Public notice was given for the hearing on the transfer of the KSPS broadcast license and equipment, scheduled for the School Board meeting on April 10th. While the room was full, when it came time for the hearing, the only speaker was Friends of KSPS Board President Leo Stevens. ( The text of his remarks can be found in his column.) He was eloquent and passionate about the value of KSPS and how the Friends look forward to building on its great legacy and the value of our relationship with the Board and staff of Spokane Public Schools.
But what happened next was my highlight of the evening. Several members of the Spokane School Board echoed Leo’s remarks…and built on them. They talked about how the Friends and Spokane Schools have all worked together for the betterment of the communities we serve. They spoke in glowing terms about the vision and hard work of KSPS General Manager Claude Kistler and former Friends of KSPS Executive Director Patty Starkey, who both built and grew outstanding teams.
In many ways, this meeting was and is an example of the outstanding partnership between these two great organizations – complimentary of each other’s work...and complementary of each other’s missions.
In the end, the Spokane School Board unanimously approved Resolution 2013-11 – authorizing the transfer of KSPS to the Friends of KSPS. We all have a lot to do to make this happen, but this is the first step. And we’ve taken that step the way we’ve always done it…together.
Gary Stokes
