School Board nearly wasted millions

Sept. 9, 2005

Spectrum\Aaron Downing

It all started over the borough-hired architect's report that the roof of the Su Valley High School could collapse under certain conditions of snow load.

Scary stuff, but the same report pointed out that if the snow were shoveled off the roof at reasonable intervals, the roof would not collapse and the building would be perfectly safe in which to hold classes and other activities.

The school district administration, instead of making a reasoned decision of how to best remove the snow, developed an elaborate and expensive plan to close the school and bus students to different schools at an estimated cost of $80,000. Besides being expensive, this plan would have put students in buses at increased risk versus keeping them in a building with no risk provided the building were properly maintained.

What is further troubling is that the school district administration insisted on remodeling the building to fix the roof so no one would have to shovel snow.

The estimated cost of the remodel was $4.2 million while the estimated cost to remove the snow was only $30,000 per year. To spend $4.2 million to fix a $30,000 problem is the epitome of fiscal irresponsibility - $4.2 million calculates to 140 years worth of shoveling. Add in the additional $80,000 of busing cost while the repairs are being made and it becomes obvious the administration never considered the dollar cost of its actions. No wonder our taxes are so high.

Of deeper concern is that apparently the decision to close the school and bus our children to other schools was made by the administration without the concurrence of the School Board. Once the administration made its decision it became very clear it did not value the input from the parents and students of the affected schools, who pleaded with them to "leave our kids where they are and just shovel the snow off the roof."

Instead of listening to our people, they as much as told them to buzz off, we know best! It is a classic case of governmental dictatorship when the needs, desires and wisdom of a citizenry cannot be heard. The School Board is at fault to allow this to occur. The administration should never have been allowed to assert or assume the power to override the voice of the citizens.

One must also consider the Su Valley High School is now 34 years old. At some time in the future, it will have to be replaced either because it is too old or no longer fits the area's needs. Instead of spending $4.2 million to fix an old school, shouldn't the board have considered it might be better to spend the money on a new facility that is structurally safe and designed to meet our expected growth?

Doesn't the School Board have an up-to-date long-range plan designed to answer these questions? To not have a meaningful long-range plan is very likely a dereliction of the board's fiduciary responsibility.

When one takes all the above issues into account, the failings of the School Board are clear. It is reacting to the actions of

the administration, not leading it.

There is poor, and in some cases no, fiscal planning. The school board apparently does not accept responsibility for the protection of borough assets entrusted to the district. It does not properly plan for the future.

If it were not for the wisdom and perseverance of Keith Rountree, director of the borough's Public Works Department, and its architect, Blase Burkhart, the school district would have failed the Su Valley High School students, teachers and parents by its bull-headed closing of a perfectly good school. Even though the School Board eventually reversed the administration's bad decision, it makes one wonder how many other poor decisions were made in the past and remain undetected.

While the school district needs to be held accountable for its actions, we citizens are responsible for electing candidates to the School Board to represent our interests. It is our responsibility to elect those who possess the necessary leadership and guardian skills for the proper education of our children. It appears we have not done a very good job in selecting properly qualified board members. We must do better, starting with the upcoming School Board election. We all need to be fully informed. Let's promise to read our election materials carefully, then please, we must vote for the candidates of our choice on Oct. 4.

The ultimate responsibility for the education of our children and the operation of our schools rests with us, the voters. The quality of our School Board, and our schools, is a direct reflection of the quality of our voting choices.

Aaron H. Downing is a resident of the Palmer area.