PART 2: THS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BLITHELY IGNORES WHAT’S GOING ON (AND NOT GOING ON) INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
Second of Three Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 2015) — Here’s where THE PLANET left off with part one yesterday:
Meanwhile, the schools have lost control of the classroom. That is why the schools are not properly preparing our young people for higher education of for the Dreaded Private Sector. It isn’t because of bricks-and-mortar. It’s because a kid can tell a teacher “F**k you” without consequence. We now continue with our series:
In its school policy manual, the PSD has all the fancy language about zero-tolerance bullying, dress codes, zero-tolerance for drugs, and restrictions on smart phones, but the policies are not enforced. The bullying goes on. The students dress like “hookas” and “gangstas.” The drug trades flourish on school property. In the classroom, Smart phones surf and text at the command of their programmed robot owners while the lesson goes on, ignored.
Good teachers, on the whole, have been overwhelmed by a perfect storm of deadbeat parents, weak-chinned administrators who won’t back them up, and tenure-protected bad colleagues who have long since caring about the mission. For all this, the superintendent has said just to stay-level funded, he’s going to need about 4.5% more from taxpayers. That’s about $4 million when you count the hidden costs.
On top of this mess is the $150 million school They want to build. Citizens and taxpayers don’t want it. The city doesn’t need it. Nonetheless, The Suits have pressed on, careful to engineer a rigged game by keeping the measure off the ballot.
‘Necessity?’ What ‘Necessity?’
THE PLANET urges citizens to cast a wary eye on any claims being made about the “necessity” about constructing a new Taconic High School. At some point, perhaps Pittsfield shall need a new or renovated high school building, but not now. As a priority, new construction ranks far down the list. Perhaps when the system gets back up to 12,000 students, it might be a time for consideration. As for renovation, also remember that when Taconic High School opened, it was built in such as way that should expansion become necessary, the building would support a second story. What’s that? You say the School Building Needs Commission (SBNC) didn’t tell you that?
The danger here is that, in Pittsfield’s Golden Age of Governmental Apathy (GAGA), The Suits have commandeered the issue and are looking to tie an enormous financial millstone about the necks of citizens when the vast majority of them aren’t looking. Beware. Some millions needed to build this white elephant will provide a lot of temptation.
Sweetheart deals. Favored son contracts. Rigged bidding. Bribes. Kickbacks. In the age of GAGA, one must consider them realistic possibilities.
Don’t think they can happen? As we’ve seen from history, it can and it sometimes does in both the public and private sector. All. The. Time. This is not to say it will in Pittsfield, but these factors would supply a reasonable explanation among others for the secretive behavior in moving this project forward.
* Other necessary sign-offs are easily obtained (mayor, city council, select board, school building commission, etc.).
* Public money is transferred from the treasury to a “favored pool of contractors” (quote from The New Times)
From The New Times: “Chiefly to blame are high-ranking officials who knowingly overbuilt schools and elected school board members who not only failed to responsibly oversee the district but were complicit in what can only be described as a financial disaster” (THE PLANET‘s emphasis).
In Broward’s case, “the board’s budget for school additions and renovations more than doubled … to $1.05 billion. Hundreds of millions [worth] of contracts flowed, without public bids, to politically connected local builders.”
In all, according to The New Times, the school board “wasted” $350 million “on unnecessary classroom additions and schools.” Is that Pittsfield’s fate if it builds a new school? Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Granted, Pittsfield case is not Broward’s, and there’s simply not enough information on the proposed high school project to judge shades of illegitimacy, but when school performance in the classroom languishes and the “experts” begin looking at bricks-and-mortar as the reason, the red flags must come up.
We must be from Missouri, the “Show me” state. The healthy attitude toward Pittsfield’s school building plans is “show me.” Then convince me, not because it’s for “The Children” (which sums up the official justification thus far) but on the basis of evidence, facts, and data.
Tomorrow: THE PLANET concludes this series with Part 3
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“O I believe in yesterday” — The Beatles, “Yesterday,” (1965).
“OPEN TE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
I just read a post on yesterday’s blog that is great metaphor for a sad community and needs to be repeated.
“On the last page of ” Foul Ball “…..a page I feel very few people saw ….there is a story about the author and Former Mayor Jim Ruberto.
It states that a hare wanted to cross a road and found that the only way he could get across the road was on the back of a scorpion….but the hare hesitated because he knew the scorpion would sting him if he was to attempt to ride on the back of the scorpion…but the scorpion assured the hare he would not sting him if he were to ride on its back…so the hare trusted the scorpion and climbed onto the back of the scorpion and crossed the road only to be stung by the scorpion when they got to the other side of the road…the hare in complete surprise asked the scorpion why he was stung after the scorpion assured him he would not sting him and the scorpion answered that in the end he could not help himself because to sting him was just his nature.
Mayor Jim Ruberto was just that kind of person…a scorpion who just couldn’t be trusted to keep his word about anything that would require him to have the least bit of character.”
This story is true of almost all of the City’s leadership including a number of malevolent, behind the scenes, scorpions in addition to Ruberto.
A great case in point is a community run project that has had virtually no leadership recognition or support and is a positive for the community, the carousel project. The fact over 400 people could create this art project and community synergy without a dime of City money or scorpion advice is a tribute to we the people. I know there are a lot of foul ball stories that are tactfully not being told. Only the naive believe the carousel is only about having a carnival ride in the City. Watch the politicos line up with their ribbons and scissorses to take credit for their years of “stings.”
I couldn’t have said it better.
Dan,
When you read the comments from city coucilors in today’s BB its seems they are all saying its a done deal and there is little anyone can do about it:
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_27445101/some-call-pittsfield-vote-proposed-taconic-high-school
“”Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell said, however, that “the ideal time for that would have been last fall.”
“I think everyone would like to see a new school,” he said. “The question is, can we afford it?”
Connell said he hasn’t heard of a serious effort to challenge a council bond vote to fund the school, saying it “is almost impossible” to gather signatures in the proscribed time period to meet the charter provisions to force a special election.
Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi said it is his understanding that the council could not call for a referendum under the charter, and that at any rate, it would have to be a special election, as no city election is scheduled until September.
Morandi, who with Ward 1 Councilor Lisa Tully held an informational session last week to discuss the project, said of a city vote, “I would certainly welcome [a city vote]”
He said he agreed with the idea of a combined high school, citing falling enrollment levels since the 1970s. The city also is facing the need for a new police station, an estimated $40 million in sewer system upgrades to meet new federal water discharge
regulations, and renovation work at three other city schools, Morandi said, adding,
“The city has a lot of things on its plate.”
The current new Taconic design also “has a lot of frills in it,” he said, and he wants to
“take a long, hard look” at aspects of the project that might be deleted.
Council President Melissa Mazzeo said that, in light of conversations she has had with City Solicitor Kathleen Degnan she doubts a bonding decision by the council is the type of vote that can be challenged through a citizen petition for a referendum. Under the charter, which was revised in 2013, councilors are “elected to make that decision,” she said.
…..
Ward 3 Councilor Nicholas Caccamo said about half of the constituents he has talked
to are in favor of the Taconic plan and half are opposed.””
We know Clairmont, Krol, Lothrup, are all in.
There has never to move out of Pittsfield than right now.
If you can some sucker to buy your property.
“The city also is facing the need for a new police station, an
estimated $40 million in sewer system upgrades to meet new federal water discharge regulations, and renovation work at three other city schools, Morandi said, adding, “The city has a lot of things on its plate.”
You can see an avalanche of new higher taxes and fees that will bury the taxpayers of the city of Piisfield in debt for eternity.
Bankruptcy, default and another wave of Exodus.
Councilor Caccamo says half are opposed to the Taconic plan and half are for? What about a vote, is that half and half also?
Councilor Caccamo is in my ward and I hope someone runs against him. I believe that the new school should be put to a vote, it shouldn’t be just a handful who think they know better than the people of Pittsfield.
And did Nick say which half he belongs to? I am pretty sure I know given the way he has clung to the mayors policies.
I would like to know which of all of the councilors are for and against. Any who say they are on the fence at this point are liars.
It’s despicable that we are this far in a process that shut out us citizens without knowing where each of the 11 counclors stand on the issue.
Also how does Nick C know its 50-50 based on what? This whole thing reeks.
Only way to have any chance at justice is a direct vote by people like me who as DV sayd own the government.
CHERRIE
Let’s keep chipping away. With the help of readers and viewers like you, we have at least forced the community’s Establishment to realize that citizens are not happy and won’t be unless and until they get a chance to vote.
Another phrase being rattled around by some Councilors is that because being voted in gives them the exclusive right to vote for the people that elected them, maybe on ninety percent of votes, yes, but not here, this is a large bill the voters would be footing regardless of a new school or renovation. I’m concerned of cost overruns, the roof, and maitenance in general and have yet to see any numbers comparing the costs either plan, ya follow?
Taxpayers absolutely should have a vote to decide if they agree to this kind of expenditure on their backs. The hard truth is we cannot. I am also sick and tired of hiring consultants for everything down the pike. This is sickening to me.Department heads earning $100,000 a year that cannot function in their roles should be fired.
Around City Hall road not plowed, Fenn and First is ridiculous. Take pride in your work, it looks terrible and everything is piled up and not even plowed correctly?
But look at all the money the mayor is saving the taxpayers? And he says he is not going to move the snow off North street until all the snow has fallen. Maybe if it gets bad enough he can call in some private contractor friends to save the day.
Dusty haven’t you moved yet?
No. But if you have a reasonably low priced place outside the city limits I will take a look at it.
Dusty you could move out of town then apply and get a job with the City.
I like that. Are there any consultant positions open?
I won a bid once with questionable practices by the person accepting the bids but it was in favor of the taxpayers. But yeah backroom deals go on that’s a fact of life but anyone who has ever done work for a city or town knows they have to make it worth their while its a huge PITA! I will vote against the school if I get the chance.
Scott, then don’t complain again as you are self admittedly(kudos I guess) part of the problem. You say “in favor of the taxpayers” which I assume means you put in a lowball bid, or were told what the lowest bid was and underbid it , but maybe your work was second rate compared to the higher bids and actually cost more in the long run. No arrows being thrown here, just using your own words. What was good for you is now a problem?
Pittsfield politics is NOT to be trusted! Time after time, Pittsfield politics has proven to be very expensive with very high taxes, while thousands of people are fleeing the area. Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt. Pittsfield politics is ran by the Good Old Boy network of low gene pool, multigenerational, interrelated local families that serve their own special interests at the expense of everyone else. To illustrate, one cannot find a good job in Pittsfield unless they are part of the Good Old Boy network. And if one doesn’t want to be blacklisted in Pittsfield, one must kiss the behinds of the Good Old Boy network. Pittsfield politics is demonstrative of behind closed door, done deals, insider politics. Of course Pittsfield is unable to afford a multi-hundred million dollar public school project! Even Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi said so in his New Year’s Op-Ed column in the Eagle. But it is a done deal, so all of Dan Valenti’s blog pages won’t stop yet another Pittsfield boondoggle.
Cannot believe there is no option when it comes to voting on a megalithic project. Taconic’s proposed new school will last how many years 40- 50. Since when do we need two schools anyway? High Tech school? We have an Astronaut from the old Taconic School for crist sake, and many, many successful student who have graduated for the OLD SCHOOL? I want the chance to have a vote, this whole process has been a joke.
Thebwhole process is about checks and balances and at the end of the day the taxpayer should not accept this city council as iTMS voting representative, it should be voted by the constituents and not just the special interest’s, and you know what? if it is accepted at the ballot box I’ll accept it, then move the huck away from here, if I can sell my home!
custodians should be paid 100g a year at the new school.
How about putting the question to the city councilors. Who is for the school. We don’t want to hear if/or just a yes or a no. Perhaps with their support something can be done. I have a feeling that they are all in support of the new school but will not say anything hoping nothing will be done. Put them to the test.
THE PLANET intends to do just that.
Why is there no discussion on a renovation? How does one compare to the other. This school looks like a Mall? Hey, move to the Mall, what a concept,mew can share our water with Laneboro and our Lake and new School.
Maybe the plans are to move all the students into the same building. One Mega school. Maybe there’re plans for PHS. Maybe the new Police station. Maybe City Hall? You never know.
What about the new sports field, baseball ect. wil we be reimbursed for that, it’s expensive?