''This is not just for sports teams. This will be used all day, every day, every period,'' Lesky said (read the Morning Call article here).The new weight room will be voted on at Monday's School Board Meeting and will cost taxpayers $1.2M.
"We have one of the most poorly equipped and one of the least environmentally safe areas," Lesky said (read the Express-Times article here).
Also being voted on is a culvert, not a culvert, but a road. A culvert is "a transverse drain" or "a bridge over a culvert" according to Webster's 9th Collegiate Dictionary. Since it is described as a road connecting the current HS with the MS being built, unless there is additional drainage being done it is a road and an upcharge to the MS project. This will cost taxpayers an additional $1M.
It would appear from the articles that MS students being bused with HS students will be dropped off at the HS and walk to the MS:
"It is amazing that we have not had someone hurt in this time," Lesky said, adding that improved traffic flow and the additional costs of busing students would pay for itself within about two decades. (from the Express-Times article indicated above).I have to believe he is referring to students walking from the Mitchell Avenue Parking lot to the HS. There is a sidewalk and no vehicles to be run over by between the two. I'm not sure why someone would have been hurt under these conditions (unless they were too weak due to inadequate facilities to strengthen their legs for the uphill climb and we've simply been fortunate no one has yet blown a hammy;-).
And if we are worried about busing costs, why are students in the development between the current MS and HS bused to school (yes even if the student's home borders the MS building they get a bus stop), but those in the borough living two miles from the building have to walk?
Our administration has gotten good at giving reasons why they need their wants, and I am glad to see that some residents are still attending and questioning these expenditures.
The Express-Times blog had a post on this(read it here) and both articles quoted two residents who questioned these projects taking place at a time when so many people are being challenged financially.
These votes come on Monday evening in the Board Room behind the HS in the previous Middle School now named the North Campus. The meeting begins at 7:30.
9 comments:
Here I go again opening my big mouth.....
I you care at all about where your tax dollars are going and how they're being spent, please please please show up at the next board meeting.
There were some new faces this past Monday, but lets get 10, 20, 30 people there.
Things need to change and this is where it can start. It is our right (and I feel our duty) to question our elected officials.
I proposed this at the end of the meeting Monday -- go ahead and renovate the weight room (clean it up -- do not expand it). We don't want our kids in unsanitary conditions, if that's the case. That should be about 25% of the price. Or, if they really need to spend the $2.2 Million, find $2.2 Million to cut elsewhere (and it better not be education based).
Why, after a 9.72% tax increase (keep an eye for your mailbox if you get your own tax bills) would they even dream of adding the square footage of a big house to the weight room???? This is money they must not spend.
Soapbox moment over.
I look forward to seeing my fellow residents Monday at 7:30.
Scott
A bigger question - why are the conditions so unsanitary?
How could the room be used all day, every period - will phys. ed. classes do nothing but lift weights?
I'm not saying eliminate the weight room, but as Scott notes lets clean it up, make it sanitary, and if equipment is unsafe fix it or get rid of it.
Regarding the remark I made in the post about Farmview, a reader rightly corrected me. MS & HS students don't receive busing, but elementary students are bused to Shafer.
A better example would have been the case where NASD removed the crossing guard in Lower Nazareth so the students across from the elementary would 'have' to be bused.
Thanks for sending the note and jogging my memory as to the exact circumstances!
Are they kidding me? I have to ask, how in the world did Lesky get his PhD being so incompetent and absolutely having no clue as to how to run anything?
Ms. McDonald, I believe you were one of the ones responsible for making sure we got the pool, so fiscal responsibility is clearly something you lack along with common sense.
To the rest of the board, you are just as bad allowing this to continue.
So, to King Lesky and his Court:
thank you.
Thank you for the ever increasing tax bill.
Thank you for driving our home prices down even further.
Thank you for making people have to choose between paying their bloated tax bill and less important things like food.
Thank you for what I am sure will be an upswing in foreclosures because people can't pay their tax bill.
Congratulations, you have achieved your legacy for yourselves, but it won't be the bright shining campus that you are remembered for. It will be for the large taxes, forclosed houses and low property values. Your names will only be spoken in disgust (pretty much as they are now).
Enjoy you moment in the sun.
I am a fifth generation Nazareth native. I own a home in the borough, but sadly, I must finally leave home b/c I can no longer afford living here.
Good luck to all, I hope this area continues on the path to enlightenment through spending and taxing
The Weight Room is used every day, all block long. Blocks are an hour and a half. There are four classes during that block, Each of the four classes go down at diffrent points of the block for about 18 to 20 minutes. Then they go do other activities.
A class fills the weight room now and you have little room to move around. We need more space and it to be more sanitary.
Jacob,
While your comments are correct, nowhere that i know of does it state, that me a taxpayer of the community is obligated to pay for kids to work out. Thats just plain ridiculous. Hey i have nothing against the sports teams in Nazareth or the kids on them, my point comes strictly from someone who has grown sick and tired of all this BS. Somewhere along the way this district lost focus on what its job was. Its a SCHOOL, not a college or a minor league sports training facility. I will say that extra-cur. activiites are important, but not the the price we are paying for them.
Just to me, i would rather keep a few teachers, than to have to spend the money on something so useless. $800,000 for 3,000 SF? that comes out to $265.00 a Square Foot. I mean please, i realize this is a school district, but the word Rape doesnt even come close to calling this what it is...
Trust me--- they WILL put it in..
I find it hard to believe that weight-lifting is a part of phys.ed year round, but that not-withstanding, why is the area unsanitary?
What will keep it from being unsanitary with new equipment - time?
These arguments really are not compelling enough when we are looking at 10% per year tax hikes and a reduction in eduction dollars.
All-
Many good points on both sides. The weight room was brought up at the Advisory Comm. Meeting last Thursday by Ms. Swigart when she was describing what is the role of the Buildings & Grounds Committee.
From what I understand, the facility right now has an air handling issue (HVAC) and needs renovation. I get that. I'm even willing to spend the money (approx $400K) to make it sanitary and more healthy.
I do not however, think it needs to be expanded for the extra $800K.
I heard the argument that "if we are spending the money to renovate and improve the HVAC, we should just spend the extra money at the same time, because if we do it in the future, it will cost more".
Gee, doesn't everything cost more in the future?
I mean, if I'm putting a new roof on my house, doesn't it make sense to double the size at the same time (even if I can't afford it)? After all, if I wait, it will only cost more.
The point to be made is that although it will cost more in the future, we should wait. In a time of economic uncertainty, I think the school board should try and be sympathetic to those in the community struggling to make ends meet and vote for the renovation but not the expansion.
Of course, I'd be shocked if the school board doesn't go for the full $1.2M.
Ross/all- I'm travelling on business early this week, so I won't be at the meeting... maybe Scott can provide his notes again.
Brad, you will be missed, believe me.
To everyone else, you must show up for these meetings or the spending will continue. Without any outcry from many, 2 or 3 people can't get much done.
This is a small sacrifice to make to try to inject some accountability into the proceedings.
We need your help.
Scott
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