Facilities link on MCSD web site

The Middletown City School District (MCSD) now has a links on their web site for info pertaining to the Facilities Planning Committee.

Here is the link to the MCSD web site:  http://www.middletowncityschools.com/

To find the links for the Facilities Committee info, look for “Facilities Planning Committee” on the right side under “Featured Sections”.  After you click on the link, a pop-up menu appears.  Info from the February 2, 2012 meeting is already listed.  Info from this evening’s meeting (February 15, 2012) is supposed to be posted in the next day or two.

I can’t really say that I disagree with you, Vet.  However, I am trying to keep an open mind and be part of the process.

I must say that some of the folks seem to already have had their minds made up prior to these last two meetings, and don’t even want to allow any dissenting voices to be heard.

Acclaro,

Well, yeah, I like the Audi…it’s a great car.  But my 2002 GMC Envoy still runs pretty well.  The body and frame are sound.  It doesn’t use oil.

Of course the paint is faded and scratched, and there are a few dents in it.  It also leaks power steering fluid, and lately the automatic heating/air conditioning controls have been acting up, and it will be due for a tune-up soon.

I don’t care about the paint.  I am well past the point of caring about people who might be impressed by a bright, shiny car.  If they like me only for a fancy car, then they will leave me for the first person who comes along with a brighter, shinier, fancier car.  An experienced mechanic tells me that I can get all of the other items repaired for less than $1,000.00.  If I do so, the Envoy will take me anywhere I need to go and will do so quite comfortably, and will likely last another eight or ten years.

A new Audi A7 will set me back over $60,000, but it will have a better stereo system.  I listen mostly to talk radio…should I spend an extra $59,000 for something I don’t absolutely, positively need (and can get along quite well without)???

I think not.

Now…if the transfer case begins to “click” , and blue smoke begins to bellow out of the exhaust as I drive it to the mechanic’s shop, and I notice that it “slips” when it shifts into each gear  …well then I might re-think the issue, and a new car might make more sense.

Due to community feedback, we are changing the start times of the following Community Engagement meetings.

 

Instead of starting at 7:00 pm, we will start the meetings at 6:30 pm. Please make note of this time change.

 

March 15, United Missionary Baptist Church - 6:30 pm

March 19, Amanda Elementary School – 6:30 pm

 

The two meetings scheduled for April will also start at 6:30. Locations for these meetings have yet to be determined.

I think that it is time for an update on my experiences on the MCSD School Facilities Committee.

As you may or may not recall, the purpose (at least as I understand it) of the Facilities Committee since I have been on it (February 2, 2012) was to “reevaluate phase II of the original State-approved master plan; and to either reaffirm the original phase II plan or to suggest to the Board of Education better master plan options, given the changing parameters in our city, and the fact that circumstances have moved the time for the implementation of phase II, originally scheduled for 2010, to four or five years down the road.”   [NOTE: This may not be the exact goal, but it is my best understanding, and it was with this understanding that I approached the process.  I apologize if I have not gotten it exactly right.]

Phase II of the original State-approved master plan called for a new high school (grades 9 through 12) to be built on the Verity Middle School site (on Breiel Blvd., near Bonita Drive); for the existing high school to be renovated into a combined middle school (grades 6, 7, and 8); and for Vail Middle School (the old Middletown High School) to be demolished.

First, a few statements of fact:

I have attended each and every Facilities Committee Meeting (at least since I was invited to be a member, beginning 2/2/12) and one of the four “Community Engagement Meetings”.

Someone (perhaps Fanning & Howey, MCSD’s consultant; perhaps employees of the MCSD; perhaps members of the Facilities Committee prior to 2/2/12; perhaps someone else???) provided several options, in addition to the original Phase II option for us to consider.  These options were explained and considered.  “Order of magnitude” cost estimates were provided for each option.

Additional options proposed by members of the Facilities Committee were considered, and either deemed unworkable or added to the list of options.

At least one option suggested by a citizen at one of the “Community Engagement Meetings” was deemed workable and added to the list of options at a late date.

Although Fanning & Howey ran the meetings, the MCSD Business Manager was at every meeting that I attended and acted as moderator/facilitator.  He seemed to have no pre-ordained favorite option and remained neutral in all matters.  He supplied all reference materials (previous reports, etc.) requested by email in a prompt manner. 

Other MCSD employees (principals, operations, etc.) were also cooperative and helpful, although perhaps sometimes overly quick to point out shortcomings in existing facilities. (This may be a somewhat subjective observation, possibly due to my background.)

Next, few observations and impressions:

I think that some of the committee members that were holdovers from the earlier committee (2007?) feel that they were correct then and they are correct now and resent that they are being questioned.  They think that the original master plan Phase II should be followed (or at least something very close to it) and that nothing else need be considered.

Both the Business Manager and Fanning & Howey seem to think that no more than THREE options should be presented to the Board of Education.  (Perhaps this was a mandate from the Board???)

During our voting last night (3/22/2012) to narrow the many options down to three, I didn’t feel that the fact that our choices would be “weighted” (3 points for our first choice, two for second choice, one for third) was made clear.  The people at our table weren’t aware that choices would be weighted at all.  We just thought we were to vote for three.

The least expensive option did not “make the cut”.  I suggested that, regardless of any voting, we had an obligation to the Board and to the citizenry to include the least expensive option in the presentation to the Board.  This suggestion fell on deaf ears.  (I intend to keep lobbying for this.)

Conclusions and suggestions:

I think that the MCSD Business Manager is, to the best of his ability, trying to keep this an open, fair process that considers all possible and realistic options.

The same is basically true for Fanning & Howey (aside from their built-in bias for trying to subtly convince the MCSD that they need F&H as they go forward—something all consultants do as they conduct business…it’s in their DNA!!!)

Everyone with “skin” in the game (read this as taxpayers) should try their very best to attend one of the “Community Engagement Meetings” to be held in April.  I believe that your voices will be heard, your questions will be answered (if possible) and suggestions of merit will be considered (and at least brought back to the committee).

The MCSD may need to be reminded if the community places importance on economy.  The Community Engagement meetings are the place to do this.  At the FOUR March meetings there were, I believe, a TOTAL of THIRTY-NINE Middletown community members in attendance.  You can make your feelings known anonymously without even speaking!!! (They have little “remote control-like” thingies that they pass out.  You can push buttons to make your feelings known on various issues.)  This is your opportunity to be heard.  I realize that there are reasons that you can’t go, but there will be FOUR meetings at different times on different days.  Try to make it.