Smallsbury_Steak has left a new comment on your post "A Letter To The Editor":
Here is my reaction to today's DT article:
"Donna Turnamian, president of the Bennett Middle School PTA, joined more than 75 people who attended the council vote"
-There is nearly a 1,000 student population at Bennett Middle. That means that AT MOST 7.5% of the student body was represented at the council meeting. That tells me that there really isn't that many people supporting this ridiculous expenditure. It's a dog in pony show for Mr. Pollitt and the BOE to try to get what they want.
"We're expecting a $4,000 cost increase on a project with every day we wait"
-That is a rather absurd statement to make, especially considering that Frederickson's staff ran the numbers. How about you let economist and construction experts run those kinds of number and Frederickson and his staff can stick to education (of which they don't even do that well). And if you are going to make those kinds of statements then I EXPECT you to be able to back them up; Why is it going to cost $4,000 for each day we delay? What makes up that cost for delay? Don' just put a number out there and expect us to be ignorant and not ask why or how!
"there isn't a Plan B"
-It sucks having to have a Plan B, doesn't it?! Welcome to the real world Freddie! The BOE is so used to getting what it wants and having every budget request rubber stamped with "YES" that they don't even know how to make a Plan B! The BOE should be denied BMS funding for this fiscal year solely on the fact that they had the arrogance to not even be prepared for a "NO!"
"They just didn't need to pull the plug so soon"
-So if it was "left on the table," you would have easily accepted "NO" for an answer later on in the fall? I doubt it!
"A third option was having the school system put funds toward the project from the sale of 8 acres of land it owns at the corner of College Avenue and South Division Street"
-Sell the property first and THEN we will discuss
"I think the real question is how much can we afford to pay back because that does affect the operating budget"
"the county remains in bad shape despite several years of budget cuts, pulling from reserve-type funds and staff reduction measures"
Mrs. Prettyman, I LOVE YOU!
It's so nice to have some reasonable people on council! The County may be below it's debt limit, but it doesn't mean that it is smart or advisable to fully extend its credit and debt load! I have the credit and equity to buy luxury cars, a more spacious home and maybe even a second home somewhere, but you don't see me doing all that. Why? Just because I can do it doesn't mean that I can necessarily afford it! What happens if I completely extend my credit and buy everything that I want and then my luxury car that I spent too much money on breaks down? How do I fix it when I'm living pay check to paycheck and every cent of those paychecks is going to debt? What happens when my spouse or I lose my job and or our income is slashed? Both of which are getting increasingly likely with every pet project of the BOE because my spouse is a County employee. What happens if the County finances this project and tax revenues continue to decline with declining property values? Is the County going to default on paying for the school? No! They are going to raise our taxes, further cut our services and sell every bond until our bond rating is through the floor!
Bend over Wicomico taxpayers! They are going to continue to shove this so far down our throats that they are going to have to create special fund to surgically remove it! And that special fund is going to be by way of removing the revenue cap-any moment now you'll begin hearing Mr Pollitt screaming for the repeal of the Revenue Cap!
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13 comments:
the cost of the school is absolutely ridiculous. the fact that whiting turner is once again the construction manager is ridiculous. how about you request the local general contractors to review the plans make suggestions reduce the scope and costs and offer them the opportunity to perform the work. it would be a win for the taxpayers and a win for the local economy (ie local builders)
Thank you to the five aye vote council members.
It is my understanding the BOE
chose to use an Architect from
across the Bay. I guess we dont
have qualified people in Wicomico County. What a shame
With a company like WT the $4,000 a day number is fairly accurate. You have to understand that this number factors in all of the expected General Conditions cost of WT and the major subcontractors. Once a company has committed its resources to a project of this size and there is a delay, the cost can be staggering.
Local firms cannot handle this kind of work and if the building is LEED; then they must have certified people to build the project.
11:32 is incorrect. There is not a LEED certification for a contractor to be eligible to build the building.
leed certification goes right along with global warming. it actually costs more and does not save a dime on energy costs it requires more government certification to implement and just costs more to gain nothing
I have to disagree totally with 11:32am. There are plenty of contractors on this side of the bay bridge big enough to handle this project. The trouble is that somewhere along the line Whiting Turner is scratching the right backs to get control of this work. They are screwing the locals out of the jobs and bringing in substandard contractors to do the work. Most of the people doing this work here do not live here and do not contribute back to this community as would local contractors. The whole deal with out of town people doing work here hurts more than contractors its hurts the suppliers too. It seems W.T. has the work all locked up on the shore and it's time the people here start doing something about that. As far as the state taking funding away it just goes to show how screwed up our system is after all the money they are taking belongs to us to start with. The council voting the way they did was a admirable move and they should be praised for listening to what the people of Wicomico want. Frederickson and his employee's (all of them ) need to learn to use the resources they currently have before they are trusted with more.
we've all but had it with this city, the county and the state
WTF?
I just wish Delaware would declare war on the shore and take over
11:56 - there has to be a LEED certified team member in order to build the project.
12:21 - I can't tell you how many horror stories that I have heard and experienced from contractors on the shore. I once had an entire company not show up for a week because "hunting season started" it took a month to get a full crew back to work. Almost all of these contractors cannot meet the specified schedule requirements and do not have the portfolio to bid the work.
I love living here but the sad truth is that Salisbury does not want to change. Unless the local companies start paying for qualified people, WT is going to take all the work.
I have gotten confused on this entire mess. At first both schools were suppose to be built at the same location. Then they said it was going to be built somewhere else. At this point I dont know where the new school is suppose to be built. What I want to know is who is the bozo that keeps changing it. Last I heard they couldn't put them both on the same piece of land. How much money was wasted when all the plans were drawn up for both schools to be at the same site.... then changed..... and changed again. Does ANYONE know wth they are doing?
12:58. You are still incorrect. You don't even need to have a LEED Accredited Professional on your design team. Did you know that? If you do happen to have one, it just get you one additional point towards your silver rating. Please don't talk about things you don't know about. Thanks.
Hey 12:58pm You are a come here it is very clear by your post! Just because had a bad deal with a contractor it does not put all contractors in the same pot! I am a contractor and the arrogance of people like you is why you can't find a decent contractor. It boils down to residential jobs trying to get work done as cheap as you can get and thus the problems you claim you had. When taking the lowest price you can get ,thus the old saying you get what you pay for! As far as finding contractors that are good you have to do your home work and get references too. For you to slam all contractors here, sounds like you are an idiot for putting up with what you claim and YOU did not have a very good contract with your contractor!
Anonymous said...
11:56 - there has to be a LEED certified team member in order to build the project.
12:21 - I can't tell you how many horror stories that I have heard and experienced from contractors on the shore. I once had an entire company not show up for a week because "hunting season started" it took a month to get a full crew back to work. Almost all of these contractors cannot meet the specified schedule requirements and do not have the portfolio to bid the work.
I love living here but the sad truth is that Salisbury does not want to change. Unless the local companies start paying for qualified people, WT is going to take all the work.
12:58 PM
You know what's funny about this lying Sack of poop... most of the "employee's" of Whiting Turner are local sub-contractors. It's amazing how many people get on here and use anonymous as "someone else."
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