing of this drain was on the agenda, but was never done.

Stratton Library

Foundation: No known problems with the exception that the flume runs under the building. This has caused problems in the past and will more than likely cause problems again in the future.

Structure: The walls and roof of this building are in bad need of attention. Most of the nails that hold the siding on have worked loose over the years. All the siding should all be refastened. During the summer of 2007 this was on the agenda as was painting of the building, but when the school closed this work did not get done. Even to the untrained eye it is obvious that there is excessive moisture within the walls.

Roof: The roof has been leaking for several years. There has been several patches done to mitigate this leakage, but the roof is still leaking in some areas. The shingles are in very poor condition and should be replaced before the sheeting is rotted.

Electrical: Many of the florescent lights have bad ballasts, other than that most of the wiring is in good condition.

Mechanical and Plumbing: In 2005 new boilers were installed. These boilers are in good shape, but much or the associated equipment is not. In 2006 and 2007 new heat controls were added to the 2nd floor. When the school closed we were in the process of replacing the heating controls on the 1st floor. None of these controls were working so there is no heat control on the lower floor.

Rasmuson Center

Foundation: When Rasmuson was renovated in the early 2000’s the front foundation was not stabilized. A new footer and stem wall were pour right on unstable soils. This is causing the building to settle massively. The building is settling so severely that in my opinion structural failure is only a matter of time. This settling has caused the floors to buckle and sub floor fasteners to pop loose, doors to not work properly and at least one window to break. In time if this problem is not addressed more damage to floors, walls and windows can be expected. More serious problems can also be expected including the failure of roof trusses.

(I took a walk around the campus on Sunday the 3dr of May 3, 2009 and note that the foundations under the front pillars of the building continue to move further out of plumb. I would make an educated guess that the lower water level in the flume is causing this settling problem to speed up since the water table is lower and this is causing additional subsiding under Rasmuson and Yaw.)

Structure: Other than the problems being caused by the excessive settling of the building the rest of the structure is in good condition.

Roof: There are no known problems with the roof. However if the foundation is not fixed the roof will fail.

Electrical: The wiring is in good condition with the exception of much of the old wiring was left in place when the renovation work was done. This makes tracing wired more difficult since it is not always easy to tell which wires are live and which wires are not.

Mechanical and Plumbing: In 2005 new boilers were added and the building was taken off the central steam heat. This saved the school untold dollars. However, during the renovation of the building a much larger HVAC system was installed than necessary. The HVAC system was also very poorly designed and because of this poor design it is impossible to properly heat the building when the temperatures get much below freezing. The oversized HVAC system also is extremely inefficient and very wasteful. (A design to make this system work properly was done by me and a local heating contractor, but funds were never allocated to fix this system.)

Yaw Building

Foundation: The underground infrastructure work that was done on campus caused some unintended problems by changing the water table and underground sheet flow of water. This is causing the ground under the foundation of Yaw to subside. The subsidence has caused the front stairs to move away from the building. It has also caused the building’s foundation to start failing. Wood pilings under the building that were once totally submerged in mud are now exposed and are quickly rotting and loosing lateral support. If the foundation is not repaired soon the foundation of Yaw Building will totally fail. (The lower level of the flume is surely causing this problem to speed up.)

Structure: During the renovation of the building in the early 2000’s no work was done on exterior walls. The same steam leaks that rotted out the floor also rotted out many of the walls. There are extensive pockets of rot in all the exterior walls.

Roof: The roof was replaced by volunteers in the early 2000’s. Unfortunately the volunteers do not install the shingles properly and this has caused some minor leaking. Proper roof maintenance and inspections will mitigate these leaks and the roof should be good for several more years.

Electrical: The electrical wiring in Yaw is a disaster and is a fire waiting to happen. During the renovation the electrical contractor did substandard work, much of it not to code. The wiring is a mixture of old and new wiring, with miles of abandoned wiring left hanging and in conduits. Some conduits and junction boxes have both dead and live wires within the same box. Many of these junction boxes are extremely overloaded and this has caused arching of wire splices to the metal box. Many of the older wire splices are just taped and this tape is old and rotting. One more than one occasion there the main feed breaker has trip, which indicates to me that there is a major problem within the wiring system.

Mechanical and Plumbing: Like all the buildings within the quad area Yaw Building lost heat when the steam line was cut near Hames shortly after the school closed. So there is no way to heat the building. All the other plumbing within the building is shot.

David Sweetland Hall

Foundation: There has been some settling and this has caused problems with some of the interior doors. Other than this minor settling there are no known problems with the foundation with the exception of just over the basement area of the building. In 2004 posts were added in the basement area to mitigate some of the worst settling. These posts were just placed on the floor of the basement and not properly placed on a footer.

Structure: In 2004 major rot was found in the exterior wall and floor of the West 100 shower room. Repairs were made and inspection of the other shower rooms found that all 8 shower rooms had some to extensive rot. As of 2007 the rot in the South 100 restroom had extended all the way through the wall to the point that the exterior red cedar siding was totally rotted in a very large area. The floor joist under the South 100 restroom also showed ever expanding rot. Poor drainage planes from the roof have also cause wall rot in several locations around the building. The dishwashing station in the kitchen leaked hot water into the rear wall of the kitchen for years and that wall has extensive rot and insect infiltration problems. In 2005 we got a bid from a local contractor to repair that wall. The bid was $25,000.00. No funds were ever allocated so it can be assumed the rot and insect problems have grown. All the janitor closets on all floors have leaked water into the walls and floors for years. There is extensive rot associated with all of these leaks.

Most all the windows in DSH are shot. Some have extensive rot, and most do not open properly. Some of the windows have allowed water into the walls and rot should be expected.

Roof: The roof is shot and has leaked in places for many years. The roof over the South Wing has been patched many times, but continues to leak.

Electrical: There are no known major problems with the electrical in DSH.

Mechanical and Plumbing: In 2005 DSH was taken off the steam system and the old boilers from the Stratton Library were installed in DSH New controls and an updated domestic hot water system was added to DSH at this time. These boilers and modern controls have saved tons of money since installed. Most of the HVAC system is in need of upgrading and or replacement. Some of the units no longer work.

During the construction of DSH the thinner wall M grade copper tubing was used. M grade copper has an expected life of 20 to 30 years. This lower grade thinner copper is now springing leaks throughout the whole building. In my 4 years at SJ, I personally replaced hundreds of feet of failed copper plumbing and many fittings. Unfortunately most of this failing plumbing is behind walls and in hard to reach areas. Because of this to fix or replace the plumbing walls will have to be torn into. In at least two locations rubber patches have been hose clamped to pipes to slow down the leaks. Also unfortunately much of this failing copper pipe is large pipe in the 2 to 3 inch diameter range.

Kellogg Hall

Foundation: The foundation has failed in one location on the back wall. Because of this there is major settling on one wall.

Structure: The walls of Kellogg are mostly sound. However, the old Classic Pan Abode construction would no longer come close to meeting energy requirements in today world. In the same location that the foundation has failed there is some rot that should be fixed. Most of the windows are old single glazed windows.

Roof: This is another roof that was put on by volunteers without proper supervision. Because of this the roof has leaked in several locations. The roof is also subject to ice damming and this too has caused leaking into the building.

Electrical: All the main feed lines into the sub panels are aluminum. An inspection in 2004 or 05 showed extensive corrosion. All of this corrosion as cleaned, but no follow up inspections have been made. Because the corrosion was so sever it can be assumed that some of this corrosion has come back.

Mechanical and Plumbing: When DSH was converted from central steam to it own heating system Kellogg was added to the DSH system. A new utilidor was dug between the two buildings and Kellogg now gets both heat and domestic hot water from the boilers that are located within the basement of DSH. With few exceptions this updated system has worked well. Much of the interior domestic plumbing in Kellogg is old and it can be assumed that much of it will need replaced in the next few years.

Yaw Chapel

There is some rot within the Yaw Chapel and the roof is in very poor shape. The building is prone to frozen pipes and this problem should be addressed.

Sage

I’m skipping Sage. At this time Dan Goodness would be much more qualified to tell you about the condition of the building than I would be. I can say that Sage has a very long history of a leaking roof. Also a new duel oil fired and electric boiler was added to Sage in 2006. Funding for a new electric service was never allocated so the electric boiler was never used.

Hames

A professional team has been hired to do a complete assessment of the building. Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Systems. As I recall this assessment will be available for the public sometime late summer or early fall 2009.

SJ Hatchery News on Raven Radio

A little bit of good news from the former Sheldon Jackson College. Hear it here

SJ(C?) loses Christmas Joy Offering

Missed this press release from PC(USA) about SJ. Last funding from the offering of $38k was given in May.

There's a few gems from Dobler as well. Ranging from the obvious: “Administratively, the place is in really a rough spot,” to the incredible, blaming the former college's demise on previous administrations, SJ(C?) “has been run by some people who worked beyond their competence.”

My favorite is his assessment of student culture on campus, which apparently he viewed as a clash between the "whale huggers and the whale eaters."

It's been nearly two years since academic operations were suspended for one year, and in that time, I think an argument can be made based on the above comments that someone still doesn't get it.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Incinerator Site Sold

According to Raven Radio the city did purchase the SJ Incinerator Site at the May 12th Assembly meeting. I’d guess this would squarely put the liability of the contaminated soils on the back of the city and SJ will be clear of the potentially expense of a future cleanup.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

City looking at the purchase of SJ(C?) Incinerator Site

Listening to the news on Raven Radio this morning, I learned that the city is looking at purchasing the incinerator site on the former campus, current asking price is $305k. The city would move the recycling center there from its current location on Katlian Street.

Should this sale go through, that would presumably mean that SJ(C?) has sold $2.4 million or so of property in 2009 thus far. The bulk of that coming from BIHA's purchase of the uplands.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Goodbye SCJ

Goodbye SJC on Raven Radio.

Hear it here.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I Guess it Doesn’t Matter But it Bugged Me

Today while at someone else’s home I couldn’t help notice a piece of furniture out of the Stratton Library. When I asked the lady about it she said she paid cash for it at a yard sale last summer. I had to wonder how many of SJ’s old assets have been sold for cash. Both, legitimate sales and non-legitimate. I have also heard many rumors of items being purchased for cash from the SJ campus. I guess at this time it really doesn’t matter. However, I do know many things that are now possibly being sold off were purchased with grant funds or were donated by people who would be sad to know their donations are enriching someone who more than likely did not come by the item legally.

Have any of you seen or heard of other SJ items being sold for cash around town?

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Accreditation Ends Today

According the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), SJC(?)'s accreditation ends today.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Sale pending on SJ(C?) lots

The uplands and duplexes north of SMC have potential buyers, according to the Davis Realty website.

What will become of the 216 acres of open land?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Below is good news from Dan Goodness

Good morning, all!

Everything is going great for us here, and I wanted to give you an update. It's springtime in Sitka, complete with February snowshowers, and sunny days, too. We have begun shocking, picking and seeding coho eggs. All of our chinook have hatched, and we will begin ponding them within a month. The pinks and chums are using up their yolk, and we should begin ponding them in March. The feed for this year has been ordered, and so everything is on schedule.
In addition, we have begun the process of coded wire tagging of the Broodyear 2007 chinook and cohos. We started working on the chinook yesterday. All in all, we need to clip the adipose fins from 40,000 fish, (20,000 chinook and 20,000 cohos) and inject these with the coded wire tags recently acquired from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. We will be releasing these tagged fish this coming May, right out in Crescent Bay. Last spring, there were lots of people who volunteered their time to assist us, and learn about this procedure. I am very thankful for all the help we got!! What was especially wonderful was the experience that our local High School students got from this.

In one of the attached photos, you can see Sitka High School students tagging chinook last March.

This spring, I want to once again encourage the community of Sitka, and our local school system, to be an integral part of the continuing educational program that the Sheldon Jackson Hatchery represents, for our City. This is a tremendous opportunity for someone interested in learning about our fisheries resources here. Even if you are an individual who would just like to drop by the hatchery, and watch for awhile, that's OK, too. If you are a part of a group that would like to help us, please reply to this email, and let me know when your group could be here to help. We will be able to do the tagging operation when it's convenient for your participation. This includes Saturdays, if this works into your schedule better. At this point in time, we do not plan to tag fish on Sundays.

There will be hot drinks and snacks for our volunteers. And I want to take lots of photos this spring. So, if you'd like to help, feel free to reply to this note, or call the hatchery at 907-747-8878. Please leave a message if you get the answering machine. I thank you for your interest, and your contributions to our cause. We are dedicated to keeping the educational component of the SJ Hatchery alive, and you are invited to join our group!!

Sincerely yours, Dan

Daniel F. Goodness, ManagerSheldon Jackson Hatchery834 Lincoln StreetSitka, Alaska 99835
Work Phone: 907-747-8878Home Phone: 907-747-3824
Email: daniel.goodness@gmail.comWebsite: www.sjhatchery.org

"Education never stops at the SJ Hatchery"







Saturday, February 7, 2009

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Sitka Sound Science Center & the Old SJ

Here is another story on Raven Radio about what's happening with the Sitka Sound Science Center. Click Here

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Raven Radio SJ News

As always Raven Radio has a good news stroy about SJ. Click Here

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Ron and Fred Savok

Anyone who was associated with SJC in recent years will remember Ron Savok and many will remember his father Fred Savok. I received a nice e-mail from Blanche Iliff and attached to her e-mail was an e-mail from Ron about the passing of his father. Blanche asked me to post Ron’s e-mail, so here is the closing to her e-mail with Ron’s attached.


Iknow lots of people will remember him. FYI, this is his second tour in Afghanistan.

Love,
Blanche and Chuck
***********************

Greetings to one and all-It is with great and heavy heart that I inform you all that my Dad- Covenant Church pastor (retired), Fred Savok passed away in Kotzebue Alaska. He was at a store shopping and just dropped. EMS tried to revive him- but God has called him home. He joins his wife, Gladys Savok and my little brother Walter (Peachy) Savok at the Pearly Gates and he is very much welcomed there as Heaven rejoices as another great Christian warrior arrives home.I am currently in Shajoy, Afghanistan and will start another long journey home to bury him in Kotzebue. Although it has only been a couple of months since I went to Bethel to bury my brother Walt, I desire to return to Afghanistan and continue the mission of training the 1-2-205 Hero Corp HHC and Weapons Company for independant operations. It is a job I love and am very good at. I thank you for your prayers and well wishes during this very tough and troubling times, but I am doing good and will be home soon.Best regards and love.1Lt Ronald D. Savok1-2-205 Hero Corp ETT MentorShajoy, Qalat Province, Afghanistan