Director Tom Maher was the lone dissenting vote to all options regarding the MS.
The Board also voted to rescind the use of eminent domain to acquire the Calandra property. Director Chris Audenreid was the lone vote supporting it.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the elementary redistricting plan.
The Board voted to approve the Act I referendum question regarding some shift from property to an Earned Income Tax.
The Board voted to approve the preliminary budget with a 4.26% tax increase.
To say that these were big decisions would be an understatement. Over 150 people filled the Board Room and public comment was presented for at least two hours before and after the meeting that ended just before 11:00 p.m.
From the Public Comment part of the meeting there was much said and I'll do my best to recap:
- I actually got the first question in, which may have been the briefest asking if there would be a motion tonight to vote to rescind the decision to use eminent domain to acquire the Calandra property to which Board President Keller replied Maybe.
- Questions to better betermine why the Board had decided to pursue a 7th & 8th grade building instead of a 4, 5, & 6 building were asked.
- An individual noted that having the pool single out as an option was discrimination and that he had contacted the ACLU. He also contacted the Attorney General to help ensure that checks were made on every member of the YMCA to ensure there were no sexual predators who could be at the YMCA when the swim team was if they were forced to compete or practice there. He also noted that security would need to be hired because adults and children would be mixed in the lockerroom.
- A petition with 1350 names was submitted asking the Board to reconsider the MS because of cost and to put it to a binding referendum.
- Pool advocates noted life saving skills, healthier children, dangers of swimming at the YMCA, and added cost of going to a referendum.
- Noted that the tax increase index for Nazareth is 4.2% and less than 1/5 of tax increase referendums pass, which means cuts will be made and they will be increasingly painful. You may not be able to cut special education, but student activities, services, staff, and other mission critical pieces will be.
- This year's $56M budget doesn't include the MS Building cost, over-runs, change orders, etc. People have rightly claimed that the path we are on is unsustainable. We will get to the point where we have to cut core services. They will start with extracurricular, then core programs.
- Take a look at what is necessary, what is nice, and we need to be careful to get a competitive price.
- A student noted the logistical issues of being at vo-tech, and a program at south bethlehem, then back to Nazareth to take a bus to wilson for swim practice. Discussed need for a pool and provided drowning issues statistics and information.
- Call for the school to host events for the community through the pool and facilities of the new building.
- Why are kids still in trailers at LNES for school? I read an article about Microsoft teaming with City of Philadelphia to build a school of the future at a cost of $63million, why does our building cost so much?
- Spoke of an organization in CT that runs a pool for a school at a profit on an annual basis and guarantees break-even for the school.
- When did it become the responsibility of the school to teach swimming?
- Was told that the K-3 targets were 20 by Director Heller and 22 by Dr. Lesky. Early elementary class size is critical to life long learning ability. If we can't keep class size down we fail our students. The state says 15 is ideal, and we know that is a pipedream, but with hiring freeze, cuts, and redistricting, what is going to happen at Shafer? Dr. Lesky noted that k-3 has a target of 22 and 4 & 5 a target of 25. Shafer will get more teachers with new students. They are replacing the eight teachers with new teachers and the savings is the difference between top and bottom of the pay scale.
- Do you ever consider seniors? Most of us haven't had kids in schools for 20 years. Rent a pool for 10,000 or build one for 625,000 - how much revenue will you earn? Why would this make sense? It was noted that the pool would be ours for $625,000 and we have a one year lease otherwise.
- Fortunate to have the YMCA and the Borough Park where children can learn to swim. It does appear that 7th & 8th grade are strongly supported by Dr. Lesky, but I'm still convinced an elementary is the way to go. The 7th & 8th has a lot of extras.
- What is the school's responsibility? Core is to educate. How can you spend money and then cut education?
- We elected you to make decisions because you are in a position to have information to make these decisions. It should not go to a referendum.
- Did you consider year round schools to better utilize what we have? Yes, but it needs to be done regionally.
- Like to know about the financial models used. Taxes keep going up with all people moving in you'd think you'd be alright, but it doesn't work. Redundant facilities in this building. I understand you start with a dream and cut back on cost. I wonder if we've cut far enough.
- In Texas we had year round school in elementary and it was on a split basis. Some took traditional, some took year round and it worked.
- I also nearly closed out the first public comment by asking about the Act I referendum, specifically in regard to the idea of a tax shift. Because Earned Income Tax (EIT) will probably go up annually with raises and bonuses, will it continue to be a tax shift? How will the exemption correlate to the extra money the district gets through EIT. The answer was that there is a high and low cap. The more people who participate in the exemption on property tax, the more EIT can be collected, but can't gain on EIT. If you do then the EIT percent must be adjusted.
There was
34 comments:
Looks like we are doomed. Borough taxes will be astronomical.
I must note that I am a bit overwhelmed by that lack of coverage on the building costs in both papers this morning, no mention of the 1300+ names on the petition, or the fact that the firing of people has already begun in order to balance this years budget.
FYI Article from Sports Injury Handbook on fitness for our kids:
SEPTEMBER 4, 2002
What You Get from Swimming
Swimming is probably the most nearly perfect form of exercise. It is non-weight bearing and imposes no stress on the bones and joints; it improves cardiovascular conditioning; it is an effective weight-control exercise -- one hour of swimming burns about as many calories as running six miles in one hour; and it is a form of meditation that helps calm the nerves. Swimming also uses most of the major muscle groups, and strengthens both the upper and lower body.
Deadlines make it tough for this to make the next days papers. You will probably see a more detailed account in Wednesday's paper.
11:03, I've asked that people posting try to be open and listen to the discussion and hear what people are saying, as well as make comments.
I think we've all listened and heard the comments related to the benefits of swimming, but it seems the supporters of the pool have for the most part failed to recognize it is not whether or not swimming is good for you, nor is it about the pool, instead it is about the overall project cost.
The project is going to cost over $50 million, nearly $60 assuming there are no cost overruns or changes.
We are still paying off the last Middle School we built, along with the Maintenance Facility, Lower Nazareth Parking Lot, Tech Ed addition at the HS, and we will be adding new debt service for this project.
At the closing community comment I asked about our debt ceiling. We hold a % for 'emergencies'. Each year our limit fluctuates due to what is being paid off, but for roughly the next 10 years or so we will have between 7 and 10 million available plus about the same for emergencies giving us a total of 14-20 million.
Sounds like a lot. The problem is our HS will be overcapacity by 2015 - 8 years, and the IS, now the MS will be within 100 students of capacity at the same time.
When this happens we'll have very little money to build or do anything.
Compounding our problem is the fact that school taxes can only be raised by 4.2% and if they go over the voters must approve the increase (less than 1/5 of these are approved nationwide based on a statistic provided last night).
Considering the first budget this year had a 10% increase and we haven't begun to borrow like we will (in the next few years the annual debt service will peak at $13 million), it is very likely that our future budgets will go to the voters.
If the voters say no increase. The NASD is stuck at 4.2%.
What do you cut?
This year they chose to cut the Athletic Budget by 5%, they had a hiring freeze, they cut teachers professional development. They made about 20 cuts.
Each year the cuts will get worse as fixed costs and debt service can't be touched. Student activities and services will go. Staff will go.
How challenging do you anticipate the next teachers contract will be in light of this years, and coupled with this situation?
The decision to proceed with this building project (with or without a pool) has me very concerned for my children's education (they are pre-K and 3rd grade).
No one has been able to answer how the bills will be paid or how space will be made when we go over capacity at the HS, except to say we must be very careful with our spending.
I only wish we'd have been more careful before we dropped $56 million on this project.
Plus there is now only 6 people who work in manintaince to cover all these buildings in the district and custodians that left are not getting replace with a hiring freeze, so it is decided to next school year to hire. We have more admin postions and supervisors in buildings and grounds that regular salaried people doing their jobs. It is amazing a whole 50+million with cuts and hiring freezes aready. What is next?
Mr. Maher is out on an island. He cannot reign in the other board members when it comes to spending.
I have lived here for over 10 years (from a more fiscally responsible PA school district where the teachers union accepted a freeze and actually pay like the common man for their benefits). The same folks running the board who:
-Ignore 1,300 name petitions.
-Hire friends, husband/wife teams out of other districts and match those higher salaries.
-Create non-essential
administrative positions
I saw a post that said "we elect people so we don't have to go to referendum". Since when do elected officials do what you expect them to do once they get elected?
We all share the responsibility, allowing this board to operate without fear of electoral reprisal. Even when we voted on of them out of office, they found a way to bring the guy back in.
I am very disappointed by the decision...I am also surprised...I did not think the "vocal minority" of pool supporters would end up swaying the majority of the board. I am sure the legal implications swayed their vote more than anything (the threat of having to hire extra security for the YMCA, doing background checks on members, the implied threat coming from mixed use of the locker room, etc)...these scare tactics are very effective. I wonder how many parents of kids who use the YMCA have requested background checks on all members? Do you really think they would refuse to allow their kids to use the Y if this wasn't done? I doubt it. MAN, WE LIVE IN SUCH A PARANOID AND LITIGIOUS SOCIETY!!!! Who can blame an uncompensated board member for covering their a** when faced with the potential of a lawsuit?? It would take a tremendous amount of guts to stand up to that pressure! At least two board members - Maher and Keller - showed they have some intestinal fortitude!
I also cannot beleive how this pool issue has shift the focus of the building discussion...all of a sudden we were supposed to beleive that cutting the pool and spending $52MM vs $57MM was being frugal?? I, like many others, do not beleive the approved building solution is the best for the district...but it certainly was easier to vote for this verses voting no, flushing the development money down the drain, and starting all over again...
There is one solution - vote out everyone who voted in favor of this plan. None of the Board members who voted YES will have my future support or vote, and I will work toward the defeat of board members who do not run on a platform of fiscal sustainability. Current members who voted YES last night already proved they do not beleive in fiscal sustainability. Don't get me wrong...I do not want to cut every program or run on a shoe-string budget, but we need a more business-oriented, long term perspective from FUTURE school board members. Only Maher and Keller are safe in my book!
ANONYMOUS 501
What makes you so sure that there are not a silent group of people that support the pool??
I take it that you are amking your judgement on the school board members based on this one vote. Is this the only thing they have done against YOUR wishes? Have they ever done anything good?
Seems like to me that the population is changing. If the majority of the people in the district truly believe in the importance of our schools(which I think they do) then I would trust them to support a refernedum to exceed the limits put forth by Act 1. Yes, that may force some people to move because of increased taxes(but as I said the popluation is changing). In the alternative, if a future budget increase in excess of Act 1 is not approved you will also see a change in population. There will be many who move away to a district where the people support education.
My previous comment was actually in response to Anonymous 505.
I agree that the only possible solution to our spending problems in this district is to vote Board members out. I know that Mr. Butz is up for re-election in May and I suggest that he be the first to go.
Dr.Lesky repeatedly mentioned a 35 member panel last night that played a major role in the new 7-8 building decision. What he neglected to mention is that a lot of the initial decisions were reached w/o the benefit of cost data. It was more like choose the best scenario based on a number of considerations other than cost. He also neglected to say that it was proposed that a new building be put in adjacent to the current high school. The thought was to build on the current football field and include facilities that could be easily utilzed by the high school. That way the $34 million dollar new gym and media center proposal could be minimized. As Deb Hunter brought up yesterday the land for the new school is suspect. If they utilzed the current football field the land appears to be more stable and new athletic fields could have been constructed on the land currently designated for the new MS.
Traffic logistics was and is a problem no matter what site they pick.
So the bottom line is that our current school board's actions will result in tax increases that will push us closer to the rates that NJ residents pay in taxes. I might be able to live with that if the education that Nazareth students receive went up in value by the same amount. I've compared Lehigh Valley SAT scores with those of NJ public schools in Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris County. Other than Moravian Academy and a few parochial schools in the Valley there are no Northampton County schools that are even close to the majority of NJ schools in SAT scores. We are 10 to 15% behind those school districts. These are the same schools that have their citizens vote on budgets( which PA administrations are in fear of). Per our administration NJ does a terrible job of managing their school finances. I guess the only thing they do well is provide their students with a quality education.
Jim-
Tax increase referendums very rarely pass. That is a fact. I think you underestimate the NASD's population to support a tax cut. I hope you're right, because we face the very real possibility of a referendum vote just to pass the 08-09 budget.
I also find your comment "Yes, that may force some people to move because of increased taxes(but as I said the popluation is changing)" very callous. So what about the senior citizens who have lived here all there lives? In your world, it's okay for them to have to up and sell their homes because they could no longer afford their school taxes? Nice.
I'll leave this for those interested in reading more about this subject and not make a separate post for I'm sure many are sick of this subject despite its importance. As you'll see in my words, so am I, but I'm getting over it;-)
I didn't anticipate a different outcome before I arrived at the meeting last night, but I also didn't anticipate the number of people in attendance either.
The game played out and the Board made its decision. That is what we elect them to do.
The pro-building advocates, Dr. Lesky, Mr. Butz, and the others played a good game. They used the pool to divert attention from the building and rallied a small but loyal constituency to advocate spending almost $60 million to provide support for the position.
At the final minute Don Keller split a vote and if anyone was able to follow which vote went where good for them it was noted in the Morning Call he did vote against including the pool along with Tom Maher, so I guess that is where that no vote went.
Problem was Maher needed Keller's help much earlier. Keller did not speak out against it, nor did he attempt to sway his fellow Board Members. He voted against it and that is something, but not much more than saving face in an election year in my book.
There is little doubt this course of action will not change. We are spending the money, we will be putting students in a fourth middle school since 1983(?).
The problem I face now is do I want this board in place for the next 30 years so they can be the ones to deal with the financial problems they have created.
Or do I want anyone up for reelection who voted in favor of the plan out (in which case an innocent Board Member must be placed into a bad situation they did not create) to show the people are not happy?
Even if you vote out the ones who voted in favor of it what have you got? Maher and Keller are two of the four up for reelection and it is rumored Callie will not run again (in support of that rumor during the meeting when Chris Miller noted four were up for re-election she shook her head and mouthed no).
You could vote out Mr. Butz, a solo home run in the top of the ninth with two outs and the pitcher up next when you're down by 56. Not much of a consolation.
In short the election will result in little change and not nearly enough to make a statement or to get enough votes to overturn this plan come Jan 1 of 2008.
Nor do I want to see it drag on that long.
The students five to ten years and more down the road will be the ones punished when the budget crisis that Mr. Hensley detailed in charts two meetings ago is amplified by unanticipated new costs, increased debt, and the new building.
It will be further compounded as I noted earlier when the HS and IS run out of room and we have no money to build.
All of the nay-saying aside, at this point the Board has given the Admin everything it could want within our debt ceiling and tax index.
We have new buildings, additions, a teachers contract, administrators, IT, even a "green" bus and new transportation software.
There is only one thing left to do and that is produce.
The perception of Nazareth being a good school district now needs to be supported by PSSA test scores that demonstrate our investment has been worthwhile.
We are the Yankees. Anything short of a championship will be a disappointment. Continued disappointment ought to be responded to like baseball and business - fire the the CEO and the management staff.
On the other hand, if they get the performance we desire, reward them*
Rewards applied only if money is left over and voters approve reward amount by binding referendum - no exceptions.
What I find interesting, for lack of a better word, is the flip flopping demonstrated at these school board meetings.
Last meeting the YMCA offer came up and they tabled the pool project for the time being but from board comment it seemed to be a viable option.
Then a bldg committee mtg occurs pool supporters scream foul they put the pool on the agenda and boom it is voted back on the plans. Talk about catering to special interest groups-I mean we are talking a swim team of 48. And don't use the teaching children to swim platform-that is a parents responsibility.
Then a few months back the condemnation proceedings of Calandra property were discussed, not a one member voted against eminent domain proceedings, nor did they go so far as to state a hesistancy to it. Then they vote again and it is 8 for rescinding condemnation proceedings and 1 against it.
Don't get me wrong I am thrilled they chose to call the dogs off in regards to Calandras land but it seems that this board is like flocking sheep easily swayed and kept in check. Just my observation.
Makes me think Dr Lesky has pitched his wants and they have fallen into place, like a heeler nipping at their heels. Am very surprised at Mr Heller's vote, husband of a long term Kindergarten teacher, you would think he would be thoroughly entrenched in the educational needs of keeeping the buildings basic so as to keep the money available to the classrooms where they are NEEDED, not in the buildings design and the athletic facilities where they are only WANTED.
It all boils down to needs versus wants, something I am constantly trying to teach to my elementary age children but something that seems to have evaded our boards thinking.
to 11:03 anon:
I believe skiing is a sport that uses every muscle of the body as well as swimming. Should we not take our skiers to the poconos, but instead build our own ski slope and make our own snow? Why should we deprive those kids who want to do this very healthy sport?
You guys are loosing perspective of what is needed. As a matter of fact you've lost it.
Hmm...Do you think they will offer classes for those who will be swimming in debt when the tax increase rolls in?
Rest assured, I will be voting with my checkbook in mind at the next election.
Problem is that elections won't make much difference as out the 4 up for reelection two voted against (well Maher against, Keller partially against) proceeding with MS plans as they stand--meaning 7 voted for--so if we replace Callie (rumor is she isn't running anyways) and Butz still only have a chance of 4 out of 7 seeing the light and with all the money spent on development of the plans at this point we are doomed---all we can hope is that we can get the board to whittle down the extravagances if at all possible so as to insure this stays within budget---even at 58K core classroom programs are at risk but imagine if this thing spirals out of control--think what will get cut then
loved the skiing idea-and hey how about equestrian--would love some stables--or golf, get us some greens--how about bowling and hockey--throw in some lanes and a rink while you are at it--all great sports that provide recreation and cardio vasculary benefits--albiet not life saving like swimming but still they contribute to the well rounded student we all want--how about that for your legacy Lesky?
Hey People,
Let it go. Always remember you do have options, ie: You could move to another district, maybe Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe, Hazelton areas, get the point.
Yours in Happy
I believe there is still alot of new home construction that will be done over the next few years. THese are big homes, ie 700k value that are assessed higher for new construction. Who sets the assessed values on these homes ? Can they be assessed higher ? Lets face it the the NJ "river jumpers" will pay the taxes, so lets have them help foot the bill. If the NJ river jumpers don't like it they have the olption to stay in a very high tax base area of NJ - Bottom line they'll still come over and build new homes and pay our taxes as it is alot cheaper then NJ. Thanks in advance you NJ river jumpers.
I appreciate and understand your being upset, but let's not name-call at least on this site.
Not everyone is from NJ (many I've met are from around the country including the midwest and pacific northwest) and I don't blame them for moving here - it is a great place to live.
If you pass Act I they (along with you and I) will pay alot more. They will pay 1.6% of their salary plus the property tax.
If they are making 150,000 that will cost $2,400 and if the home is at $500,000 I'd guess the tax bill would be about $10,000 (500,000/2 for assessment, then 2000x5 because Martinez notes a home at 50,000 pays 2012 - I rounded)and if they apply for the exemption they'll get $450 or so back.
There is also a movement to reassess every time a home is sold to maximize the assessment and not wait for the 10 year reassessment by the County. That would help out.
Complaining about what has happened may make you feel better, but it isn't going to change anything.
Impact what you can moving forward without forgetting what has happened.
Finally, if they just moved here they aren't the ones who put this board in place - we are.
I hope the "NJ River jumpers" comment is said partly in jest but in case it's not let me set the record straight. 40 years ago when I was in school in central NJ half of my teachers were from PA. Many of my neighbors were originally from the coal regions in PA. Why did they come to NJ? They came because PA was a backward state by comparison where services were poor and people with a college education had a tough time making a good living.
Now the roles are reversed. NJ is overcrowded (lots or orginal PA people still there), you can still make a good living, but quality of life in general has gone down and taxes have gone way up. So guess what NJ, NY and residents of other states are moving to PA for a better quality of life. They could not move here if landowners didn't sell the land and developers didn't build on it and a lot of the builders are PA companies and residents. When you say not to sell the land the farmers say your depriving them of their retirement. The PA state government does NOTHING to support municipalites and school districts in their fight to have developers pay for the impact of their developments.
The bottomline is until the State or local municipalities have the guts to assess realistic fees on developers the local resident will be in trouble. As an example if Ashley Development builds 1400 homes on the racetrack site they will easily make $100 million or more. The estimated 500 to 700 children involved( and I think that's alow est.) will bankrupt our school district. Will Lower Nazareth have the guts to tell the developer to proceed with the project they must build a new school for $25 million? I wonder.
Ross-
I thought the new EIT represented 2.1% of salary, am I incorrect? Thought EIT had a .9% increase from 1.2%- Kelley
Kelley-
You are correct. Currently, we pay 1.2% (0.5% to the township/borough and 0.7% to NASD). NASD is raising their portion by 0.9% to 1.6%. So we are paying 1.6% + 0.5% = 2.1%
Brad,
I was not trying to be callous, only realistic. As far as the impact on seniors, I wonder if someone could find what the effects of the new apportionment of taxes will have on a homeowning senior that has no earned income(only social security and pension).
The reality is the area is changing. There will be some who move away because of that change, and there will be some who move in because of that change. The primary basis of school board or government decisions should not be the effect on the lower income portion of the community. Not to say that they should be ignored, but the benefit to the majority must be the over riding factor.
Thanks for the correction, must have had the ".2" in my head from the tax index.
Yes we all have options, move, stay and see what happens, etc. Why not just let the elected officials do what they please? BECAUSE THEY ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS!
They MUST/SHOULD listen to public comment, they are supposed to represent US... I think the board has some grand scheme to be as "visionary" (Dr. Lesky's quote) as the board that built the original HS. Let's see.... built with the WRONG MATERIAL (Cinder block NOT cement block) (Never validated, just what I heard) so adding other floors above is not a possability, yup that's forward thinking. I have lived here all my life, went through all the original nazareth schools, am very happy living where I am but on the other hand am concerened that things are getting out of hand.
As to the 4.2% maximum increase, It also seems that too can be gotten around... under Act 1 the maximum is 4.2% and then a refferendum vote. But in certian cirmstances that can be gotten around, ie. Large increase in population and increases in special education costs, that was mentioned at the board meeting. What is to stop them from doing exactly what they want. I would think that in years to come EVERY year is going to be an exception to the rule..
For those of you that were at the meeting I personally thing the young student said what was on EVERYONES mind. And to think, it did happen.
Was at the meeting and wnat to know which young student you are referring to? Could you paraphrase as maybe I missed it? Thanks
How can a budget be set when the teachers contract is not officially settled. I have raised this point several times. The teachers and the school board have not settled on a contract! This was a hot topic only a few months ago and now it is never talked about.
5:44, sorry can't tell what you are referring to. Was it from the post or someone's comment?
6:36, probably because most people believe it was a done deal once the threat of a strike was over. I would guess no one, myself included, has discussed it because neither side has said much of anything.
NOC..
That is exactly my point; the majority of people think that the contract has been settled.
I could be wrong, but is my understanding that the teachers have not voted to accept the contract that the negotiating teams agree to and therefore there is no official contract. If there is a teacher who is reading this and agrees or disagrees, I would love to hear from them.
A teacher mentioned last week the contract is not finalized and there is an urgency to get by admin get it done.
That is correct. Teachers haven't even seen the contract and haven't heard when they will. They were supposed to have seen the contract and voted on it by mid January, but here we are a month later and still nothing. What's up with that??
Student stated that the board would do what the damn well please. and was chastized for it.. It's what we all were thinking... he just had the guts to say it
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