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Bait and Switch: A Con Artist's Ploy
Posted Monday, December 15, 2008, at 6:58 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
In August 2007, the Clay Community Schools Corporation put forward a building proposal costing $53 million dollars.
Included in that proposal was $4.2 million for a bus maintenance facility. The question was raised as to why the school corporation did not purchase the Romas Trucking facility, located just south on State Roads 42 and 59, for the price of $800,000. Subsequently, the bus maintenance facility was dropped from the proposed building project altogether. Last March, the Transportation Director called me and asked me to tour the bus maintenance facility in hopes of avoiding the petition and remonstrance process. On that day, he showed me a set of plans for the Romas Trucking facility that he said could be built by the same company on ground anywhere for the same $800,000. The Director of Buildings and Grounds was also present for part of the discussion and agreed the building would suffice. Now, the plan put forward is for duplicating a $2 million building like one another school corporation bid. That looks like a $1.2 million bait and switch con game to me. Is the same thing going to happen with a $2.8 million Central Office too? The one that the school corporation is operating is a Federal lawsuit waiting to be filed. It is a public building that is not handicapped accessible. Do we wait until a Federal judge orders that it be replaced without regard to our tax rate or do we do it while keeping taxes low? Do we do it out of the CPF, which is already funded at its maximum tax levy and we are using to support the General Fund in addition to trying to maintain out buildings and build the maintenance facility or do we do it in Debt Service, which we have already used to the point beyond which would increase taxes to fund the Elementary Facilities and Security Program? The Superintendent projected that we are going to lose some of our funding with the property tax relief passed by the Indiana General Assembly that was signed into law and that it will have to come out of the Transportation Fund, the Bus Replacement Fund, and/or the Capitol Projects Fund. A lot of the expenditures out of the Transportation Fund are for fuel. Not many months ago, the price of fuel had the corporation's costs $60,000 ahead of the previous year's cost and there is no way of knowing that the market has stabilized. In the past, the corporation has replaced seven buses per year, about 10 percent of the fleet. In the last bus replacement plan, the projected bus replacement was reduced by half, meaning that there is going to be more maintenance costs. Why would we want to build something for $2 million if we can build something that will do the job for $800,000? Who is trying to spend money unnecessarily and why are they doing it? Any commercial building has to meet the codes, you won't get approval for construction otherwise. The Romas building met code or it wouldn't be there. I did an estimate with US Steel, a manufacturer of steel buildings. A four-bay, insulated metal building large enough to hold four of the largest buses manufactured by Blue Bird, which would be 5 percent of our fleet, would cost just more than $60,000, un-erected. In the $800,000 figure, that leaves $740,000 for putting the building up, plumbing, electrical, site-prep, etc. I think that we can come up with a suitable building, meeting OSHA, EPA and any other requirements for a lot less than $2 million if we do the research and stop taking the first recommendation that comes out of the administration. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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Excerpt from The Kokomo Tribune, Feb. 10,2008 concerning the Tipton Transportation Facilities.
The original plan was for a $5 million, 13,000-square-foot transportation facility, as well as a remodel of the current bus garage to be a storage facility.
The property tax control board approved the project, but Cheryl Musgrave, the DLGF commissioner, denied it, saying she was "shocked by the magnitude of the project," and it would do "nothing to help students achieve more, and it seems to be choosing construction over instruction."
She said a school in Evansville built a bus garage with 14 bays for buses, with no heat or air conditioning, and it cost $325,000.
The Tipton Community School Corporation supports education for 1843 students from an Assessed Value of $564,700,331 while Clay Community Schools Corporation has 4573 students and an Assessed Value of $915,768,121. Tipton's AV support per student is $306,402.78 while CCSC's is $200,255.44. How would we afford to do what they are doing and why would we want to, knowing that we can ill afford to?
We need a new bus facility, which is true….lol! With the wind we had the night of Dec. 14, I'm surprised that the old creamery building, the bus shop, is still there. It is nice to look at what other people are doing to solve their problems, but we must also take into consideration that their situation is not exactly the same situation that we have. They have different options available and we must look at what ours are.
Why would you want to build a building with no heat or air?
I wouldn't, Sassypants, I've worked on too many vehicles in places where your hands would freeze to bare metal.
Heat would be essential.
Air conditioning the work bays isn't essential. Other than the work bays should be air conditioned, especially the office area.
Leo....You have an answer for everything. What do you think about Rick James flying his United States Flag upside down?
Thomas, I do not have an answer for everything...lol. That is what comes out of the school corporation, one answer and no options. That leaves the school board with two choices, take it or leave it. I look at the situation and try to look at other options, the same way everyone does every day. Even when you shop, don't you compare products and prices or do you pick up the first item that you come to in the store and head for the check-out line? Very few people do.
As to Mr. James flying the National Standard upside down, his distress signal accomplished what a distress signal is supposed to do, it attracted attention.
Alrighty now Unoit... Let me know when and where you plan this demonstration. I'll bring the popcorn!!
Unoit, there is a law concering "running naked through the streets."
Why is there a law for that? What does the law say????
Oh well, cookies and Sally's will be fine with me. Will Karebabe bring the bonbons??? If we stay in there long enough there might be a lot of nakey street running ;>
I was wondering that myself???? { puffs on a smoke}
BigPappy chooses to remain silent in regards to anything the school board does! I've not been impressed with their actions lately. But, I would like a cookie!
To answer Sassypants' Questions, …LOL…I don't know why there is such a law, but I've been exposed to other cultures where public nudity is not a "big deal" so I've probably been "tainted" in some people's eyes. The law governing "public nudity" in Indiana is IC 35-45-4-1.5
Public nudity
Sec. 1.5. (a) As used in this section, "nudity" has the meaning set forth in section 1(d) of this chapter.
(b) A person who knowingly or intentionally appears in a public place in a state of nudity commits public nudity, a Class C misdemeanor.
(c) A person who knowingly or intentionally appears in a public place in a state of nudity with the intent to be seen by another person commits a Class B misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Class D felony if the person has a prior unrelated conviction under this subsection or under subsection (d).
IC 35-45-4-1 (d) defines "nudity" thusly, "As used in this section, "nudity" means the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks with less than a fully opaque covering, the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple, or the showing of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.
Are the cookies chocolate chip?
We will have a wide variety of cookies... as to not exclude anyone's beliefs LOL!!!!
Bigpappy
We dont have to talk about the board... they have been given enough rope to hurt themselves. We will have a FUN talk!
Okay, I will be at Sally's if someone is going to streak. Even being as busy as I have been dealing with conspiracy theorists in my email now for FOUR WEEKS (enough people!!!Lol) I would still show up for some good ol' fashion nudity. LOL. Hope you all are doing well!!
Streaking is rather fun! What's a little nudey running between friends! { steals cookie when Unoit isnt looking }
LOL..........it's a conspiracy, Karen....LOL! They have you trapped by your e-mails.... lol!
LOL LEO!!!!