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School Replacement / Levy

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    Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 9:39am
From MJ:
District mulls May ballot initiative to replace oldest school

By John Bombatch

Staff Writer

Middletown City Schools officials say they might not wait for millions of dollars in state funding to come through before moving ahead with a plan to construct a new middle school in the East End.

And a tax levy to help pay for it might not be too far away.

Replacing Middletown Middle School, the oldest building in the district, is a top priority for the Middletown Board of Education, Superintendent Greg Rasmussen said this week. The district had planned to use about $40 million from the Ohio School Facilities Commission to help defray the cost of an estimated $56 million to $66 million project that would build a new middle school and renovate the existing Middletown High School.

School officials originally thought those funds might be available in two years, but recently learned it could be as many as three to five years before the money becomes available. Rasmussen said some district officials feel that’s too long to wait to replace the crumbling, 89-year-old middle school at 1415 Girard Ave.

School board members “would like to explore the possibilities of getting one sooner,” Rasmussen said.

District business manager George Long said the board of education is considering placing an initiative on the May ballot, but stressed nothing has been decided. He said the deadline for placing a measure on the May ballot isn’t until February.

“This was discussed at the Oct. 8 and 22 meetings,” Long said. “A final decision to have a May bond levy will be made in January 2013. If they move forward with that initiative, the new middle school will open for the fall of 2015.”

And for some students, teachers and administrators who walk the halls of Middletown Middle School every day, the new building can’t go up fast enough. Crumbling stairways, bathroom stalls without doors and cafeteria tables with no chairs are all signs of the former Vail Middle School showing its age. Teachers say it’s about more than merely being inconvenienced; these problems often result in classroom disruptions.

Emily Donner, a seventh grade language arts teacher, said most classrooms have modernized door locks, but others still require skeleton keys. Donner said she recently had a skeleton key break in half when she tried to use it because it was so old.

Sher said she probably spends 30 minutes every school day adjusting the room temperature to keep students comfortable. For a 180-day school year, that’s 90 hours that could be used for classroom instruction.

“If you went into my room right now with all the windows closed, it would probably be about 100 degrees in there,” Donner said. “So you have to play this game between the windows being open, then everybody gets cold, then you have to shut them to heat things back up again. You have to time it just right all day, and that takes up your time too.”

Eighth-grader Luke Farrell agrees. “In every single room, teachers have portable air conditioners in their window, and they bring fans from their homes,” he said.

Seventh-grader Chloe Pruett said the stairs in the building “are really old and they’re falling apart. I fell one time and it really hurt.”

Gracie Pruett, an eighth-grader, said one time she fell off of a chair that had a loose seat, and it was just placed back on its pedestal for someone else to fall off of later.

Parent Lamar Ferrell has a child who requires a wheelchair to get around. He and special education teacher Kathy Wilson both noted that the present middle school is not wheelchair friendly. Wilson noted that the limited parking presents issues for the handicapped as well.

But convincing recession-weary taxpayers in Middletown to support another levy could be a tall order. Voters gave a lift to the Middletown Senior Center by approving a 5-year, 1-mill property tax levy Nov. 6, that will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $30.60 a year, or $153.15 over the life the the levy.

But voters in the Middletown-Dayton area were not so kind to school levies asking for new money last Tuesday, rejecting 11 out of 12 such issues. Statewide, the numbers were better with 55 percent of school tax issues gaining voter approval last Tuesday, including 45 seeking new money.

Rasmussen said the board has asked Long to look further into the middle school construction. He said a lot of questions still remain.

“What would it cost? What components would it take? How would (the middle school construction) impact our state money down the road? Do we wait 6-7 years, or not? Do we break up the plan into two phases or just keep it as one? Those are the kinds of questions that the board has asked George to look into,” Rasmussen said. “That’s really where we are now.”

Long said some preliminary studies on constructing a new middle school were done during a four-month community engagement process that ended in April. But Long said now school officials are doing a more detailed analysis, so school board members can make the most informed decision possible come January about how to proceed.

“We still do not have a definitive answer on when the remaining approximately $40 million (from the Ohio School Facilities Commission) will become available,” Long said. “At some point between now and when those $40 million dollars become available, Middletown will have to make a decision.

“If they want that $40 million dollars, they are going to have to provide the remainder of the local share of those funds,” he said. “Part of what we’re in the process of doing is updating our master facilities plan with the state to quantify that.”

Phase 1 of the district’s master building plan was funded by a Nov. 2003 bond issue and resulted in the construction of six new elementary schools and the renovation of two existing elementary schools.

Phase 2 was originally intended to address secondary school enrollment, but due to changes since the original 2003 plan was created, the second phase of the building plan was altered and reconfigured to become the current overall master plan.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 10:38am
HELL NO!!!! REMEMBER THE 45 MIL BOND WE PASSED FOR THEM FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS? REMEMBER PRICE AND CREW SAYING THAT THE NEW SCHOOLS WOULD IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND TEST SCORES? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THOSE CLAIMS? WAS IT WORTH THE 45 MIL FOR NEW SCHOOLS COMPARED TO THE PERFORMANCE WE RECEIVED AND HAS BEEN REPORTED? YOU DECIDE IF IT WAS A GOOD DEAL FOR THE TAXPAYING PUBLIC. DON'T THINK SO.

MERCY SCHOOL PEOPLE. THE ECONOMY IS STILL IN RECESSIONARY MODE. PEOPLE WITHOUT JOBS FOR MONTHS....YEARS. NO GOOD JOBS TO BE HAD IN THIS TOWN. PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THE HIGHER GROCERY PRICES AND GAS THAT FLUCTUATES ALMOST DAILY. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU PROPOSE A DAM LEVY AT THIS TIME? VERY POOR TIMING ON YOUR PART........KINDA SELFISH ON YOUR PART TO CONSIDER THIS GIVEN THE FACT THIS IS A POOR COMMUNITY MADE SO BY THE LEADERS AND THE ECONOMY. ALOT OF SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES LIVING HERE TOO. THEY CAN'T AFFORD THIS. NEED TO LEARN WHEN TO BACK OFF.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 10:56am
Middletown needs to rebrand its name to reflect its corruption values and dishonesty. It's not Brighter Future, it's The Big Easy. The Mulligan's, Picard, and Becker lay asphalt for getting the voting blocks out, and Smith and Jones secure help in urban Development making good Cincinnati State the gem of downtown, led by a small,niche stained glass team, and Main Street securing a bright future for their properties, while others are neglected, the Big Easy of cramming get tax levies through at a minimum of 60 percent, is a piece of cake, aka, the Big Easy.

All through the last week of the election in November, the city fire trucks were at the Sr Citizen Ctr, strategizing to rack up a win Obama style.

The Big Easy is so easy, in spite of continued horrific school performance and singing the praises of Dr. Price, the school board and lifers are ready to fire up building the middle school. Heck, it's so Big Easy, why wait!

Middletown is run and ruined by a few passing deals and favors back and forth, to get their votes. I know one council members who took care of the Milton Street area, making road repairs around that area. The extra money for asphalt for 2 Mm paying back certain areas that carried the public safety levies.

For fools who think Landen is trying go save money for allowing police and fire fighters to sell, cash out is the proper terminology
to save overtime, that is an enormous benefit of a cash advance, a reward for passing the domino levies.

Tee up the health levy again, The Big Easy tax passage of 60-75 is just damn easy with this council.

I recommend Wetherington in West Chester for those that are sick of paying Connecticut or California taxes in a city offering nothing.

City Manager getting a raise for development of downtown. Laughable. She raises the bar for others wanting raises and padding their wallets while executing what the Mulligans, Picard, and Becker told her to do, in conjunction with the Moorman 's.

The Big Easy, the city rolling over its people to drive up taxes all which make it impossible go sell property, is too easy, and based upon favors, and quid products quo. And the tragedy is no one cares.

What poor leadership, what a flock of sheep that follow.

It's not a successful formula, but one that won't change, and discourages outsiders to ever make Middletown their home. Only in Middletown is failed leadership rewarded.
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote digger-2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 1:28pm
A nation of fools.
 
A nation of sheep.
 
Hussein Obama is Santa Claus.
 
What does it all mean?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bocephus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 1:34pm
what does it all mean when our corrupt politicians will stop at nothing to be elected even if it means sending america to third world status?
 

Momentum builds for U.S. immigration reform plan

By Will Dunham | Reuters1 hr 10 mins ago
 

(Reuters) - Two U.S. senators launched a fresh move to put together a bipartisan immigration reform plan on Sunday, restarting talks on a proposal that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country.

Since President Barack Obama was re-elected last week with overwhelming support from Hispanic voters, many Republicans have expressed a new willingness to work with Democrats to pass immigration reform after years of legislative inaction.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said he and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham have agreed to resume talks on immigration reform that broke off two years ago.

"And I think we have a darned good chance using this blueprint to get something done this year. The Republican Party has learned that being ... anti-immigrant doesn't work for them politically. And they know it," Schumer said.

Obama in 2010 called the proposal backed by Graham and Schumer a "promising framework," but it made no headway.

There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, most of them Hispanics.

Speaking on the CBS program "Face the Nation," Graham said the tone and rhetoric used by members of his party on immigration "built a wall between the Republican Party and the Hispanic community."

He noted that Republican presidential candidates have been steadily losing the support of Hispanic voters since 2004.

"This is an odd formula for a party to adopt: the fastest-growing demographic in the country, and we're losing votes every election cycle. And it has to stop. It's one thing to shoot yourself in the foot. Just don't reload the gun. ... I intend to tear this wall down and pass an immigration reform bill that's an American solution to an American problem," Graham said.

PATH TO CITIZENSHIP

The Graham and Schumer plan has four components: requiring high-tech, fraud-proof Social Security cards to ensure that illegal workers cannot get jobs; strengthening border security and enforcement of immigration laws; creating a process for admitting temporary workers; and implementing a path to legal status for immigrants already in the country.

Schumer said the plan embraces "a path to citizenship that's fair, which says you have to learn English, you have to go to the back of the line, you've got to have a job, and you can't commit crimes."

Graham added, "Sixty-five percent of the people in the exit poll of this election supported a pathway to citizenship."

Many Republican leaders have taken a hard position against illegal immigrants. Obama's unsuccessful Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, during the campaign advocated "self-deportation" of illegal immigrants. Republicans in Arizona and other states have passed tough laws cracking down on illegal immigrants.

Since the election, some influential conservative voices, including television commentator Sean Hannity, have announced support for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants with no criminal record.

"We have nobody to blame but ourselves when it comes to losing Hispanics, and we can get them back with some effort on our part," Graham said.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, said on Friday the U.S. immigration system is broken. He has expressed confidence Republicans could find common ground with Obama.

The Obama administration announced in June it would relax U.S. deportation rules so that many young illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children can stay and work. The change would allow illegal immigrants who, among other criteria, are younger than 30 years old and have not been convicted of a felony to apply for work permits.

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pacman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 9:58pm
Good Schools and New facilities are a prime attraction for new middle class residents to a city.   Personally I do not think it is a Senior Citizen Center that only attracts 1200 paying member a year. 

This is exactly what I was talking about early when I referring to "We Gotta have the Senior center Levy", then when the School Levy comes around it's "Screw the School Levy", "Screw the Schools", "Screw the Kids". 

This makes no sense if you want Middletown to come into the 21st century.  Middletown has a very distinct popluation breakdow: 1.) high popluation of poor who can not afford to leave the city. 2.) middle income who can not leave the city because of their residence. 3.) There are some people actually choose to live here (why? not sure ) 4.) Senior Citizens who will never leave.  These people never come together as a group to improve the city.  They just worry about their own little world.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 10:13pm
Unreal to think how many people voted for the Senior Center levy while having no real idea why.  Did these people understand it was NOT to keep the center in business but rather to pay off a bloated mortgage they couldn't afford?  How many of these voters even use or will ever use the center? 
 
Old saying about Grand Juries is that a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich.  In Middletown, a pig levy would pass 65/35.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomahawk35 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2012 at 11:49pm
21st century? We will soon be living in the 18th/19th century if we listen to the greedy people who run the city and school system while they live high and mighty on our money.
You need a new middle school, what was wrong with Verity middle school?
The kid's grades are suffering because of poor condition of the present school,who are you trying to con? this school system ranks in the near bottom of all schools systems in Ohio and has been there for a long time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SupportMiddletown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 12 2012 at 1:16am
The article cites extremely anecdotal reasons to replace Vail.
Would the new middle school be built on the old Verity site?
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 12 2012 at 8:31am
Pac:

"Good Schools and New facilities are a prime attraction for new middle class residents to a city."

PAC, WE COULD HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THE QUALITY OF ROSS, LAKOTA AND SPRINGBORO ALL ROLLED INTO ONE, BUT THE WAY THIS TOWN IS RUN AND THE REPUTATION IT HAS WOULD OVERSHADOW EVEN THE BEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IMO.

"This is exactly what I was talking about early when I referring to "We Gotta have the Senior center Levy", then when the School Levy comes around it's "Screw the School Levy", "Screw the Schools", "Screw the Kids". "

NO PAC, NOT SCREW THE KIDS......SCREW THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN VERY LITTLE FOR ALL THE LEVIES WE HAVE PASSED FOR THEM. GOTTEN VERY LITTLE FOR THE 45 MIL BOND LEVY WE APPROVED TO BUILD NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REAL PROGRESS IN UPWARD TREND SINCE THE SCHOOLS WENT FROM ACADEMIC WATCH TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, WHAT, A DECADE AGO?THEY ARE TREADING WATER AND FAR FROM LEARNING TO SWIM.

DO YOU (OR ANY ONE ELSE) FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE MONEY YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS DISTRICT AND THE ROI? IF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM WERE A STOCK IN YOUR PORTFOLIO, YOU WOULD HAVE DUMPED IT YEARS AGO FOR LACK OF PERFORMANCE. YA JUST CAN'T KEEP THROWING MONEY DOWN THE BLACK HOLE OF COMPLACENCY CAN YOU? THIS DISTRICT IS STAGNATED AND THE GEAR IS STUCK IN SECOND. IT WILL NEVER HAVE A CHANCE OF IMPROVING UNTIL THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE PROGRAM STOP COMING UP WITH "GIMMICK" PROGRAMS AND ACTUALLY ATTACK THE ISSUES AND MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGES THAT MEAN SOMETHING. THE FIGHTER CAN JAB ALL DAY, BUT IT IS THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH THAT SENDS THE ISSUES TO THE CANVASS.

THAT IS WHY I DON'T VOTE FOR LEVIES.....IT'S THE SAME OLD SAME OLD WHEN THEY GET THEIR MONEY...NO REAL EYE-OPENING IMPROVEMENTS FOR YEARS-STILL AT THE BOTTOM-STILL THE SAME NUMBER OF INDICATORS NOT MET-STILL NOT A QUALITY DISTRICT AFTER THREE DECADES...AND WE HAVE HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY. HOW MUCH TIME DO THEY NEED TO BRING IT BACK AGAIN? JMO

NOW, AS TO THE SENIORS LEVY. MY WIFE AND I VOTED FOR IT FOR SELFISH REASONS. WE USE THE HANDICAPPED VAN AND THE MEALS ON WHEELS. WE FELT WE "GAVE BACK" A LITTLE BY DOING SO. IT WAS A CATCH 22 FOR US. VOTED YES TO KEEP THE SERVICES GOING, BUT WOULD HAVE VOTED NO TO HELP THEM PAY OFF A BLOATED, POORLY PLANNED EXECUTION IN BUILDING THE CENTER. AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH THOSE WHO ARE ANGRY ABOUT THE PASSAGE TO HELP PAY OFF THE MORTGAGE.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pacman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 12 2012 at 4:05pm
I never fell for the Steve Prices 'Our Standing Will Go Through The Roof If We get New Schools" Gimmick.  However I do firmly believe that New Schools make a good immpression when people are selecting a place to live.  I do not believe that a Senior Center Levy to pay down the mortgage with only 1200 members out of Seniors is a good and wise investment.

It is the crying about "NO Levy's for new schools", yet we give "Levy's for Senior Center's" that will doom this city.  Most of the citizens of this city only care about what effects them personally. There is no organization or groups of citizens interested in making any change that would make this city more desirable for MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS TO MOVE TO.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 9:25am
How much would it cost just to remodel and bring the school up to code instead of building a new School? That's is what Springboro did with Springboro Intermediate School which the main part of it was built in 1903. That to me would be a lot easier and cheaper than building a new school.

Or possibly add on to the existing schools to make room for those students.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 10:06am
ktf, the school district has a facilities commitee, that includes community members and an architectural firm, that explored the questions you ask. There were discussion threads about it last spring, including posts by some of the community members on that committee including Mike Presta, who attended meetings. To remodel Vail to meet current Ohio School Facilities Standards would be more expensive than building new. To remodel/renovate Verity and build an addition (Verity is much smaller than Vail and not big enough to serve as the sole middle school) was not cost effective either. However, the committee did recommend that we renovate/remodel the high school instead of building new and the school board adopted that recommendation to change our master plan, which had originally called for both new high school and new middle school.
 
I was not on the school board the last bond levy and don't remember to what extent the levy was sold as new buildings will result in increased test scores (although I don't think it was ever said quite that way; better and more modern facilities would be one factor in student achievement, but not the only factor). However, the second half of the new/renovated elementary schools were completed for the 2008-09 school year. The district's Performance Index score has gone up every year since then from 2008 to 2012.
 
Personally, speaking for myself, I would never promise you that a new middle school will cause increased test scores. However, I agree with Pacman that we won't attract new middle class families to town and to our school system with the Vail building.  And a dilapidated building with poorly regulated heating and no air conditioning is certainly one factor that would depress efforts and expectations of both students and teachers in the building.
 
If the school board decides to put a bond levy on the ballot, the voters will decide whether the community needs and can afford a new middle school -- not the school board. As foreign as it may sound to some on this site, many people in town want a new school.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LMAO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 10:16am
I sure in the hell dont want to pay for another school.Put the levy on the ballot and it will be defeated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 11:47am
Ms. Andrew:

"I was not on the school board the last bond levy and don't remember to what extent the levy was sold as new buildings will result in increased test scores (although I don't think it was ever said quite that way; better and more modern facilities would be one factor in student achievement, but not the only factor"

Some very capable researchers on this site (Mike P. or Vivian- others?)(I'm not worth a crap on doing this) want to dig out the selling points from Price to sell the community on voting for the 45 mil levy for new elementary schools? Would that be in the Journal archives, say, 5+ years ago maybe????? Don't remember when the new elementaries were built. Wouldn't surprise me that there would be some comment about "increasing student performance" if new schools were built from Price. It would be nice to show Ms. Andrew how Price approached the voters on selling points.

Ms. Andrew:

"However, I agree with Pacman that we won't attract new middle class families to town and to our school system with the Vail building. And a dilapidated building with poorly regulated heating and no air conditioning is certainly one factor that would depress efforts and expectations of both students and teachers in the building."

Maybe so Ms. Andrew, but you're also not going to attract new middle class people to Middletown when they see the test scores, hear about the reputation, see the indicator level achievement and see how long Middletown has been languishing in the bottom tier either. Some people think a quality education trumps fancy buildings and you can receive that quality education in an antiquated building. You can knock down the old buildings and build new schools to look appeasing, but it's just window dressing when one finds out what results come out of those spiffy new buildings. Content, Ms. Andrew, not surface fluff. JMO

Ms. Andrew:

"As foreign as it may sound to some on this site, many people in town want a new school".

Then those same people have not bothered to check out what their money has gotten them. Was the 45 mil worth it when considering the results to date? New schools, as has been proven so far, does not yield eye-opening results and does not necessarily make one eager to let go of more money to support more of what has yet to be a good ROI. How much longer do we give it? 5.....10 more years?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 12:30pm
"If you vote for a School Levy, You're Stupid!" Daryl Parks 700 WLW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhAeyuLovtk


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 12:45pm
Respectfully Ms. Andrew, you are completely wrong. Many do not want a new school, many want results. Many formed a voting block with the Senior Citizen Center to pay for the equity gain from the old John XXIII building to be used for Fenwick move. In turn, the school gets its turn, after it helped pass the public safety levy.

Raising taxes will stymied influx of student demand for, not support nor increase it. But that fact has no import. The same idiocy as before; build it and they will come. Wrong people running city into ground over and over.
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 2:44pm
Please let me remind you that it was Dr. Price and City Hall that wanted more Section 8 in the Middletown area so they could increase the population of the city and the number of children in the Middletown School District.
So we built the new schools. They also got more goverment money for low income students.
Now we are being told that Mr. Adkins wants to remove 1,000 vouchers from the Section 8 program. That will equal about 2,000 students being removed from the local school system over the next few years.
He also wants to demo about 3,000 properties and that will remove thoundands of tax dollars from our school system.
How many dollars in property taxes has the school lost with City Hall purchase of the Thatcher property downtown? You would be SHOCKED to know the answer to this question.
How will we fill all the new schools we just built?
Yes sir this has been a really great plan for our community....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SupportMiddletown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 9:20pm
Vail is likely one of the oldest (or the oldest?) operating school in Butler County. I believe Ms. Andrews when she says there is a lot of support for a new school. It is unfortunate the OSFC monies are not available as they were for Hamilton and many other districts. Hamilton's $200 M school rebuild/renovation was 59% funded by the OSFC.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote digger-2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 10:37pm
Vivian -
 
Perhaps someone could tutor Mr. Atkins on community development cost/benefit analysis principles.  What will the negotive economic impact be to houses he does not demolish?  Does he have a clue?  Does it matter to this stalwart Mason resident?
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Pacman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pacman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2012 at 11:22pm
All you have to do is read this one topic to see where Middletown is headed.  Of all the posts in this one topic everyone has a different idea of how to save Middletown.  Some say keep section 8, some say we need a palace for a senior center, some say we don't need a new Middle School Or High School, others say if you vote for a new school you're stupid.  I must really be stupid because I believe we new 2 new schools (a high school and a middle school).  This town is so disfunctional that from the poverty group, the middle income, to the wealthiest absolutely no one can get off their asses to come together to improve the city.  Everyone just sits around and worries about their own little problems.  You can't get enough people together to decide what time of day it is.  How do you people every plan to make changes in this city?  It is utterly ridculous that the citizens of the city can not take even the top 5 issues and come together as a group and fix each one, one at at time.

It is pathetic.

PacmanCool
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 7:31am
Vail has to go--there is no real fix
Wade E goes with it
No other way
Verity site is the chosen location
New high school is off the table fior now I believe
Can't see new students coming in to Middletown, probably the opposite
 
With govt taxes set to rise drastically, levys are shaky
I can't support a school levy at this time, though I believe in the current school administration
City govt?
That is another story
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TonyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 8:17am
City government could go a long way toward helping reduce costs by allowing the school district to rent their office space in the city building for $1. It's not like they haven't given away anything recently and it would help the school district lower costs. As for a new building, the Vail building was old and in need of replacement back in the last century when I went there (the decade is unimportant here, lol). While the area still lags in test score performance, they are improving and continued improvement would help in passing a levy. That being said, it really comes down to a matter of making the investment in a future that some residents may never see or continuing down the spiral of decay that has engulfed the city since I went to Middletown Freshman High (that gives you a clue how long ago). It will be interesting to see what happens.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LMAO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 9:23am
Here's a idea,How about looking into year round school?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote over the hill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2012 at 9:27am
I think year round school is a viable option!
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