BRISTOL – City councilors backed a new school site in Forestville Tuesday but gunned down a proposal to build another school on the Scalia property off Barlow Street.
With the council’s blessing, educators intend to pursue the purchase of the former Crowley dealership next door to Greene-Hills School unless environmental or other problems arise.
In the West End, however, education officials are returning to square one to see if perhaps another site can win the council’s backing.
The Board of Education is seeking two sites in order to build two new 900-student schools that would house kindergarten through eighth grade. It plans to shut down four older schools: Greene-Hills, O’Connell and Bingham elementary schools and Memorial Boulevard Middle School.
Only one councilor, Frank Nicastro, opposed the Forestville site. He said there should have been more time for public input. He also expressed unhappiness that Mayor William Stortz failed to share two environmental studies that have been done on the Crowley property.
But the proposal to put a school at the Scalia site drew harsh criticism from residents and hard questions from councilors.
A handful of angry residents expressed fury that city officials allowed educators to make a pitch for their plan before the public got the opportunity to speak at Tuesday’s council session.
“What happened to public input?” yelled Joe Geladino, a Republican running for a council seat in the 2nd District. “Dictatorship?”
“Why don’t you give us a chance to talk?” hollered Mark Blaschke, an independent council contender in the same district.
Nicastro pleaded with residents to “keep your cool” and wait for the chance to speak.
After backing the Forestville site, Stortz asked if anyone had a motion for the other site.
A long silence followed.
Finally, city Councilor Mike Rimcoski proposed the council reject the Scalia site.
Stortz said he wasn’t sure a negative motion was appropriate.
“Well, nobody was making a positive one,” Rimcoski said.
Councilors said they were not sure that the Scalia site was the best possible place, raising the possibility of looking instead at the former grocery store site between Divinity and Park streets, which would require taking 35 privately owned properties, including many homes.
Mary Rydingsward, a Working Families Party candidate for the Board of Education, said she opposed the Scalia site. “Building on a sandpit does sound like a sinking proposition,” she said.
She said she’s unsure about whether to support the switch to K-8 but the arguments for it rest on helping urban children succeed. She said that putting a new school on the edge of town doesn’t fit the model.
“It’s the pits,” said Tom Doyle, another resident.
Only Stortz favored the Scalia site.
The decision goes back to a school committee next.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
14 comments:
This process is a sham. Create school search committees to do research, make recommendations. The City Council will do whatever it wants anyways.
Hey, Steve, why don't you print what Mr. Blaschke really said? That's because he swore before he made his statement and you wouldn't legally be able to state what he said unless this was HBO. This man doesn't understand that you need to keep your cool to be a councilman. This is not the first time he's had an outburst and it won't be the last. He can't seem to get his point across without being verbally abusive.
I didn't hear Blaschke swear tonight, though I have in the past.
Joe Geladino ... another hothead! These people want to be public servants yet they don't abide by the rules as far as speaking goes. I can just see if they get in what will happen. All hell will break loose! It is inappropriate for anyone to speak out of turn especially to swear or yell out and especially if you're running for office. These people obviously have no respect for the office or for order or for city government otherwise they wouldn't be so disrespectful. I guess Teddy Roosevelt's philosophy of "speak softly but carry a big stick" doesn't apply to the Republicans nor to Blaschke. Is it because they have nothing to say of any substance that will help this city so they feel they have to yell and get angry to get their point across? Looks that way to me.
Oh, he swore all right. Apparently you weren't within earshot of him. Terribly inappropriate.
Shame on them. and shame on this Mayor and Council for the little regard they have for the public, causing people to get that upset.
Shame on the mayor and council? Give me a break! They are no more responsible for verbal outbursts than you are! Shame on you for even making such a ridiculous statement. If they can't show some semblance of order during a council meeting, they have no business running. Those meetings get charged up enough. We don't need candidates who are going to yell out when it's not public participation and swear and storm out of council chambers. What do you think will happen if an issue doesn't go their way? They'll walk out or, even worse, scream at anyone who crosses them. Talk about stagnation!
No, it's shame on the mayor and council for their arrogance in their disregard for public opinion like on the schools issue, where they are going one way and the public is going the other way.
The spirit (and intellect) of Frank Longo and Mike Bogoslowski lives in Joe Geladino.
I guess, as usual, some people don't understand what happened last night. The BOE came before the council to see whether they agreed with the site that was being strongly considered. It doesn't mean that the k-8 will be the chosen path. Maybe a k-6 will be considered. They needed some sort of understanding from the council so they could get the architects involved and zoning, finance board, etc. The presentation was made and it was made perfectly clear that the schools are too antiquated and are way under code. They also made it clear they can't be renovated, because there is not enough space to increase their size to adequately stand up to zoning regs. We need new schools. How many kids and where is now the issue. The writing is on the wall. We need to replace the outgrown and clearly rundown schools from the beginning of the last century.
Yes he swore, and the crazy lady with all the buttons on the back of her shirts was quite foul mouthed as well. Last night we saw some of the worst behavior and people should be ashamed of themselves.
I'm sure the tape of the meeting is available for your review.
Mark Blaschke can't get his point across unless he's swearing. Yeah, that'll endear you to the public ... NOT!
Yeah,,I think he swore at Barbara Doyle. But than again..Who wouldn't
He swore about the fact that whacko Maureen, in his opinion, should be able to shout out whenever she pleases. That's a real prospective leader for ya, huh?
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