In short, the NASD sold a building for $75,000, then bought it back for $125,000, and did so without a plan of how we would use it.
The long story, ten years ago, Nazareth owned both the Kern House and its neighbor, now the law office building of Gary Asteak on the Circle. The two buildings housed the administration offices. The Kern House had the business offices, and the other building the Superintendent and Asst. Superintendent.
The decision was made to convert the main floor of the HS Annex (former middle school) to central administration offices, which meant the district could sell the two properties in the Borough.
The Kern House was sold to the Moravian Historical Society for $75,000. The sale price was low in order to allow the Society to invest in the building to create a museum and educational center that would benefit the district's students.
Since that time, there have been some open houses at the Kern House, but the resources to open another museum didn't materialize. The Society had considered sub-leasing the site to a bank for a set number of years and use the lease money received to seed the museum, but the NASD indicated doing so was against the terms of the sale.
According to the article, a recent crisis at the museum led the Society to make a decision on the Kern House and they offered sale back to the school district for $125,000.
The article notes
"Lesky said the district isn't sure how the Kern House will be used. "We're looking at the options," he said.
9 comments:
Does this really surprise anyone?
Dr. Lesky believes the school district is his own private enterprise, to do as he wishes whenever he wishes. Reckless spending, cronyism, the debacle of the intermediate school (block scheduling for 4th graders?!). This guy is a megalomaniac, empowered by an equally reprehensible school board.
Why is this IDIOT spending money we don't have? Is he not already happy that he has put us in such a hole that he wants to add to it?
He should immediately be removed from his position, or at least have the ability to spend OUR money stripped away.
Friendly reminder - please no personal attacks.
Feel free to provide constructive criticism or even criticism, but it doesn't have to be personal.
In this case, the Board made the vote. I don't know what the recommendation was, but one would have hoped that someone would have suggested it be tabled until a use could be determined and cost to maintain could be assessed.
As rightly noted, they don't have enough money to cover their own budget without 10% tax hikes. The spending is so high this is a small percent, but as most people will attest, in tough times every little bit is important.
This is just another case of reckless spending by the NASD. I blame the administration and the school board. How did the administration bring this subject to the board for them to approve? Was there no one on the school board with a backbone to speak up against buying this property back? Shame on both the administration and the board!! Why is there no one in administration and the board who does not speak up for us taxpayers? Are they this careless with their own personal spending?
NOC,
Sorry for the comments going a little outside the lines. There is just a lot of frustration that this administration continues to pile an even larger tax burden on the residents of this area.
What they are succeeding at doing is driving down home values and generally annoying the entire population.
I am convinced that the entire population could show up at a school board meeting and this group really wouldn't care and continue to do whatever they want.
You can only squeeze so much out of the taxpayer then what? Cut education programs further? Eliminate sports? They seem to only think about the NOW as opposed to the future.
You know, this is nothing different than what the federal goverment is trying to do with the stimulus package, no doubt Dr. Lesky thinks buying the building will stimulate jobs. Welcome to Change. How irresponsible to be spending money now. I do think its a good property, but its not appropriate.
If the Kern numbers don't make you sick. Then these should.
BTW, unlike other sports these coaching figures were not approved in an open session. Is that even legal? All the other coaches were approved in regular session.
Head Coach Rob Melosky $10,176.00
Asst. Coach Leon Brong $ 8,140.80
Asst. Coach Dave Parsons $ 7,684.00
Asst. Coach Bryon Haupt $ 4,624.00
Asst. Coach Vince Andrews $ 4,624.00
Frosh Coach Keith Heimbach $ 5,100.00
Asst. Frosh Coach Shawn Martel $ 2,992.00
MS Asst. Brian Wolf $ 2,312.00
MS Asst. Luke Schoeneberger $ 2,312.00
MS Asst. Dan DiPetrillo $ 1,224.00
MS Asst. Joel Kilpatrick $ 1,224.00
What does that work out to? About $10,000 a win? Plus factor in the $90K gym teach salary. It makes me want to puke.
The story quotes Dr. Lesky as saying the vote was unanimous. It also quotes Mr. Maher as follows:
"I don't believe there's enough of a plan out there yet. How does it fit into our strategy?
Did Mr Maher just go along with it despite his concerns? Or, were his concerns addressed and satisfied? Let's hope it's the latter.
How interesting that when the society couldn't afford an education center at the Kern House, the district can...and that from my understanding,two of the options that the society tried - renting/leasing (to be able to afford keeping the building and carrying through with the ed. program)and selling it - are now two of the district's options for the building, even though the district blocked the society's attempts to both lease and sell. Different rules obviously apply to what the district does and what it "allows" to happen in the community. Is the word "bully" appropriate???
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