Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Survey says: "??????"

Monday night the board decided to bond for $119 million of the $240 million they say they need. The NS said only 800 non district employees responded to the online survey and 0nly 140 attended the four public meetings. Since the total dollars are unchanged, apparently what they found out in the survey and meetings had no influence on the scope of the project. They picked a number for the May referendum which will have a chance of success with the voters. They can come back and try for the rest later after demonstrating their competence in the first phase.

Their spreadsheet scope listed about $23 million for structural (the buildings are falling, the buildings are falling) repairs. The assumed 25% professional costs are way more than they need for fixing what's broken so they will actually have over $90 million to spend any way they want. They're supposed to put a detailed scope on their website so it doesn't look like we're giving them a blank check. Then we'll have to see if they stick to it.

The mandatory public hearing and vote will be on Dec.12. If you're thinking of going and speaking, just remember it will already be a done deal and the vote a formality. But there might be a band playing.

20 comments:

Jon Olinger said...

Will the band be playing "Nearer, My God to Thee"?

Phil Marx said...

I could get on board with the $119 Mil. The only problem is they have already stated they plan to ask for more later. I'm leaning towards voting no just to shut them down completely.

Code Blue Schools said...

By the time they come for the rest of it there's a good chance I'll be dead or living in Aboite. Either way I'll be nearer to God.

siestagirl said...

Code Blue, you claim you would have supported $300M in 2007, so not $119M in 2012? You know very well there is no "blank check", shame on you for even suggesting it.

$88.4M for HVAC, masonry, windows, roofs, ADA access, safety repairs and classroom infrastructure in 36 buildings
$22.1M professional costs
$8.8M for contingencies

No space added in any building and it will increase the average homeowner's property taxes by about a fountain drink per month.

You and I opposed the 2007 project because it was too much with too many "wants". This plan has none of that.

The students and parents of FW deserve buildings that are safe and not in danger of mechanical failure.

Despite the governor's efforts, FW private schools cannot absorb all of FW's students and there are many they would not accept. And even you understand that there are students (and their parents) who prefer public school! We are legally obligated to educate them in decent buildings.

This is a modest but necessary proposal I hope you can get behind.

siestagirl said...

checked my figures:

$93.4 M for HVAC, masonry,windows, roofs, ADA access, safety and classroom infrastructure
$18.5 M professional fees
$7.4 M contingency

Code Blue Schools said...

Siesta - I didn't "support" $300MM the last time. I said I wouldn't organize a remonstrance if they would compromise on $300MM. I haven't seen the details on the first $119MM this time. Last time the YRT decided on a number of $500MM and the consultant made up the components to fit the price. A blank check. Until I see a detailed by building scope for the first $119MM I'll reserve judgement.

I don't know what you mean by "support" for the $119MM but that doesn't matter. I don't intend to organize anything to stop it. Mark and Wendy play too many games to be trusted but with $119MM they can't get too far off track. After that we'll just have to see.

Code Blue Schools said...

Siesta - BTW, Google Andrew and Alex Harris. The Harris twins. You'll love it.

siestagirl said...

the details of the 10 buildings should be on the FWCS website

Did the googling...is this a great country or what? Ignored in high school...I don't think so. Great thing about moving across the country, you can make up whatever past you want. Hey, good for them.

Code Blue Schools said...

Talk about learning life's lessons the hard way.

What Wendy needs to do now is put those extra "racial balance" teachers on the ballot, put that money back into the capital fund, start doing building upkeep on a pay as you go basis and avoid paying interest on future bond issues. I'll bet a couple of persistent board members could make that happen.

And then stop blanket social promotion into the high schools. They're in for more grief if the state board gets their way.

David C Roach said...

a chevy drives just as well as a cadillac. obviously- fix the roofs,- water/snow/corrosion, electrical problems - prevention. make sure theres heat, and warm water- so the kids will wash their hands, as its cold/flu season. when I was in HS, the class rooms and hallways were not cold, but it wasnt tropical either- we wore a sweater/sweatshirt/ jacket- we could always hang our coats on the back of our chiars. we knew to dress for the weather, and the school 's indoor climate.
Technology- wi-fi, internet/ etc- also necessary-
I just dont want giaQuinta, etc lining the pockets of their cronies with legal graft, on another grandiose building scheme/scam.
And it seems to me that our administrators are overpaid, given the local wage scale. Teachers? they deserve every penny.
Again- a "chevy" school is just as functional as a cadillac. to use a analogy.
anyway- that would be my starting point for how much money we need to spend to keep our schools working.

Code Blue Schools said...

Dave - My approach was and still is "fix what's broken". That's what they always claim it's about, to keep their buildings from caving in. But that's not what it's been about last time or this time. Until I see the details of what's in "Structural" and HVAC, which is the biggest chunk, I have to assume it's mostly about air conditioning.

So it boils down to truth in advertising. As long as people know what they're voting for and want to pay for air conditioning the buildings, fine. I just get sick of hearing how the buildings are falling apart to the tune of $250MM. That's bullshit.

siestagirl said...

BTW, the board looked at the cost of building a Cadillac high school and decided to fix the Chevy.

Anonymous said...

Siesta Girl and Code Blue:

FWCS could stand to loose over 5,000 students to GREAT private schools, if
The following schools would reopen:
1. Zion Lutheran School;
2. Bethlehem Lutheran School;
3. Beniot Academy;
4. St. John ECLA Lutheran School;
5. Trinity Lutheran School;
6. St. Patrick's;
7. Sacred Heart;
8. St. Patrick's - Arcola.

In addition to the following schools filling to capacity:

1. St. Al's;
2. Precious Blood;
3. Unity Lutheran.

Code Blue Schools said...

About 60% of FWCS students are now on free or reduced lunch. Their parents can't afford to feed them but apparently they can afford air conditioning. Maybe that's now an entitlement along with free meals and transportation and, if voters agree with that, fine. If a cadillac high school building will get more than 30%of them to pass the algebra ECA, fine.

But right now it looks like the district is not going to tell the voters what they are voting for. Calling AC "infrastructure" is intentionally misleading. It's called lying by omission.

I don't have a problem with anything if the voters who approve it know what they're voting for. I do have a problem being lied to - again.

siestagirl said...

No one is lying, details for the 10 main buildings are on the website.

http://www.fwcs.k12.in.us/facility_planning.php

Vote no if you disagree, but don't say you were lied to.

Code Blue Schools said...

OK. At least we haven't heard "this is not a wish list" yet, although the buidlings are still said to be in imminent danger of collapse. But it's hard to predict when those kinds of things will happen.

Actually they have until next spring to get the details accurately listed out so we know exactly what they're proposing. That's basically all I'm asking for. No one is going to agree on all of it but if voters pervceive they're not being transparent about what they want, they're going to have a problem getting it passed.

Anonymous said...

Thought..
As I was a past FWCS, and visited the homes of several students, I noticed most families have funds to pay for cable, new shoes, dvds out the wazahoo, etc. But, they have figured out hook, line and sinker how to make taxpayers pay for the basics, so they have the extravangent items. I highly doubt that actually 60% of the kids in FWCS need free lunch. Case in point there is a father of two children, my neighbor, that sends his kids to Miami, rather than St. Al's or Norwell, because FWCS doesn't check their records and they can get free lunch. The oldest tells me all about it, and the propoganda spewd in FWCS.

Code Blue Schools said...

The question is how prevalent this practice is. Families who get assistance with school lunches and food stamps are in effect getting taxpayer subsidies for other stuff, like air conditioning if they have it.

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