I read with interest an article in the Enterprise regarding the recent ribbon-cutting of a project at Edmonds Elementary. There was great fanfare and even the Mayor showed up to help operate the freakishly large pair of scissors.It surely is a great project that resulted in so many great improvements for the playground, the school and the community as a whole. So why would the District opt out of taking a little bit of credit?
The playground and walking path project was a District-sponsored Capital Partnership project. A sizable chunk of the expense was covered with voter-approved capital funds, though the article was careful to mention that no district funds were used. Why would the media make such a claim? Could it be the District's futile effort to distance itself from any spending that may be deemed as unnecessary during these tight economic times? Why not share in the success of one of its schools? Why lie about the fact that a considerable amount of money came from the Capital Partnership fund?
What is equally surprising is the fact that from a long list of partnership projects, this project was the only one the new Facilities Director took over when he joined the District in 2006. The playground structures were already in place and yet it took more than two years to complete a paved walkway and build a stack of cement eco-blocks. It was the new Facilities Director that presented a crayon sketch to the Architectural Design Board that was instantly dismissed as overly simplistic and underwhelming.
I also recall how the school was unaware of the best way to raise funds when the District was matching, dollar-for-dollar, contributions generated by non-District sources. The parent group wanted to have the District match parent funds first - before they collected money from the City of Edmonds. It didn't take a financial genius to recommend that the school raise all of their money first, before having it matched by Capital Partnership funds.
While I am pleased that Edmonds Elementary finally completed their Capital Partnership project, I am disappointed in the District. They are clearly more concerned with leaving the impression of not spending any money rather than leaving the impression of spending money wisely.
Blog: The Enterprise has altered the article to reflect the District's contribution.
7 comments:
My question is simple,
did Mr Jim Roberts from the HR Dept get $30,000 in overtime pay?
The word on the street" he did get the $30,000".
I didn't think that "Exempt employees" got OverTime pay.
I could be wrong....
College Place Elementary has wonderful outdoor playground equipment too. I asked the custodian the other day how much it cost. He said the local Rotary helped pay for it. (I didn't ask for details.) But the thing that shocked me was that the custodian said the equipment cost $70,000 (that's right, $70,000). I guess I am out-of-touch on the expense of playground equipment!
Well I guess it's out of the question to even think about closing Edmonds Elementary!! Hey, don't forget that this Tuesday, Sept. 30th at the ESC, is the public hearing on the closing of Woodway Elementary. (By the way, Woodway Elem has a terrible "school maintained website"--almost nonexistent! If school closures were based on "school maintained websites" Woodway would definitely be closed.)
How can we have leaders that lie for their own good.
Where are we going as people.
MR Bush, just like Nick
MR Dick, just like Marla
The board, just a bunch of rubber stampers.
Full circle some day A**holes.
Your job is to help the KIDS!
not line your pockets.
i would think that the District would "boast" about spending money on KIDS; they have surely spent millions unwisely on lawsuits, over time, Property, Piano's, granting raises to non-union employees; the list could go on and on. The KIDS win this one! YEAH!
Have you seen Evergreen Elementary's new field? It's beautiful. Evergreen will probably be closed at the end of this school year.
I have not seen the playfield at Evergreen Elementary; I am sure it is nice and is good for the kids and the community, however, this is just another example of how the over-paid BIG-SHOTS at the top spend our tax dollars! "They" (Budget & Finance, Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent, Capital Projects, etc.),surely knew that Evergreen would be closed; they forsee these things by enrollment counts. I worked in the District for years and completed a State Enrollment Count each month; this data was used by the District to forsee the future, not only for the closure of schools, but for staffing as well. Perhaps the District will allow the community to use the playfield after the closure of the school, afterall, tax dollars (and perhaps dontated dollars) were used for the project.
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