For those of you that follow the happenings in Wicomico County you would know that just a few weeks ago 6 of the 7 members of the county council voted no to remodeling the Bennett Middle School to use for office space. The citizens of Wicomico County should be outraged and call for the BOE members to resign.
150 comments:
WTF....$26,666.00 per month in rent....What the hell is going on!!!
That's just rent! They could have remodeled bennett middle for that and OWNED the building.
The county is broke and the tax payers and property owners in this county are tapped out!!!! Where in the hell is the money going to come from to pay for this!!!! Can't keep increasing our taxes to pay for this!!!!! Where is the accountability? Can't believe this has been approved!
I like the old Rite Aid building on Mt Herman Rd.It's been sitting vacant for years.
Out of the way location, too! (with respect to the locations of most of the schools)
Who owns that building and who is getting the kick back?
Who are they ACCOUNTABLE to? For this kind of money a new school can be built that is in such bad condition. To the County Council people who didn't listen and vote with Bob Culver shame on you,,,
You people need to work together or we will be all be POORER.
The renovation for Bennett Middle should have been approved.
THIS is one of the many reason i am leaving MD..too many idiots running the state into the ground. Education in this state is a friggin joke!!! Its a money grab for the BOE classroom get squat.hell kids dont even get textbooks.
12:15,i am with you ,i bet when the money trail is followed there will be some good ole boy connection.
And I'm willing to bet there us a gillkerson connection
How much will it cost to move and make this new space workable to the BOE standards. The taxpayers will not like this answer. Also the BOE may have another trick up their sleeve and no one will see it coming. Call the county council members and voice your opinion about giving the BOE a reasonable budget and tell the BOE to live with it like everyone else!
ranger3325, How much do you wanr to bet. You name it.
http://governor.maryland.gov/mail/default.asp
You go to this link, and you can email complaints to Governor Hogan's office. This is complete corruption. Misuse and total abuse of trusting taxpayers!
Not that I agree with the decision, but only 28% of county tax is applied to boe. Worcester county by contrast pays 78% local tax.
I'm confused, what's wrong with the existing Board of Education office?
It's Rinnier. Look it up.
The proper they are renting is owned by the Rinnier family. One of the biggest property owners in the area. Rinnier Owns ALL the office space behind Lowes. They own the Staples building. They own Parkwood, Parkside, Marley Manor, and numerous other apartment buildings. They also own the Clairmont shopping center next to the college. They have to many holdings and properties to mention. I sure this is good for Rinnier but sucks for the tax payers. Bad fiscal management of our money, and throwing another bone to and influencial property owner.
The proper they are renting is owned by the Rinnier family. One of the biggest property owners in the area. Rinnier Owns ALL the office space behind Lowes. They own the Staples building. They own Parkwood, Parkside, Marley Manor, and numerous other apartment buildings. They also own the Clairmont shopping center next to the college. They have to many holdings and properties to mention. I sure this is good for Rinnier but sucks for the tax payers. Bad fiscal management of our money, and throwing another bone to and influencial property owner.
LOL "workable to the BOE standards." People have been working in portables with the floors ready to cave in or in the main building with the poorest air in the county. Too hot in one area and too cold in others. Germs spreading throughout the building because of cramped quarters.
What have you to say now Ranger!
The Council and Exec need to step in and remove that amount from their budget. I would believe any lease would have to be approved by the County Govt not by the Bd of Ed....need to have an attorney check that out.
Then, why isn't the BOE repaired? I seriously doubt "floors are caving in".
I, of course, have been in there and around the building. Even if it needed updates, then why not do that!
Remodel then!!! Who negotiated that ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS RENT!!????
Governor Hogan's office #410-974-3901. You can file a complaint. Misuse of Taypayer's monies. Actually, is fraud.
I posted this in a comment a few weeks ago and others told me to keep my mouth shut and quit spreading rumors. Jokes on you because I told you this would happen.
Ha ha. Told you so.
"I'm confused, what's wrong with the existing Board of Education office?"
We're getting tired of the food venue here. A relocation will give us more choices to spend our gift cards at.
$820 A day.
I'll bet this won't be reported on the local news media like wboc, wmdt, or the daily times. This is a robbery of the taxpayers money, pure and simple!
Well people. ..stage a protest...it seems to work
Just got off the phone with the gov office and made a complaint i advise every tax payer to do the same as our taxes are going to go UP AGAIN.
Before you say the rent is too much, how many square feet? Price per square foot determines if rent is accurate or inflated.
Hopefully I am asleep and just having a bad dream that I am reading this.
Is the BOE Union going to do business here as well? Perhaps they can pay the rent-they are sitting on a fat bank account with lots of income every month.
How many in the Rinnier family serve on bank boards and get favorable lending treatment like what was happening here in Somerset. It seems the more assets you have the more "favors" you get.
Following the money may also lead you right back to the BOE.
Shameless!
I just looked it up the council vote was 6 to 1 with council member Joe Hollaway voting to remodel Bennett Middle. The other council members should be ashamed.
I called Governor's office also, and wrote a letter filing a formal complaint!! Joe Holloway is the only one that votes correctly!!
I just called and begged for help. I asked him after telling him how I feel about this(which he did tell me that he as gotten many calls already) to have Mr. Hogan to check out SbyNews if he wants to know what is going on down here. PLEASE PEOPLE call they did answer and it was human. map
See you are clueless a man fell through three weeks ago. I love the comments from people that are absolutely clueless
This is something that deserves a protest!
OK morons listen up. What does the Rinnier family have to do with this other than they own property for lease. Direct your hostility towards the board, the county council that YOU elected.
I just called Hogan's office. They admitted been receiving TONS OF PHONE CALLS and they will be followup on it.
For you 4:10, you must be associated with the deal. Are you a Rinnier???? It's pretty obvious!
It so does deserve a PROTEST!!!
Everyone of the Wicomico County Board of Education members should resign immediately. And John Frederickson should also resign effective immediately.
It is a reportable Fraud and crime to line people's pockets with taxpayers money in order to get "favors and/or kickbacks". Called Corruption and Fradulent Contracts. Hogan promised me he will find out!!!
I also told him to contact Joe Holloway on the Board as he is the ONLY HONEST ONE THERE!
WICOMICO COUNTY...Let's bring the power back to a "manageable and fiscal responsibility County"...
Call Gov. Larry Hogan, respectfully at 410-912-0288. His office was very accommodating.
I agree with the comment that it's not Rinnier's "fault" the BOE is spending that kind of money on rent. They are benefitting...but they are doing business.
The portables are in no condition to continue working in. I don't even go over there anymore because it's so dag on awful.
HOWEVER---- I don't agree with that kind of rent without detailed justification. Did they get 3 bids like the rest of the county has to do before any contract can be signed???? I'd like to see those bid sheets.
It is Rinnier's fault. If they are solicitating and charging grossly overpriced fees AND behind the scenes there are political favors and/or money scheming...that INDEED THEY ARE AT FAULT!!!!!
How many square feet are they renting and is this at true market value for rental rates?
This is a slap in the face to all employees of the BOE. We were told that there is not enough money for a 1% raise so they settled for a .8% raise. So now Freddy uses this money to move his castle to the northside of town where no schools are located. Just wait till there is an issue at one of the in-town high schools and they are 15 minutes away.
I have worked for the BOE for 25 years and I have to say that JF has been the worst, most arrogant superintendent that has ever signed my check.
They had to lock in a long term lease in order make themselve financially and legally obligated before Culver could get his plans in motion to re-purpose Bennett Middle thus giving them a better opportunity of finishing Bennett High's super campus plan.
Not to mention that is the most RIDICULOUS lease to pay! I just looked up the sales data for those Northgate Business Park properties
The one closest to Naylor Mill Rd is assessed at $3,030,600, The next one back is assessed at $1,048,800 and the third one back is assessed at $1,627,400. Now I know assessed valve isn't actual market value, but that $3,200,000 the BOE is planning on spending in RENT could have likely BOUGHT the second two (which I believe are the buildings with vacancies) and at least that way the BOE would have an ASSET!
By the way, anybody notice the abundance of portable classrooms that the BOE was shuffling around this week? I know how much heavy/special towing costs so I'm sure that has a hefty price tag associated with it - I wonder what the occasion was...
FRICKING IDIOTS! Elected BOE people - Call your representative!
I understand everyone being upset and so am I but what can Hogan or even the County Council do? The Council only allocates funds to the BOE, they don't tell them how to spend it. If the BOE allocates funds for this purpose, it is only hurting the kids and employees as it is taking money from them.
All your (our) complaining will be a waste of our time. We need to start with the BOE and Dr. Freddy as they are the ones that are responsible for this.
You cant rent space from someone that has nothing.
Exact! Just ask the MSEA! They know all about being big frauds!
You are so from the union! .8% ??? WCEA sucks!!! This is why you union frauds haven't said anything about negotiations!
Well you have to give them a break. It's hard to stay informed when you live in your moms basement and spend your days making aluminum foil hats!
Maybe the occasion was accommodating students which after is what they're supposed to be doing, you pompous idiot!
I realize the BOE has to spend money and lots of it at times, but I'm really fed up with the attitude that one receives when the BOE powers to be get attitudes when asked how much, what for & were other options considered? The Wicomico BOE continues to spend it like they've got it!
Oh, ok. So I should resign because the company I work for is moving buildings? Where else would I go in this dying sad little town? People like you have driven just about every other business away so it's not like there's an abundance of alternative employment.
What a complete and utterly idiotic statement. I work for the BOE, I make a living, not a fortune and I work hard for that and I take pride in my job. You people are clueless. Stop taking out your frustration on BOE employees. If you don't like the upper management so be it, but telling me I should resign? I have a few choice words for what I think you should do with that notion!
1:27 what i have to say on the gillkerson point i was wrong but I'm sure its way to much of tax payer money and that gillkerson has had plenty of political favors in the past . Are you happy with that ANONYMOUS.
All this is going way over my head.How can the BOE commit to that kind of money without the county council approval?
I agree the entire appointed Elected School Board should resign and the County Executive should insist that John Frederickson should resign too.
I can't believe that the BOE is going to bulldoze a perfectly good building and then strap on (like lead weights) onto the backs of Wicomico County taxpayers to the tune of $320,000 per year. Someone butts are on the line and I hope the County Taxpayers launch a full blown Coup detat to oust their asses.
The mall could be rented for that price.
With ALL due respect, many of you still don't get it.
The County Executive AND the County Council have NO CONTROL over the Board of Education.
You need to concentrate your anger towards Senator Jim Mathias for not allowing bringing an elected school board to go to referendum.
QUIT pointing fingers at the Council and Executive. Reach out to Governor Hogan and ask him to make immediate changes to that board.
Gov. Hogan's office was very interested when I spoke with them. Very helpful just listening. I believe when people know that they are being watched. ...they tend to do more of the "right thing"
Then why is there a vote at county council for this. Someone said Joe Holloway was only 1 voted against
JA, You are half right. The CE & Council control the BOE's purse strings. They just need to pull those strings a little tighter.
6:13, It didn't reference this lease. It referenced Culver's proposal to convert Bennett Middle School and place the BOE there. That's what they voted on.
6:16, Not any longer. O'Malley made sure of that before he left office.
The BOE comes to the County with the funding they DEMAND each year.
Now, the Executive and Council can allow additional funding above and beyond what the BOE demands above what they call maintenance of effort, something Pollitt gave them every year he was in office. Culver said, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
So I'm not 1/2 wrong.
First of all, the BOE has offices in 4 portables that were donated by Perdue at least 20 years ago. Portables are not designed to last forever. These are the floors that are at risk. $320,000 a month is only a minute portion of the budget and it will house a lot of staff. Currently the computer system is housed in a portable. it would only take a big snow to make the roof collapse.
Heck - no wonder all of the major businesses have left Wicomico County. The BOE has a license to steal.
GOOD information Joe!
In my opinion this is a bad move whether the rental vs. square footage is favorable or not.
The portables, referred to as the Annexes, behind the actual Board office are worn, tired, cramped band-aid solutions from years back.
Relocating them somewhere has made sense for a long time. But the location chosen is poor, especially since the BMS building could have been upgraded quickly and cheaply.
I'm confident BMS contains more square footage than the Annexes and is already wired for the districts computers, etc. It provides on-site dining space, a gym for wellness and meetings and easy access to many other school facilities.
BMS' crime is that is in conflict with the master plan to move some playing fields a few yards. Really, how stupid is that. Athletes may need to walk a few more feet to play as justification for squandering lots and lots of dough. BTW, BMS would have been 'rent-free' since the school district already owns it.
As others have noted the location chosen is in a congested retail corridor and distant from any school except Delmar.
It will be a pain for employees to get to and leave work since only two side roads serve the complex. It will also be inconvenient for citizens needing to visit the offices.
Those associated with formulating and approving this plan are graded F.
They are moving a multi (atleast 6 rooms) portable from pittsville to, get this, wi middle. The same wi middle that has such a low attend acne they wanted to close the school. They really make no sense.
The area businesses are closing or moving out but the BOE is spending like it's booming around here and this is why elitists are out of touch and why riots happen.
Good ole boys wink wink.
4:25 I don't have an interest in this. But I'll be brief. Your complaining without solution is whining. Get off your parents couch in the basement and go get a job, loser. Or better yet call Obama.
This needs to be at the top and stay for a while.
The 6 County Council members did not have legal recourse in that matter. The contracts were signed and this project was several years old. I do agree that it would have been nice to renovate BMS or parts of it for office space.
I also think the BOE office is perfectly fine where it is.
Third, how ironic does this information come out just after the County Council made this vote. Why wasn't this discussed during the BMS talks? Why wasn't this discussed during the West Salisbury School talks.
Now Bob has also agreed to build them a new school?? WTF!!
Bob Culver the ball is in your court now!!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
The renovation for Bennett Middle should have been approved.
May 6, 2015 at 12:30 PM
Should have, but couldn't have been. Know the law before you speak.
Anonymous said...
I'm confused, what's wrong with the existing Board of Education office?
May 6, 2015 at 1:04 PM
NOT A THING!!
John Fredericksen let the little out buildings next to it rot, but they could be fixed easily.
Now it's time for the County Council to deduct $320,000 from the BOE during their budget work sessions.
Why don't they put a large addition to the current building? Make it two stories if needed.
Contracts were sign???? !!!!
In any contract, there can be language to withdraw rent/lease given certain days of notice etc etc...
If Frederickson signed anything, without such a clause, then HE DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T BE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS WHATSOEVER. That certainly doesn't excuse him even if it was some time ago!
Deduct $320,000.00 per year x 10 years.
I am amazed at the ignorance of the people posting on this 'issue'
Blind faith in your source of information is never a good idea.
Do you homework, get the facts and formulate an educated opinion.
Stand for something or you'll fall for anything!
Think for yourself!
True 7:45 pm...Why not repair, and add on!?? $320,000.00 a year would make a fine renovation and add on!
Born and Raised here my entire life....And I am seriously looking at property out of this County and State because of this. Delaware is such a smarter choice.
So true 8:02.
First, $320k won't build much commercially
Unless there are changes, nothing changes
Just a bunch of complainers on here that
Always whine but do nothing to change it.
To 8:07 Poster
You are right. I to have lived here all of my life and I have never seen an educational agency so smitten with as much distrust, dishonesty, criminal behavior in all my life. This is criminal behavior to Nth degree.
They also rent a place on Northwood Drive for the Zbirth to Five program. A waste of money but its a game. They want taxpayers to scream so they can close a school and convince taxpayers to use the former school as a office complex. Businesses up north will love the new business. I hope they rotate so not to cram up one business each day. Now some of those ladies will be closer to their nail salons and lunch time shopping instead of doing what's best for children. Happy Teacher Appreciation week. Nice gift BOE and Dr frederickson to your hard working teachers and assistants!
What the Wicomico County School Board has done is legalized white collar crime. They basically have a license to steal to the detriment of us ordinary folks. I hope an investigation is launched and some of the BOE officials are sent to jail.
Thank you. But it is funny
Attention 8:31.... Commercial building $320,000.00 x 10 years. 3.2 million. That is quite of a check of remodel or building!!! In addition, it would be "county owned'... In summary, not leasing 3.2 million dollars worth and no property to show for it.
Take into consideration the lack of efficiency of the old building and the portables. Will be much more of a cost savings in the end.
Attention 8:51 Average commercial construction rate is $125/sq.ft. 3.2 million gets you a 25,600 sq ft bldg. I'm sorry that big number confuse you but $3.2million doesn't buy that much. How many square feet is the BOE leasing at $320k per year?
If you call me, I will listen too but I won't be able to do a thing. Hogan's office just gave you lip service. He can't do anything.
Birth to 5 will be moved to the current BOE
As Paul Harvey would say;
'Now you know the rest of the story'
My comment: What Wicomico has are a bunch of thugs running our BD of Education. Former County Executive Rick Pollitt is one of them. It happened on his watch - although you wait and see they are going to try to pin this on the present CC & County Executive.
um.....9:08 you must of missed the point or the BIG PICTURE. First of all, 3.2 million dollars is a very big deal. If you owned a business, would you rather lease a building for 3.2 million dollars or invest in your own building (meaning put 3.2 million dollars to a property that you would own)... Instead of just "leasing". At the end of the lease, all you have left is 3.2 million spent. No investment of property whatsoever.
Not true about Hogan.... If anyone in a personal or professional knows that (just like this blog) people are watching....they tend to make better choices and don't abuse their power. If people don't think anyone is watching them, abuse tends to grow larger in public service.
9:34 That would depend an analysis by my accountants at to the the benefits of writing of the lease expense versus the write off of the depreciation of the property bearing in mind that upon sale of the property there is a depreciation recapture by the IRS. It is evident that you are not very educated in the current tax codes and the potential benefits of leasing rather than owning in the business world. Why do you think that most companies lease vehicles/trucks rather than purchasing them? The same holds to with office space is most cases. Ever heard of a REIT?
My call to Hogan's office was well received and taken seriously. I encouraged the Governor to tour the new Bennett Middle School and see first hand the problems....before the first student has crossed the front door! I was told that my call was the forth since this gentleman took over phone duty.
9:46, That may be true for a privately owned company. However, in this case we're talking about taxpayers money.
Now don't get me wrong, I am a major supporter of government leasing property verses purchasing.
HOWEVER, the government and banks should work with the UNDERDOG in these cases. A woman property owner, for example.
Women will never get a fair shake until the GOVERNMENT recognizes they discriminate because they always favor special interests first.
America could absolutely make a major turn for the positive IF they started working with the underdogs.
What...hahaha I am an accountant who run large corporations!!! Leasing a vehicle is totally different than leasing vs owning a property. So you are the uneducated one!!!
You develop 2 LLC and lease from yourself at the same time, you still own the property. Doesn't take a Certified Accountant to figure that out. it's common sense!
Get some knowledge instead of "acting" like you know.!
Salisbury State buys property all the time under LLC and leases to themselves, perfectly legal!!
They own (in one LLC) and lease it to another LLC. Perfectly legal.
Joe
I got no beef with what you are saying. Just responding to the comment directed at me. The BOE is top heavy and could do with a RIF thereby eliminating the need for so much space. I support the repurposing of the BMS as office space and really could care less about having new/bigger/nicer athletic fields. How many "athletes" have gone on to national careers from Salisbury? I went to Westside Intermediate when there was a single school house and nothing but farms surrounding it.
Exactly! For tax purposes but as Joe points out this is public versus private.
9:51 Let's just say you are correct and I don't know anything. You are an accountant for what major corporations? There are less than a handful on the shore. Meanwhile, I retired from working for anyone but my myself in my forties and am living very comfortably while employing people similar to you although they work for firms in major cities versus Salisbury.
Joe, there is a reason why the BOE needs more room. The BOE Administration is growing and is going to grow significantly in the future. Do any of you remember when the Superintendent remarked at the hearings to finish the Bennett project that there was going to be two other schools that were going to close? Then do you remember at the West Salisbury School hearings he once again said he would save the county money by changing the number of grades to where he would be able to use just one administrative group for more grades in this school? That was the set up for this rental deal. Did any of you wonder what was going to happen to the school administrators who were really no longer needed? Of course not. The distraction was the West Salisbury School to keep everyone distracted from what is really going on. You see the Superintendent needs a place to put all those extra administrators and he'll make up the positions for them to make it believable. You know, positions like "Principal Mentors" and I know all you teachers could easily name a dozen other made up positions so let's hear them. He can't spread out that many administrators throughout the rest of the school system because there are so many of them. Now I believe they even have Vice Principles for each wing of a school. You see there are simply too many administrators so he had to do something. And there is a back up funding plan also folks that was very cleverly put into effect. Look deeply into the real school budget and you will see an increase of about 390K for maintenance of effort. It just so happens that our school population has gone up just enough to cover this rental property and have just a little left over. Now isn't that just a coincidence.Perhaps someone would like to ask him just where did these extra 142 kids suddenly come from and why is School board members begging for many more new Spanish speaking teachers. There's more folks but I would be writing all night. This Superintendent is really sharp taxpayers. He plays the new County Council like a fiddle and they had no idea what was coming. Just think, all Mr. Culver wanted was just sixty days for a feasibility study. Now taxpayers it's going to cost you millions. Want a suggestion? Do like others suggested and call the Governor's office and let him know how our BOE is costing the taxpayers who voted for him millions of dollars. Then Mr. Culver could submit an amended budget cutting the 322K from the BOE budget and put the money into our county roads. Then call for a forensic audit of the BOE. They seem to be able to pull money out of a hat from one of their many funds that most people aren't aware of. Did any of you attend the Council meeting Tuesday night? BOE was there and they said they suddenly found an extra 1.2 million dollars that they wanted to transfer real quick to start tearing down the old Bennett Middle School. Want to know why? They have to get started right away so that there's even no way the Governor could stop the project for a study. With no contract it could be stopped for evaluation. What about it County Council, you played right into the BOE hands. How about doing something for the taxpayers now. As I said before, learn to think outside of the box.Things aren't going to be laid out for you on everything. John Palmer, Delmar, Md.
Anonymous said...
LOL "workable to the BOE standards." People have been working in portables with the floors ready to cave in or in the main building with the poorest air in the county. Too hot in one area and too cold in others. Germs spreading throughout the building because of cramped quarters.
May 6, 2015 at 1:23 PM
And this constitutes the wasting of nearly 1/2 million dollars a year in tax dollars!!
First you are not the only ones that have floors ready to cave in. That' an easy fix.
Second, just about every office building has hot spots and cold spots. Open the windows.
Germs spreading? GTFOH!!! Was your damn hands and no germs will spread. Stay home of you are sick. Easy fix.
Anonymous said...
Then, why isn't the BOE repaired? I seriously doubt "floors are caving in".
I, of course, have been in there and around the building. Even if it needed updates, then why not do that!
May 6, 2015 at 1:43 PM
I took a tour of the portables. It's not caving it, it's just a soft spot in one of the bathrooms. It's just a plywood floor that can be fixed. The outside walls are somewhat rotted, but they have been right next door to John Fredericksens office all these years and he never even noticed something needed to be fixed? Bullshit, he wanted a new space at tax payers expense.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
It is Rinnier's fault. If they are solicitating and charging grossly overpriced fees AND behind the scenes there are political favors and/or money scheming...that INDEED THEY ARE AT FAULT!!!!!
May 6, 2015 at 4:39 PM
That building sat vacant for many years, you figure it out!!
Anonymous said...
How many square feet are they renting and is this at true market value for rental rates?
May 6, 2015 at 5:00 PM
HEY Dumb Dumb!! It's not a matter of paying market matter. It's a matter of not needing to move from their current location and wasting millions of dollars in our hard earned money!
May 6, 2015 at 5:15 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
They had to lock in a long term lease in order make themselve financially and legally obligated before Culver could get his plans in motion to re-purpose Bennett Middle thus giving them a better opportunity of finishing Bennett High's super campus plan.
Not to mention that is the most RIDICULOUS lease to pay! I just looked up the sales data for those Northgate Business Park properties
The one closest to Naylor Mill Rd is assessed at $3,030,600, The next one back is assessed at $1,048,800 and the third one back is assessed at $1,627,400. Now I know assessed valve isn't actual market value, but that $3,200,000 the BOE is planning on spending in RENT could have likely BOUGHT the second two (which I believe are the buildings with vacancies) and at least that way the BOE would have an ASSET!
By the way, anybody notice the abundance of portable classrooms that the BOE was shuffling around this week? I know how much heavy/special towing costs so I'm sure that has a hefty price tag associated with it - I wonder what the occasion was...
FRICKING IDIOTS! Elected BOE people - Call your representative!
May 6, 2015 at 5:16 PM
There are portables showing up on the side of Wicomico Middle School and a section of fencing has been removed from the Davis Street side of the fence. I didn't know Wi Middle was overcrowded? Funny how the portables are positions so that everyone can see them from 3 sides of the property/3 roads!
Anonymous said...
First of all, the BOE has offices in 4 portables that were donated by Perdue at least 20 years ago. Portables are not designed to last forever. These are the floors that are at risk. $320,000 a month is only a minute portion of the budget and it will house a lot of staff. Currently the computer system is housed in a portable. it would only take a big snow to make the roof collapse.
May 6, 2015 at 6:26 PM
Oh BULLSHIT!!
The portable is no different than a house that should have been taken care of. Fix the damn small problems. House last hundreds of years if maintained properly. Maintained is the problem. John Fredericksen and previous BOE's directed staff to quit maintaining schools and those buildings so they would rot and fall apart so they could get new ones.
Here is an interesting story. Look at the end portable next to Mt. Hermon Road outside the BOE office. I know several of the Maintenance Shop employees. One was told to go out and buy some T-111 plywood to patch some of the portables. So one weekend he got the plywood and then replaced an entire side which is completely visible from the Mt. Hermon Rd. side. he replace the entire side and made it look nice. Come Monday, the Supervisors saw the nice work and raised Holy Hell with him! Why? Because they wanted him to patch it and make it look like patchwork so the public could see an eyesore! See this is how they fool the public into thinking things are falling apart. Anyone with half a brain would know that the employee did the right thing, but the supervisors should be fired.
Anonymous said...
Take into consideration the lack of efficiency of the old building and the portables. Will be much more of a cost savings in the end.
May 6, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Well my house is lacks some efficiency in it so I guess I will go out and rent a pricey apartment that is far away and that has been vacant for the last 5 years because the economy has been so bad and no one can afford it. Will be much more of a cost savings in the end.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
First, $320k won't build much commercially
Unless there are changes, nothing changes
Just a bunch of complainers on here that
Always whine but do nothing to change it.
May 6, 2015 at 8:31 PM
Some BOE Troll trying to justify their stupidity!
Anonymous said...
Birth to 5 will be moved to the current BOE
May 6, 2015 at 9:20 PM
If the current BOE office isn't good enough for employees making over $100,000 per year each then why is it good enough for our Birth to 5 children!!
How much is that move going to cost? If the current BOE office and buildings have poor ventilation, hot areas, cold areas, rot, floors getting ready to cave in, roofs getting ready to cave in during the next snow, lack of efficiency and God forbid, the spread of germs then how in the world can the Wicomico County Board of Education put our Birth to 5 children in those same buildings!!!
WTH!! Either someone is lying or we've been sold a bill of goods by the Wicomico County Board of Education AGAIN!!
The current property they own where the BOE is is large enough to add onto an existing block structure and for that kind of money they could have found minority run local businesses to do the work for a good price. However the best idea was to refurbiish the Bennett building. All their ills are from poor (planned) maintenance so they could ply the tax payers for more money. The BOE needs to go on an administrative diet and reduce the over paid dead weight they have!
So, if the BOE is not elected, but appointed, who does the appointing?
The Governor?
I'm going to call Mr. Hogan's office and ask if he can throw the ball back in our court.
You know thats right.
Gilkerson/Rinnier.....same difference.
The butthurt is strong in this one ^^^^
With all the special permission kids going to Parkside and Bennett from Wi-Hi, just close Wi-Hi and spread those kids into Parkside and Bennett. Use Wi-Hi as the new board office and make additions to the other 2 schools.
They seem to grow in enrollment because no one wants there kids to go to Wi-Hi.
Maintenance staff is a joke, some do side work for private companies that get special purchase orders for items.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
The current property they own where the BOE is is large enough to add onto an existing block structure and for that kind of money they could have found minority run local businesses to do the work for a good price. However the best idea was to refurbiish the Bennett building. All their ills are from poor (planned) maintenance so they could ply the tax payers for more money. The BOE needs to go on an administrative diet and reduce the over paid dead weight they have!
May 7, 2015 at 5:44 AM
It would have been a better idea, but it is to far into the game. It was to late when Bob Culver and Joe Holloway wanted it done.
Anonymous said...
With all the special permission kids going to Parkside and Bennett from Wi-Hi, just close Wi-Hi and spread those kids into Parkside and Bennett. Use Wi-Hi as the new board office and make additions to the other 2 schools.
They seem to grow in enrollment because no one wants there kids to go to Wi-Hi.
May 7, 2015 at 8:13 AM
What an idiot!! Do you want to raise your kids with those Church Street and Doverdale Thugs! Hell NO!! Why do you think they are leaving Wi High and I don't blame them..
Anonymous said...
Maintenance staff is a joke, some do side work for private companies that get special purchase orders for items.
May 7, 2015 at 8:15 AM
Some do side work while they are on the County Clock!!
Blair Rinnier is Gail Bartkovich's Son-in-Law. No wonder she left the county council, so her daughter can make some sweet deals in this county. I wondered why John Bartkovich left local politics.
8:35 am, those with vans
IF ALL of these people showed up from these comments then this WOULDN'T happen. FOOLS.
5:44....Great thought. Support that they need "administrative diet". I don't understand why public business isn't run as "private business". As Governor Hogan said, his home is years old and they keep it in working order. RESPONSIBILITY FOLKS FISCALLY, MORALLY, AND ETHICALLY!
If you drive by Wi-Middle you'll see a sign that there is to be some renovation (AC I think) done there. I would imagine the portable is to house students temporarily while the work is performed. But then again, I actually thought about it sensibly before I started shooting my mouth off on a blog!
I hope everyone continues to call Governor Hogan's office and file complaints verbally and in writing. Known fact, that public servants knows that people are watching, they tend to make better decisions. I hope Frederickson is embarrassed! His head is on the chopping block!
I know for a fact that Blair Rinnier was allowing his friends to use that building (the one in the middle) for FREE storage while it was vacant so I suppose now he's trying to recover that loss. I also know that several units in those buildings have been vacant for an extended time now - wouldn't that be reason and leverage for negotiating a better deal on the lease. Even with that being said, I don't blame Rinnier for wanting to lease the property at a premium, assuming that it is indeed lease at premium - some square footage numbers would really help here. That's a businessman being a businessman - would you deny a premium rent if you had the choice? It is the County, more specifically the BOE, that should be determining weather or not they are getting a fair market deal. The problem is that if the people put into place to make these decisions are corrupt and looking out for special interests or helping out their network then something needs to be done. There is no reason that our tax dollars are spent at the discretion of appointed individuals. Where else in the government is our money spent without representation? It just isn't right - we need an elected school board to maintain accountability.
Another problem that needs to be addressed is who's money is it really? Of course it is ultimately the tax payers' money, but is it by way of the County or the State? And who should have the ultimate authority on how it should be spent? The State funds the majority of the BOE budget, but the County still chips in - so does the Feds for that matter. The State and Feds set educational standards, but it is to the ultimate benefit of the County citizens. So now you have all these hands throwing money into the pot so who actually determines where that pot gets dumped? The BOE can run wild with funds because it is unclear who the ultimate authority is or should be. It SHOULD BE the local taxpayer by way of an elected school board with a couple appointed representatives from the State.
Now the controversy over leasing vs buying building space will differ amongst business people. Both have their perks, but I believe (like others have said here) that leasing from yourself is the best option. But being that the BOE isn't exactly capable of setting this system up there needs to be some sort of cost analysis performed for situations like this. Was that done? Likely not, so how do they know that this is the right path?? How much money has been lost through leasing? Through portable classrooms? Through maintenance expenses? Through renovations? And would that money be better spent on building a new asset?
Although the square footage has not yet to be disclosed, I'm leaning towards thinking that this lease is a bad idea. For one, it does seem high for a property with a relatively long vacancy rate in a depressed real estate economy. It is also a very long lease. I could possibly see a 5 year lease being reasonable, but who knows what the economy with be like in 10 years? Put it this way, roll the clock back ten years from today - HUGE difference in the economy, right?? The county also has land that they could use. The Bennett re-purposing idea could have been a prime spot for BOE office space and actually eliminate other current office space leasing and maintenance expenses.
Bottom line, this shouldn't be a shock to us. When the taxpayer is unaware and unrepresented then these things happen - good or bad. The State and the legislators need to acknowledge this and correct the issue. The County Council CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS so don't bother them. You can call the Governor's office and Hogan WILL listen to you but that isn't going to get you very far since it isn't his decision. You need to call your representatives and let them know why they are in office... TO REPRESENT THE TAXPAYERS!!
Is there a possbility that Joe could have a separate "Watch Dog" blog ...Spin off from this blog, constructively and respectfully. In hopes that the BOE would join the blog and announce financial decisions, making it all known of financial decisions or better yet pending financial taxpayor decisions. BOE would have to be proactive and honest.
0938
Why would they do any renovations on a school, that just 5 mos ago they wanted to close down due to dwindling attendance?
Maybe if the BOE could grow a set, they would have gone ahead with their redistricting, then the BOE could have had WI Middle.
There is going to be s remodeling cost associated with this. Rinnier is not re-modeling for free.
That may or may not be a good price - perhaps utilities are included. Perhaps not.
But just on location, naylor mill road can be pretty thick in that area anyway, now a million more left turns facing 13 onto Northgate Drive. They're going to clog up our Rt13 avoidance path but maybe they'll resurface
Maybe if wihi had all the amenities of the other schools, things might improve over there. I'm talking amenities like copy machines available for teachers and functioning, reliable printers.
The board doesn't need a new office, it needs to supply all its schools with equitable resources
8:37am Point well taken. And, that Bartkovich woman stumped for Culver for County Executive. She also always voted with Joe Holloway. Connect the dots.
To 10:02 Poster - Essentially what our elected officials have allowed, and particularly, the BOE officials have done is INVOLUNTARY ENJOINED OUR TAXPAYERS TO THE BOE PROJECTS.
It is illegal, and a lawsuit remedy should be initiated ASAP.
Shame on Republican Carolyn Elmore for voting to support this. Shame on Democrat Don Fitzgerald who is hoping to get reappointed by the Governor for voting to support this atrocity. I hope the Governor is smart enough to not allow this man to get reappointed to our Wicomico County Board of Education. To the voters who care, the Governors information is posted above so please ask the Governor not to reappoint any of the current BOE members, especially Don Fitzgerald who is currently waiting.
Republican(I think) Kim Hudson shame on you for voting for this atrocity. You proved already that you are a snake by sneaking through the back door to get O'Malley to appoint her instead of going through the proper channels.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
To 10:02 Poster - Essentially what our elected officials have allowed, and particularly, the BOE officials have done is INVOLUNTARY ENJOINED OUR TAXPAYERS TO THE BOE PROJECTS.
It is illegal, and a lawsuit remedy should be initiated ASAP.
May 10, 2015 at 8:30 AM
Not one elected official had anything to do with this so get your crap straight. You talk big, but you ignorance stinks.
With a new county executive, a new MD delegate, a Republican governor and county council, perhaps folks got desperate to find a way to get a new office complex without the approval of elected officials. Is anyone really surprised this was perpetrated? I would guess they expected opposition but believe no one's going to do anything about it.
To 4:34 - I am quite sure that Pollitt arranged this along with co-conspirator John Frederickson. You saw the same on how he tried to arrange for the leasing of Bd. Of Elections bldg., prior to, the election. And 8:30 Poster is on-point in their assessment that the taxpayers are enjoined into this 20 year lease. It really should be illegal to allow this type of activity. And the County Council should pass legislation as soon as possible to declare this type of activity null and void. As for the current lease on the facility that has already been executed, I do believe this will end up in a Court of law as it appears to me to be an illegal activity.
I knew the probability of something like this was going to happen sooner or latter. The BOE doesn't want anyone to question their authority. But even Hitler had to eventually answer to the Allies advance into Germany.
Post a Comment