The school project “time out” proposed by Republican mayoral contender Ken Johnson would be a mistake, his Democratic opponent said.
Democratic hopeful Art Ward said that stalling on the $115 million proposal is “just going to prolong the inevitable because we do need new facilities.”
“It’s just a question of how, when and where we’re going to realize them,” said Ward.
Johnson said that a time out would offer the Board of Education the opportunity to explain to the public in more detail what it’s planning and why. It would also give officials the chance to examine other options.
“We are certainly looking down the gun barrel of major education issues and big dollar items,” Johnson said. “The decisions we make will have long-term implications. Calling a ‘time out’ and allowing ourselves the time to think this through and get it right can only be a good thing.”
Johnson and Ward are vying Tuesday to replace outgoing Mayor William Stortz, who is stepping down after leading the city for the past two years. There are also elections Tuesday for City Council and school board members.
Johnson said he is “not convinced” that the proposed change to new kindergarten through eighth grade schools eyed by educators is the way to go.
Ward said the K-8 concept is “off the table” for city leaders because it’s a decision that belongs solely to the school board.
But, he said, he thinks it’s not quite right to call the proposed new schools K-8 because they would really be a K-5 and a middle school under the same roof, separated from each other by offices, a library, cafeterias and more.
The choice of where to put the new schools, however, does offer the chance for city leaders to have a say.
The city has already given its tentative blessing to the plan to build a new K-8 school on the site of the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street, but it declined to endorse a proposal to put a second K-8 school in a sand pit off Barlow Street.
“It’s evident that we are taking caution and we’re reviewing the appropriate materials that are being offered up by the school committees,” Ward said, because city officials put off the site choice for the second school pending further review.
Johnson said he wants the public to understand that “we are not going to a K-8 system.”
He said the school board’s plan for a K-8 system only applies to certain sections of town. “At best it is a hybrid,” the GOP candidate said, because “Northeast and Chippens Hill will still be middle schools and have many years of useful life in them.”
The plan calls for closing Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three older elementary schools – O’Connell, Bingham and Greene-Hills. They would be replaced by two new K-8 schools costing $115 million or more. The remaining schools would remain as they are.
A massive redistricting would also be required, the details of which won’t be known for a couple of years.
“The West End is driving the need for new schools.,” Johnson said. “The near century old O’Connell and Bingham schools are obsolete. But is Memorial Boulevard? Is a new K-5 in the West End a realistic alternative to the proposed K-8 complex?”
Given the constantly shifting population of the West End, said Johnson, “Why aren’t we exploring a school/community center for this area? Could the Bristol Boys and Girls Club be a part of the solution?”
“What about addressing blight?” Johnson said.
“With the inter-relationships of downtown and the West End,” he added, perhaps officials should seek input from the new downtown corporation and others.
“I don’t see any collective vision coming out of the efforts to date. All I see are boards and committees bumping into each other,” Johnson said.
Ward said he agrees there needs to “more in-depth exposure” of the plans to the public and anyone who’s interested so that everyone can work together.
He said the process should be done cooperatively rather than as an adversarial showdown.
Both mayoral candidates said the Board of Education and school leaders need to do a much better job of communicating to residents, taxpayers, parents and others about what they’re looking to do.
“I hate to keep harping on it, but the public needs to have the Board of Education more open,” Ward said.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
9 comments:
Why doesn't Art Ward tell the people of Bristol the truth?
If the City Council does not approve the building of two 900-pupil schools than the BOE will not have the facilites to go to a K-8 system.
Therefore, it is not solely a BOE decision, the Mayor and the City Council have a role in it.
Art Ward cannot hide much longer, and if he doesn't understand this after 14 years on the City Council than the City of Bristol is in trouble if he is elected Mayor.
Both candidates have good ideas with regards to the school issue its just too bad that they cannot be intergraded.
This is exactly why Ward is not the right candidate to lead this city. Sorry Art but the change to K8 is without question a major issue that the Mayor and the city council need to consider in this project. That portion of the proposal alone will drive a huge increase in costs, required all sorts of changes in schools for our children and only takes into consideration half a change. The cost to complete a migration to a total K8 system is astronomical and a time frame to accomplish it is unknown.
The change to K8 is nothing more than an expensive "experiment" and the BOE knows it. We need leaders that will step into this debate and ask the hard questions.
The devil is in the details. In this case it's the K8 conversion. Ward missed the details on the Mall when he was Deputy Mayor and now he wants be Mayor and ignore the details on the BOE proposal. Financially the Mall will look like a speck of dust compared to the total cost of a K8 conversion.
All the Mayor and council have to do is send the proposal back to the BOE with the instructions to provide a plan for new facilities without any extra or hidden costs or changes in the system. That can be done very constructively.
This is not rocket science. The BOE works for and is accountable to the voters and parents on everything they do. We need a Mayor and Council who will make sure that happens. Clearly Ward is not the guy.
First, Ward wants a time out on the BDDC that is moving to get the mall back on the tax roles that Ward took off! That is rather BACK ward to me. Now he wants to move full speed ahead on the school project that most people have some concerns about. Ward is going around in circles. After 14 years you would think he could get it right...move fast to get the mall back on the tax rolls to raise more revenue and make sure the Bristol public supports the new schools which is going to take more time to communicate. We are into the state as the BOE meet the 6/30 deadline to secure a spot in the bonding pecking order. If Ward can not understnd that then he has no clue. After 14 years this is what we get????
If Ward were a dog I wonder if he would have caught his tail yet?
He has no problem calling for a "time out on the mall property so he can fanagle a deal to get his fundraiser in chief Jonathan Rosenthal the project.
But what the heck let's spend $115 million dollars on the school plan when the Chairman of the BOE a tired old member from his party has come out on a later blog and said "the public has a misconception" about the plan.
Art Ward will slap thier hands and say "you need to communicate more" if you don't than next time I won't give you your $115 million.
This is a sad state of affairs for Bristol, and why anyone would look to move into Bristol is beyond me.
Disgusted Democrat has it right Ward has missed the details. I don't know how he missed the details on the Mall when he was Deputy Mayor and at all those secret meetings.
Oh the KENNY BOYS are out - Ward i sthe right for Bristol unlike Johnson who has NO SLOUTIONS just lots of negativity.
if there is money to be made from the city, Johnson will be there but no results will be realized - sound familiar?
To the posters 2 6:25 AM and 7:58 AM - Is that the best you can do? Try sticking to the issue. In this case a BOE proposal the first phase of which will cost $115 million to "experiment" on our children with a "superior" K8 model that will only apply to certain areas of the city. The next phase or phases will cost upwards of another $900 million and your candidate doesn't think it's his role to intervene.
That's just fantastic leadership. What will be his excuse when this bill comes due?
BOE can't do it without the funds and if the city says no its no! State will not fund it if the majority of voters are not for it.
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