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Dear Editor: I recently read that Board of Education and Building Committee held a ground breaking ceremony with gold painted spade shovels, while the High School Chorus sang “run child run”. The Building Chairman stated “ bids came in under one million dollars less than we had figured, and we'll be giving it back to the community”. The new middle school complete with ball fields will be completed in early 2005. This news should make any parent ecstatic, happy and proud, IF YOU LIVE IN WESTBROOK!! However, I live in Killingworth. Both projects received voter approval in February 2003, and that's where the similarities end. Just for the record, I voted for the new Middle School in Killingworth. Last June, the D17 Building Committee purchased with our tax dollars the Pavelka parcel after knowing for weeks that its own surveyors could not determine two separate boundary lines between the Pavelka and Webber's property, and that D17 would not have clear title. (Would you, the reader, purchase with your own money, land for a home, knowing that you would not have clear title at the closing?) The title insurance for this parcel has an exception which states that it will not cover any losses due to a boundary dispute. Now D17 is suing the Webbers, and all because of D17's ineptness which could jeopardize the entire project. Folks, isn't purchasing land in this irresponsible manner a misuse of our trust and tax dollars? Why did they do it? The court proceedings alone could delay the start of construction for at least a year. D17's architectural firm failed to review Killingworth's Planning and Zoning Regulations which state ‘five usable building acres are required for every 100 students'. With the opening day student enrollment of approximately 900 students, 45 building acres would be required. With the maximum capacity of 1200 students (reached in the year 2010 or so) at least 60 buildable acres are required. They have approximately 33 usable building acres. In fact, the land is so tight that one of the five playing fields that we voted for has been deleted, the length of each parking space has been reduced, no reserve or backup for the septic system because of the site limitations, over 700 feet of 30 to 60 feet high sheer rock vertical cliffs, and the building itself can never be expanded in any way! To date, D17 has paid out approximately1.3 million dollars for the land and over 2.3 million more for professional fees (architects, engineers, attorneys, etc.); worse yet, not a shovel in the ground to begin construction. The Killingworth Planning and Zoning Commission will try to enact new regulations which will accommodate this site and application. This also could be headed for court. Buying land knowing of problems, front loading payments to architects who should have started with reading the regulations, and a Planning and Zoning Committee willing to do whatever it takes, including building a school on a postage stamp! Whatever happened to common sense? In the corporate world all of these folks would be fired! We are not going to get what we voted for, and it is the students who will be paying the most in the form of construction delays, reduced playing fields, etc. On May 4 th , the Education Budget Approval has almost $400,000 going to the D17 Building Committee under ‘carrying costs'. I am well aware that this Committee has put in a lot of time and hard work, however they should not be trusted with anymore of our money! This money should go to the children in the form of books, desks, teachers, and athletics. The people we love the most are being hurt the most, the children! I recently had the opportunity and pleasure of sitting down with the new D17 Superintendent, Gary Mala. He seems like a good man, and I was very impressed with his interest and concern. It is my sincere hope that he will finally steer District 17 (including the Board of Education) in the right direction, and give us the long sought accountability that we deserve. Mike Board, President |
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