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Interest rates changed
One thing no one has brought up are the interest rates the ''old board'' operated under when the promises were made.....
This school district (and many others did the same)used interest monies from Bond Issues to pay for things outside the Bond Issue they needed. In many cases it was textbooks and technology - in the case of North and Lakeview Issue it was to make Central have equitable facilities.
What changed? Besides the make up of the school board - INTEREST RATES. What could have been over $6 million dollars of interest money turned into $2.6 million dollars. The intention was probably there and probably good, but let's face facts $2.6M is not $6.0M.
I understand from what I've read about the new levy that technology, textbooks, furnishings, etc are included in the bond issue. Gone are the days where you can make promises from the interest money - it seems the new board realizes that.
They also made the move to have the interest monies in a Board controlled fund so it did not get frittered away on the administrations pet projects. The other thing this enabled them to do was use these monies for permanent improvements - as I understand it the only thing that could move monies from this fund was a court order. Probably one of the smartest thing this board did with negotiations coming up as soon as they did. This money was ''off the table'' and could not be raided for raises.
Let's only hope that's a practice that can continue.
By Accountant
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Coalition building
Why is it so hard to get through to people who are failing so badly?
Does anyone know what a political coalition is?
It is used everyday in this country and in every democracy in the world. It is where differing parties in a democracy compromise their differences to form a union to obtain a majority of the VOTES.
What all of this discussion has been about is how you, that are so pro-levy lost your
C-O-A-L-I-T-I-O-N.
You lost that coalition when you built the North H.S. Did any of you think by building the Taj Mahal that you would ever have trouble passing another levy in the future?
Now someone please tell me where and who is a bigger coalition than the Athletic booster parents and members of the voting public? Last spring with the full support of the teachers union they provide a grand total of 4% points better than a year ago.
Next you ask why I want to WASTE money on more athletic facilities? That is pure hypocrisy. If you are telling me that first we are wasting money on the athletic facilities then shut every sports program down in the district is you are true to your feelings that those expenses are waste of tax dollars. I challenge anyone from the board or the general public to try and get that policy passed.
For you academics out there. Someday you will need to face the reality that there is a large coalition of voters out there that are very dissatisfied with the meager facilities at Central when compared to North. Unless you all in mass address that you will never likely get another bond levy passed in this district again and I think you all know what is coming.
Did having Jim Brink sleep with the teachers help? They are more talk than influence. They scared the pants off of the board last November but they couldn?’t deliver at the ballot box last May.
So for you folks that are so desperate to pass a bond levy for these two schools your task is to go over and give the athletic boosters and all of the PLSD athletic voters a big wet kiss on their collective fanny.
This is not about trying to produce professional athletes. It is about being fair to the students and the taxpayers either shut ALL THE SPORTS down or make them equal.
By Father of Many
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OK - Dad
Where is the Taj Mahal Stadium II to be placed?
Where do the sports practice it displaces?
Why does another wrong make it right? Or should we say Wright?
Most of this is the problem of an out of control City Council that zoned a bunch of low end housing in their own end of town. And now you're displeased with the school board?
Thought about asking Bill why he voted to screw up the area so much? With emergency legislation? There's a guy that doesn't want to hear citizens! Whoops I just got his lit - he does care......NOT. Maybe his cronies will pay for your sports complex - they sure aren't coughing up any cash for the schools they are intent on crippling.
By Facts first
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Make some friggin lemonade
Wow! This discussion has taken on a life of its own. I would like to throw a few things out there. First, I do not deny we need two elementaries. However, the Board gets land donated in Sycamore Creek and NOW they say it is a difficult piece to work with. What did they have to say when it was donated? Did they think the developer would give them the best site in their development? Sure it may be difficult but keep your collective traps shut and deal with it. If you?’ve been given lemons, make some lemonade.
We have all the land we need to build schools on. It is located at the corner of Refugee and Pickerington Roads. Build the darned things there. It is perfect? No. Can it be done? Yes! 950 versus 750? Who cares? Let?’s face it. We need space and we can accommodate it at North. Is a 950 student school conducive to an optimal learning environment? You say no but I say make lemonade. Why would you consider building a school bus megaplex on land that can be devoted to educational space? Are you nuts? Buy some cheap land in the township somewhere and park the stupid buses there. Build as many schools on that property that you can fit. Leave no acre undeveloped. It is school property. Build some damned schools there. We?’ll make do with the transportation issue over you whining and bitching.
I am still sore about the obvious differences between the schools (north and central). Who isn?’t? But nothing I do or say now will change the past. Do I think athletics should even be a consideration in my thought process for deciding on a levy? No. That 1/10 percent of 1/10 percent of Pickerington athletes whose athletic experience at any Pickerington school turns them into a professional athlete whose insanely high salary benefits one single resident of this school district aside, screw the bands and athletics. Sorry La Cosa Boostra, but this all gets down to an education here. Not games! Do these professional athletes reinvest a single dime back into the athletic machine that made them? Cite me the examples.
This all boils down to what we need versus what we want. I want enough class space for all kids in every grade. I want enough non-classroom space to handle all the other requirements. I want a plan presented to me from this district that puts all kids in a classroom and will handle the increases for a minimum of 5 years out. I want each and every necessary operating requirement for the next 5-10 years placed before me now. I need to plan ?– not react. That is what you should be doing PLSD ?– planning versus reacting. Stop whining and licking your wounds in public and make some damned lemonade.
There are administration officials that need to go. Well, make them go. Just do it! You want their names? I think you know them. You need to earn back the trust of the voters. Well please try. Why aren?’t the schools, townships, cities and the business community meeting regularly publicly to address this problem? Oh yeah, that?’s right, the district is so much smarter then the rest of us. Quit blaming. I repeat ?– QUIT BLAMING! Quit blaming the city for the growth. The new guys have slowed it WAY down and will continue to do so as long as we elect this Team4Pickerington I am reading about. Rather than blaming, start dealing directly with the true offenders.
Continued.....
By Mad as Hell
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