Some of the most outspoken denizens of the community along Red Bridge reject a tax increase for Hickman Mills School District.
Take a look at the latest argument that has been sent far and wide via e-mail from Red Bridge Rd. denizens . . .
Hickman Mills And Tuesday's Ballot
I felt it important that I contact you regarding the fight for the Hickman Mills School District . . . Your school district is asking that you support a $19M bond issue on Tuesday’s ballot. As many of you know, I have always supported this school district, even serving on the board for 15 years, believing it is a vital part of the community; however, this time I am asking that you say no.
It would be too long and detailed to go into all of my reasons in this email, though I would be glad to talk with you about them if you would like or answer any questions you may have. Let me just say the district needs $67M to address deferred maintenance issues and only $2M of this bond will be used for that. The other $17M will be used for ‘wants’, not ‘needs’. It’s like deciding whether to fix your leaky roof first or put in that swimming pool you’ve been wanting.
Just a couple of other quick issues:
There are several instances where money is/has not been used wisely.
The school board has been given wrong information as was evidenced at last week’s school board forum.
One of the top leaders of the district, himself, appears to have no faith in our district. He removed his son from our Freda Markly Early Childhood Center after having attended there less than a year there and placed him in a private school.
Now, Dr. Carpenter is a finalist for the superintendency in Hazelwood. I have attached a link to the St. Louis paper if you want to read about it.
I agree that our schools need a lot of effort put into them and it will take our support in the form of bond issues to see that it happens. This bond, however, has not been well thought out and does not set the right priorities. The focus should be on basic maintenance and creating a nicer environment for ALL students not a select few.
I strongly urge you to vote no.
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More taxes are never the answer to Kansas City's problems.
ReplyDeleteI see that KC star endorsed this tax. They never met a tax they didn't like.
ReplyDeleteThe sadder thing about the Star is that they NEVER pay any attention to or hold anyone accountable for how the money is actually spent.
ReplyDeleteImagine what a really good investigative reporter could do with a serious look at the Jackson County COMBAT program, KCPS, or some of the charter schools.
Fluff pieces and PR doesn't begin to fulfill a serious newspaper's responsibility in the community.
Nailed it.
ReplyDeleteDon' forget the Sheriff
ReplyDeleteIt does address every building except the early childhood and kindergarten building. Every building gets the very least new paint and new bathrooms. And the main part of the bond is closing a school that is falling in on itself. People need to stop holding on the past, holding something against Dr. Carpenter and actually think about the students and the future.
ReplyDeleteAnd most importantly...it's a no tax issue. It's a bond. The district and taxpayers are actually losing money in energy that is literally leaking out of Smith Hale and energy being used to heat, cool, and light a 2/3rds empty building.
ReplyDeletePaint, ceilings, repairs, bathrooms are needed everywhere - BUT most of the $19M is going to new programs (pet projects of the administration) not to help all kids. WHY does a provisionally accredited district with declining enrollment need all NEW administrative offices - except to feed the egos of those administrators. The district has already SOLD BONDS for performance contracting to cover most of the HVAC, Light, etc. Smith-Hale can still be closed and the students moved to Hickman Jr. High, just don't waste the money on duplicate libraries, duplicate administrative offices, duplicate entrances, etc. Fix the Hickman's HVAC (Performance Contract) paint, repair, move students, close Smith-Hale you have more money for other NEEDED projects. I have NEVER opposed a bond in this district - but this isn't about kids it is about ONE administrator wanting his way, building his resume' for that next job opportunity, whether it's Hazelwood or not. STOP the WASTE, HELP the KIDS throughout the district. Tell your friends, neighbors, anyone who may go to the polls to vote NO!
ReplyDeleteDitto 11:34. This is a $19M bond. $7 will go towards new administrative offices at Baptiste with no plans for the reuse of the current building. $7M will go towards dividing the previous Hickman Mills High School into 2 schools, partly because the superintendent thinks freshmen should be separated. It's the only way to impress on them that they need the credits from their classes in order to graduate. That seems demeaning to the students. Another $3M will go to Ruskin where they will be a new weight room because the current one is being used for storage. Only $2M is going towards the $67m in deferred maintenance issues.
ReplyDeleteNever in my 35 years in this district has a bond issue not been divided as evenly as possible between ALL schools in order to benefit ALL students. The issue in whether or not to support this bond is whether you believe needs come first and whether you believe students have priority over administration.
How does anonymous from 10:10 think bonds are paid for - they are paid with tax dollars. This egocentric bond proposal doesn't raise the levy but keeps the current levy (tax) in place to pay for NEW bonds. Most HVAC is being addressed with the Performance Contracts already issued to the tune of $14M by the Board of Education. Missouri law allowed for the Board to issue these bonds without a vote of the public. Closing Smith-Hale makes sense - space isn't needed - BUT we don't need to waste money on totally reconfiguring former Hickman Mills High School simply to give the administration another line on their resume when it fails to serve the kids.
ReplyDeleteVote NO on April 5th - Hickman Mills Bond
ReplyDeleteI've always supported the school district but this bond is more about wants than needs; administrators than students; resume building than improving the system.
ReplyDeleteThe compass school will also be moving to the baptiste building, and there are already admin offices there, this just consolidates them in one building. The parents wanted the two buildings-the freshman center and middle school-separate. When it was combined 8 and 9-it was chaos. Plus, all of the buildings have been updated in some way except Hickman.
ReplyDeleteNot true 5:17. Hickman had major renovations including new science rooms in the last bond, about 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason for 8 and 9 to be together. Put 9 back with the high school where it belongs.
There aren't administrative offices at Baptiste unless you count things like food service and technology. Those are not central office positions. Take a look at other districts.
Special programs can be at Baptiste or they could renovate it to be the junior high it was originally. By bringing Burke kids to Baptiste, playgrounds will have to be put in and also a new kitchen. That's all unnecessary and a waste of money.
This is one of two former jaded board members. If I had to bet I would say it's Teresa Edens. Crazy and batty as hell. You would think she could get behind a no tax increase bond that is improving the buildings and improving property values. This lady has nothing better to due than defend her bad choices and votes from 20 years ago
ReplyDeleteSomebody's confused. I knew her back in PTA and she had barely been on the board 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has been very involved in PTA and school issues, I can tell you this bond is not fair. The way to improve property values is to improve all of our schools and this bond does not do that.
It's also not fair to the community to ask them to support the current superintendent's vision when he may very well be leaving before any of these projects could be completed; and it's not fair to saddle the next superintendent with the current one's ideas.
It's also not fair to leave kids in a structurally unsound building out of spite.
ReplyDeleteHey Dude. I don't know what school district you're living in but Hickman Mills only has one school with structural issues and that's only part of one wing. Don't make out like the whole district is falling apart; or are you one of the incumbents who thinks nothing's been done for 30 years?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like for some people it was easier to drink the Carpenter Kool-Aid than to get the facts.
ReplyDelete