OK, the pictures and documents don't lie. Not only was Parkside High School built for $6,500,000.00, it was renovated ONCE around 10 years ago and now they want another $35,000,000.00 to renovate it AGAIN.OK, that being said, now they want almost $100,000,000.00 for a new Bennett Middle School. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!
Look Folks, here's something VERY important I want to share with you. Last night I was in a meeting in which several people were attempting to tell me that IF Bennet isn't built and the Council doesn't get on board the County/School will lose its place and fall back on the list for at least another 10 years. COMPLETE BS! Absolutely NOT TRUE! Someone in the Board of Education is spreading a LIE. They just want that project and they'll say whatever it takes to get what they WANT.
I have been told that the State understands the County's financial position and the state is willing to work with the County whenever they're ready. It's amazing to me the BS that can get spread around WITHOUT ANY PROOF.
Now, getting back to the key topic here. $6,5 million to build a brand new High School. Are you REALLY trying to blow enough smoke up my rear end to tell me inflation has escalated THAT MUCH in which the new School will actually cost close to $100,000,000.00!!!!!! Are you people actually believing this crap? Well, I guess you are because many of you still believe the new Fire Palace Station 16 actually cost $14,000,000.00 to build, so I guess there are that many stupid people in this community. I feel so lonely sitting here all alone KNOWING this is a load of crap, but that's OK, I'm used to it.
In closing, here's a challenge for you. Do YOU have a problem with the buildings they're constructing at WorWic? Perhaps YOU should dig into that and find out how much those Schools are costing and maybe then and only then will you finally WAKE UP!
New Posts to fall below.
43 comments:
Why on earth would ANY school cost 100 million to build? Must be some pretty kick backs involved.
How about keeping what we already have and use some of that money to hire quality teachers that will actually teach these kids something?
Teaching them how to think would be a great step. Being book smart is fine but you need some common sense to go along with it. And the ability to think for yourself instead of reciting something you read in a book or someone told you.
I know someone will find fault with that. But 100 million can buy a whole lot of potatoes. We don't need any more potato heads.
The fact is, there are many more who support this than don't. It's needed. You can't just stop spending money and expect our children to get the same quality education. Our country is falling behind in comparison to the rest of the world when it comes to the intelligence and skills of our children.
You can't just stop spending money and expect our children to get the same quality education.
First I question the quality of education in this area. Second, bricks and mortar do not educate anyone.
Which board member are you?
So funny that the Board was going to vote to replace eight vehicles last nite until one Board member said it was not the time to be doing so. Tabled until next month when it will probably pass. Sacrifice stuff for kids but not cars for staff.
And I understand the Chamber has sent out a survey asking members if they want to see a new BMS built. Well, heck yes, everyone is going to agree to it, just like the question "do you want to see your taxes decrease." Then the Chamber will say 100% of the business community is behind this project. What a joke. Also, the Greater Salisbury Committee is supporting this. These are our business men and woman who know the devil is always in the detail. What are they thinking.? Or are all of them on such an emotional high they can't think?
100 million for a middle school, when we can't afford to maintain the ones we have now?
The supporters of this project are off their rockers. We simply cannot afford this right now, and if the constituents can't see this, than they are no better than the politicians. We can't even afford current books or learning materials for our students and you all want a shiny new building?
The priorities in this county are shameful, and ultimately will be the driving force for many families to leave our area. A new school is not feasible at this point, we simply can NOT afford one.
Our school system is in trouble. Get rid of the crap.
My gosh, which board member made that statement? They need to be thanked.
Great title and story SBY!!! Corruption is expensive, always has been, always will be.
Cars are not usually a perk of employment...unless you are a traveling salesman
Let's do some math here. In 1972, I worked at Ace Hardware & McDonald's for minimum wage; $1.75. A Gallon of gas or a loaf of bread went for around 40 cents. That loaf is now 2.00. I'm talking regular sandwich slices here. Gas has left the supply & demand chain, but has to be averaged in at 3.30. Minimum wage is $7.25. That's an average cost factor of 4.78 when labor & materials is considered 2:1, which is about normal for the building trades.
Okay, 6.5m x 4.78 = 31.07m. Even adding in fancy Smartboards can't be that much more. 2m for them and you've made it 1/3 of the way to 100m. So one could build a new Parkside sized Smartschool for $33m.
I wonder sometimes if the people at the Board of Education even teach math anymore so they can blow this smoke up peoples arses and get them believing! Dumb down the population with No Child Left Behind so We Can Hold Everyone Back To The Idiots Who Don't Want To Learn's Level.
To 8:52pm you must be a board member and have been drinking too much kool aide at your meetings! Funny thing is that only 1 in about 100 people I have talked with actually support this whacked out waist of money you are purposing. Wicomico county cannot afford this right now in this economy or any other economy for that matter.When are you liberal Dumbocraps gonna understand that!
John Fredericksen's contract is up for renewal. If you think he is not the person this community needs to be the Superintendent of Wicomico County Schools for the next year it it your time to speak up. Contact your Board Members and Elected officials and let your feelings be heard. This County can not afford another 4 years of John Fredericksen.
Build a new new taj mahal for the hsame incompetent union teachers to abuse our kids......okay.
I just built a 155,000 sqft middle school (LEED Certified) in Fairfax VA with 20 acres of athletic fields and parking for 22 million dollars.
You add another 15% for design fee's, consultants, permits, and you have a school.
Anon. 7:27 AM, I BET you did! BS!
7:27 am Tell us more you may have the info we need to compare apples to apples.
Can someone tell me (because I genuinely don't know) who determines whether or not Fredrickson's contract will be renewed? I'd like to contact whomever ASAP.
Joe, you are correct...
We have a bunch of idiots whom live in Salisbury or Wicomico or Maryland... These are the people who run our city, county, state and fed govt... These are the people who justify themselves by the measure in which they raise taxes or basically screw the average person... These are the people who don't give to licks about you or me because they are set no that they are in the govt...
Well they to will soon learn that their sky is blue like ours and our air is their air...
these are the people who say that their fed up with the price rise on the metro system, yet say they will buy a car to combat it... Not thinking of the car cost, insurance, gas, and service... that cost more than riding the metro... Not to mention if you get hit by an non insured... And like the one guy if he lives in PA, then you have to worry about PPA...
These people are stupid beyond help and it saddens me to think I am going into debt to support these losers not to work...
once again bms $35mil in soft costs ie consultants, etc. i guess it is now $60mil in construction cost. class rooms over at wor wic are going for around $20 mil. the board of ed does not want to redesign. they need to throw out the current design, throw out whiting turner, throw out the ridiculous leed certification, design a functional rectangular building and bid the project. you would then have a functional building that is cost affective. i have said this to brian foret and the county council. no one is listening and i doubt they will. this project is a waste of money
7:56/8:01
Its called South County Middle School in Lorton Va. Two story, all brick, slab on deck hambro system, with structural steel. It had almost a dozen labs, a full size gym and a half size gym with locker rooms. Several teachers lounges, two lecture halls, 4,000 sqft Media center, each classroom had wire molded smart boards. The HVAC systems consisted of valence heating and cooling for the classrooms, chiller towers, approx 8 TRANE RTU's, full cafeteria. A separate bus entrance for handicap students, and county road widening to allow for new increased traffic. Two full sized soccer fields and two full sized baseball fields.
We had about 1.5 million in CO's from the GC. Overall we can build three schools for the price two now.
7:19, 8:11
Deciding whether Dr. Fredericksen's contract will be renewed is done by the seven members of the BOE. Their names and email addresses on the website at www.wcboe.org
Dr. F. will be informed of their decision in February so start emailing and calling.
We are a nation of spoiled people.
The quality of education is not based on the building in which we learn. It is based on the hunger of education and the quality of the educators.
In 3rd world countries if you are bad in class then you are not allowed to be educated.
What the hell is wrong with these idiots that want to spend this money for a building?
Improve education , NOT!
I wonder who really needs to be educated , the people or the students.
You know the Board has been talking about having to close schools,cut back on school days, potentially laying off assistants etc. (scare tactics)But they still want to build a new school. really? That's like loosing your job and taking what cash you have in the bank, and going out and spending it on a flat screen tv when you don't know where your next meal is coming from. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! I was wondering though. Will the new Bennett Middle be called John Fredricksen Middle School? Make's you wonder........
Hmm.Let's see. We cry that our kids are woefully prepared education wise but when we have a chance to build a state of the art facility we want to argue as though we are sub-contractors and know construction costs.
Some third party stats here: School Digger (website here: http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MD/schools/0069001299/school.aspx ) ranks Bennett Middle as 186th of 242 MD public schools and also ranks Wicomico County as 20th out of 25 as far as school districts go for 2010. It needs to be renovated and updated and if you are going to do it, do it right. Cutting corners hurts the kids and continues to keep us behind other schools in the state. The report card for MD in general is not good either: http://www.alec.org/ammap/reportcard/md2010.pdf
Our state is middle of the road in education for the US and Bennett Middle is towards the bottom of the state as well. Rebuild it and lets work on raising education standards and technical proficiency to give our kids a chance to compete nationally.
Dr. Fredericksen's contract (to decide to renew or not) is left up to your 7 appointed board puppets. From what I hear they have given him rave reviews in the past years when Mrs. Wright was the President. Instead of confronting him, they just give him good reviews and hope it all goes away. Hopefully Mr Willey has the courage to stand up for the kids and begin a new search for a Superintendent. Or have Kathy Townsend take over the role. She is what this county needs.
One of the worse lies every told was we need more money, better schools, new schools for our kids to get a better education. No other nation spends as much per student as the United States. Therefore we are the number one nation in test scores and all. WRONG!!! China, Korea and many third world nations are so far ahead of us, and have little money. Their teachers make 1/10 of what ours do. What is the average now $70,000? And the head of departments at the board $90,000, and we still are not number 1. We have schools failing, kids failing and under performing teachers. But we need more money. We need fewer bosses, more teachers, and forget the over designed buildings. Lets get real, money is not the answer.
Let's not stop at Wor-Wic. What about the palaces being built at SU and UMES?
What's wrong with updating the school with adequate heat and air and spend money on equipment, supplies and GOOD teachers. Also security seems to be a need in schools in recent years. It's not how new the bricks are, or how modern the inside looks, its really about giving our kids a good education. Why are the citizens even listening to Frederickson, he is out of touch with todays economy. I surely plan to email the board because his days of being gone are way overdue.
This new school is needed and the people complaining are the same people who complain about everything. Bunch of old selfish people only worried about their own pocket. All about how it will affect them.
Yes 642 they can be selfish when is the money that they worked hard 4
To 8:52pm you must be a board member and have been drinking too much kool aide at your meetings! Funny thing is that only 1 in about 100 people I have talked with actually support this whacked out waist of money you are purposing. Wicomico county cannot afford this right now in this economy or any other economy for that matter.When are you liberal Dumbocraps gonna understand that!
January 12, 2012 6:34 AM
Example of point about quality of educatioin. You think a 100 million building would improve his speech, grammar and spelling?
How?
If you email the Board, send it to the Board members individually and not to the comments@wcboe.org Comments sent to that site never reach the Board members themselves. Same with the phone line. Citizens think they've registered concerns with the Board, but they've registered them with the central office instead. Sad.
A church is not a building, it's the people. The same applies to a school. Wi Middle, Mardela, and Pinehurst are much older than Bennett Middle. For private schools, St. Francis is around 60 years old. There's no need to constantly rebuild schools when there is no money available.
Bennett Middle is the same as it was when I went to school there in 85-87. I was miserable then and can only imagine how bad it is now for the kids to study. Yes I believe it needs to be upgraded or rebuilt but not at $100 million. Maybe they should take a look at what 8:51p says. That sounds like a great school. Parkside should not need to be redone before Bennett Middle. Just my opinion.
Chuck Adams, your stats can't be correct. I was at the board of ed meeting the other night, and have attended many other meetings and all I hear is how Maryland Schools are top rated in the nation. Which is it Chuck? The teachers UNION want to make stats say whatever they want to support whatever they want. How about this stat Chuck, I and a lot of other Seniors as well as the working poor ARE BROKE! You nimrods all say, we need a school, it's only another 100 bucks a year, yeah CHUCK, it's another 100 bucks a year, that's all! on top of another ten cent per gallon gas tax to pay for WELFARE mothers and ILLEGAL aliens, on top of the new SALES tax, so that the Politicians can reward their donor base! On top of my electricity bill, on top of my food costs, on top of everything else. Hey CHUCK! I want you to give more than your fair share ok? Get back to us here when you cut the check to the STATE!
With social engineering mandates,State and Federal requirements, unachievable Minority participation requirements (manipulation), driving local tax dollars out of thie economy, the inability to competitively bid the projects, the costs go thru the roof. The Perdue School for business cost the tax payers over $500 per square foot JUST FOR CONSTRUCTION!!! Most private sector buildings are $100 to $150 per square foot. Why do we wonder why things cost the tax payer so much. Ask O'Malley and YOUR elected officials. Quit pissing and moaning do something about it.
Fredericksen is a liar. I have personal experience with him and he completely lied to a department head about what had happened. So much so, other supervisors came to me and apologized about Fredericksen's behavior.
I know many of the BOE management and they have frankly told me they have not worked for a man of this low character ever.
HE MUST GO.
Just curious what the latest is on the HR department. They lie too!
Has anyone ever heard of a county going bankrupt?
The bean counters need to show us where this money is coming from!
Has anyone ever heard of a county going bankrupt?
January 12, 2012 3:46 PM
Yes. Do a search and you will too.
The budget for South County Secondary School was 88.7 million. There was a 25 million dollar savings through value engineering and the fact of monetizing certain parcels of unused Fairfax County land assets. So NO, it wasn't built for 22 million dollars. I can name the source if you would like.
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