Surely the reason that incumbent CCSD Board of Trustees up for reelection this fall are en masse not running for reelection, not even eminence grise Gregg Meyers, also occurred to you.
Oh, yes. They all gave differing reasons, just not the real one: thanks to their votes during this last year, taxes in the district will rise. [See Schools Work on Seismic Solutions if you don't believe me.]
And for what? This Board has approved the hiring of five, count 'em, five architectural firms to design "new buildings for the five schools with seismic deficiencies," that list being the schools examined by the district for deficiencies in event of the San Francisco Earthquake.
Have you ever seen the old elementary school campus of the School of the Arts where Charleston Progressive is moving? Did anyone check to find out if it is "seismically deficient"?
What happened to some sensible plan to start with the building identified as MOST deficient and proceed in that order at a reasonable speed year by year to fix the rest as money is available?
No, instead it must be done all at once during the tenure of McGinley and, most particularly, her penny-pinching (not) Manager Bill Lewis.
Five firms? What is this, spread the wealth around? Would not there be some economy in hiring ONE firm?
The sales tax will be voted down. Then the new Board will raise property taxes. Gregg Meyers doesn't want to be on the Board when it does. Someone must pay for five architectural firms, readying five more buildings for temporary occupancy, and the accompanying costs for massive busing.
It's just OPM.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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5 comments:
Wanna bet no public input or comments will be accepted on choosing which architect or what design will be used? What are the rules governing this process? Shouldn't the public be asking this since we're being asked to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars so Bill Lewis and Nancy McGinley can play with our money? Never mind the damage they've already done to our kids.
We have to get a school board with back bone in November. This one couldn't read a budget or know what to ask. Really, the super and her budget director said we must vote for a sales tax or they will raise property taxes anyway. Can you say "extortion". Why not get an audit on what they've done with the nearly $5 Billion they've spent over the last 10 years? Let me say that again. CCSD has spent over FIVE BILLION DOLLARS on Charleston County Schools in a little over 10 years and our school are no better. An audit should be a no brainer before any tax increase is seriously considered. The current board majority either lacks the courage or the intelligence to demand one.
This supporter of public schools says no new taxes (or raises for administrators) without first getting a complete audit.
No idea about choosing the architects, but whatever's done at Buist and Memminger will require BAR approval. I'm pretty sure BAR approval also would be needed if the plan is to demolish James Simons rather than renovate it.
Clisby
BAR approval will also be needed if exterior changes are to occur at Courtenay/Charleston Progressive. Unless CCSD is planning to replace these buildings with exact replicas of the existing structures, they may want to talk with Citadel officials for suggestions on what they might want to do with a school building demo request.
Five different architectural firms? What's the sense in that. Each will have to invent the wheel on its own. Guess who pays for the luxury of that process? Get real!
I think Anon. 5:44 is right about CPA - my initial recollection was that the BAR-oversight district stopped at Calhoun, but I see part of it is north of Calhoun.
Clisby
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