Dr. Lesky and Robert Furst, D'Huy Engineering, made a presentation to the Board dated 12/17/2005 titled "Nazareth Area School District Nazareth Area School District, 2005-2010
Long-Range Potential Building Project Outlook" (view the pdf here) in which
The presentation noted that the projected enrollment end 2005 was 4634, growing to 4973 in 2009 and 5121 in 2012. It also includes drawings and floor plans of most of the projects and options.
To address growth there are eight projects identified (with projected cost and completion date):
- Relocation of Maintenance Facility (underway) $ 5.47 million; April 2006
- Lower Nazareth Parking Lot Expansion (underway/complete) $0.53 million
- HS Technical Education & Classroom Conversion (underway)$ 4.82 million; January 2007
- New 7th & 8th Grade MS - $40.8 million; September 2009
- MS to Intermediate School Conversion - $192,000 self certification Sept., 2009
- HS Media, Phys Ed Center, Classroom Conversion - $35.7 million; Sept. 2010
- K-3 Primary Center
- Outdoor Athletic Facilities & Stadium - range up to $7.1 million; Aug. 2008
- L. Nazareth Parking lot, plus new MS fields, new bridge over Schoeneck Creek - $2.6 million
I had not read this close enough the first time and as it turns out the $51.8 does not include the HS media center conversion to classrooms, gym to media center and new gym facilities for $35.7 or the outdoor facilities for $7.1 making the grand total $94.6 million in building projects.
At the most recent meeting the figure is $71 million at a cost to taxpayers of 5.71 mills over 7 years.
What can't be known between the meeting and the presentation, not having been to the meeting myself, is if the $51.8 now costs $71 million or if the $94.6 was reduced to $71 million.
What do you think? To me it seems that the approach is to borrow up to the maximum allowed instead of up to what is needed and what the taxpayers can bear. The District approach is not a base level of needs, but instead it seems all the wants are put on the table and as many as possible are included. In addition to the coming tax increases and additional costs related to these projects, what happens if the borrowing is maxed out and something "comes up"?
12 comments:
From what I understand, the total was somewhere around $100M (this included all current and projected projects like the tech center and athletic fields). I'd have to check my notes and get a hold of the latest (?) budget.
If I recall correctly, there was approx $71M in current approved (?) projects. There was an additional $36M that was being considered. This brings the total to the $100M figure I use above. The total borrowing needed to cover this was about $60M. This reflects that the district already has $22M in a construction fund account and and additional $20M in grandfathered debt.
I think that's about right. If someone has better (more correct) numbers, please post/inform me. I was taking notes so quickly I might have missed something.
This is a lot of new construction planned in such a short timeframe. I wonder why the powers that be were unable to see the same growth in the area the rest of us have and started building a long time ago to meet this growth.
Now, they are scrambling to build as quickly as possible and unfortunately, it is going to hit us tax payers right in the wallet.
I also question, with the number and cost of the listed projects, that maybe they should look at what they can cut off. As an example, we already have athletic fields. Are they the best they could be? Maybe not. But, is it worth another $7+MM to build new one when we have to spend all the other money on building schools?
Also, the $.53MM for the Lower Nazareth parking lot. Here the joke is really on the tax paying public.
If you pay attention, the vast majority of the cars dropping off and picking up are students that have a bus assigned to them. But, you look at the buses coming into the parking lot, they are less than half full (and some look to have much less than half).
So tax payers, you are paying for empty buses, paying extra for gas to drop off/pick up your kids from school, and now shelled out half a million dollars to fix the pick up/drop off line problem because you don't use the buses you have already paid for.
With all this new construction, has anyone taken a look at the increased costs we are going to have to hire all the new teachers we are going to need to staff the new classrooms? How much of an increase will that add to our taxes?
Sorry, I'm a bit behind on the article index (and falling further behind each day), but a reader did forward to me a link to the 2006-2007 NASD Budget and I included it in post earlier this month ( located here). It is a long PDF (big file), but it is available here.
And yes, if you look at the blueprints I referenced from the PowerPoint presentation (in PDF), there are definitely places that could be cut out as being nice, but probably wasteful from a function/cost standpoint.
Has anyone seen the add in the US regarding the pool project in Nazareth's new school? Is this included in the projected budget? Maybe if not, from what the ad's message relays, the YMCA, boyscouts/girlscouts would provide funding since the ad makes clear that these non profit organizations are behind them and in support of this 5 million dollar project.
I saw the advertisement and sent an email to the address listed asking the following questions last night and have not yet gotten a response:
Has the district at all identified how they would use a pool or are these simply suggestions of what could be done if a pool was in place?
Is it to be understood that if a pool is put in it will have championship diving as well as olympic pool requirements met?
What additional one-time and annual costs would there be for insurance, maintenance, staff and/or staff certification?
Regarding the items in Community use, noted below [deleted here], has there been any indication that the pool would be available to outside groups and organizations?
There could be a small charge or rent fee for the pool usage by such groups. I really doubt these groups are helping with any up front costs. As the nasd board meeting goes: if the tax act 1 is needed to be placed on the voters question area .,,then a vote by public would needed to ok an increase mil taxes over a cetain amount. Mr. Lesky mentioned at the meeting if this happens and voters are againist allowng for increase. Then more than likely services and programs will need be cut. The building cost are looking to go sky rocket as the trend for wants over needs continues in this district. In the end we will see valuable services and programs for student gone and astro turf, expensive facades, over built and over budgeted trump plaza schools. And again, students' education slip.
hmmmmm. seems my comments are not worthwhile . sent them twice and ?????? sorry if i wish to remain anonymous but i am not alone
If you could clarify what you are speaking about in regard to comments it would be much appreciated.
All comments posted to this site are not moderated so they appear once you submit them.
If you sent me email and I didn't reply, I didn't receive it. Let me know and I'll check spam and junk folders to see if it was filtered.
Thanks,
Ross
It's amazing ---a citizen committee halted a 2 million dollar borough project, but has yet to raise a cry over the 70plus million dollar plans for school projects. Education should have top priority , but education is far more than buildings and swimming pools. And the pool project has not even been added in. And where is a guarantee that a pool will be open for public use???
If we are going to preach careful spending we need to address the careLESS spending by the school district
The Citizens' Committee you reference was not interested in being a permanent group, but instead was only interested in halting construction at Hall Park.
I don't disagree with your point regarding careless spending or what seems to often happen with building projects at the school are additional charges because the board changes its mind as it goes resulting in plans having to be redrawn and modifications being made.
Sharing that information on a site like this will keep more people aware of what is happening and I have to thank everyone who does post what they know on these issues and from the meetings.
I READ THAT THE TEACHERS UNION FEELS THE RESIDENTS WHO RESIDE IN THE NAZARETH SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE WEALTHY AND COULD AFFORD SUCH A LARGE TAX INCREASE. MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED HERE THE PAST 4O YEARS ARE NOT WEALTHY AND NOT LIVING IN 400 THOUSAND DOLLAR HOMES AND ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO GET BY...HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE OUT POCKET? AND WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS DO WE NEED OLYMPIC SIZE SWIMMING POOL AND ASTRO TURF FOOTBALL FEILDS ECT....MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS SO CALLED WEALTHY COMMUNITY HAVE POOLS IN THEIR YARD AND IF THEY DON'T WE HAVE THE YMCA AND THE PUBLIC POOL, I HAVE ENOUGH TRYING TO PAY MY MORTGAGGE AND HEALTH INSURANCE AND PUT FOOD ON MY TABLE. MOST OF US AREN'T GETTING AHEAD WE ARE LOSING MONEY OUT OF OUR PAYCHECKS EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF HEALTH CARE COSTS AND THEN EVERY TAX THEIR IS GOES UP ALONG WITH UTILITIES, GAS AND FOOD. WHEN I WAS A KID MY PARENTS TOOK ME TO THE NAZARETH POOL FOR SWIMMING LESSONS....THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL. WHY DIN'T NAHS NEED A POOL 20 YEARS AGO? NORTHAMPTON SCHOOL HAD ONE WAY BACK THEN . I AM SO TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT HOW GREAT NAZARETH SCHOOLS ARE...THE REALTORS ARE ALWAYS ADVERTISING IT WHILE THEY REAP IN THE LARGE PROFITS AT NOW THE EXPENSE OF THE TAXPAYERS. IT IS ALL FOR SHOW AND KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES
"Less is More".....Quality over Quantity . The area is being SUPERsaturated with homes , warehouses, malls large and mini, RiteAids and CVSs. I envision in the future ALOT of big, empty homes , ghost malls. When will we say "ENOUGH is ENOUGH"????And the school district has fallen into the same trap
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