Todd Paris, RFP Staff Writer
♦ The tax money about to be spent belongs to the whole county. Suggesting that Woodleaf and Cleveland residents only speak sounds like the Wizard saying “ignore the man behind the curtain.”
This Board and Superintendent are much less trusted these days (for hiding Scenario 2 and 3) and that opens up question about Woodleaf and Cleveland that have may not been asked before:
Questions:
Is there a report on the bad well water at Woodleaf, and if so, will you post a copy?
Was there a study done as to the expense of buying a small piece of nearby property, digging a well, and piping water into it as opposed to the expense of this huge multi-million dollar school?
How far away is the nearest waterline to Salisbury-Rowan Utilities? What was the cost on that?
Why did you turn down an offer of free land for a different site? Is it true that the earnest money to be lost would only be $10K?
Will the BoE commit to razing the abandoned structures in Woodleaf and Cleveland and cleaning up environmental issues such as septic fields and underground fuel oil in the ground so as to prevent the “Dunbar-ization” of these small towns which would allow them to be returned to commerce and productive use? You remember Dunbar. You used to have to drive by its wreckage to BoE meetings.
Was there any report done by the Fire Marshall or other qualified expert that does not have a financial interest in this project being completed, as to the safety of an elementary school being so close to a natural gas fired power station? Do they share a lot line?
Is it true that hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel fuel are stored there? Is it true when it caught fire there last week that the VFD’s couldn’t use water and that the National Guard Foam Truck from the airport had to be called in? What happens if it’s broken down or under maintenance?
If it catches fire after the school is built and hundreds of parents panic and drive to get their children will they be allowed to do so or is the plan to cordon off the roads for fire equipment?
Will enough buses be kept on site at all times for an evacuation?
Have sfL+a, the consultants on the redistricting plan, already been awarded a contract under the Mini-Brooks act for construction of this consolidated school? If so, how much will they be compensated?
If so, has the BoE reviewed past projects in Rowan County completed by them, to see if these buildings were brought in over or under budget in determining if they are the best qualified firm under NCGS 143-64.31? Did they do the work on Carson High School? Is it true that it’s still under-capacity and that so many high school-ers were bused from South Rowan to try to partially fill it, that South went from a 4A to a 2A school? What about your own headquarters.
Has the BoE contacted the Moore County BoE where the “The Pilot” reports that the cost of their 10 year master construction plan has doubled from 110 million to 237 million since 2014. An article in “The Pilot” quotes Tom Hughes, a principle in SfL+A regarding the issue. What has been that Board’s experience?
Has the BoE contacted the Robeson County BoE where a proposal to close 30 schools and build 14 schools is creating quite a controversy. Do they also suffer from the scourge of over-capacity? A recent article in the Robesonian quotes Robbie Ferris, president of sfL+A. It does say that the firm has built over 1000 schools in North and South Carolina.
How much money has RSS paid SFL+A in the last ten years to the current date?
I call upon the BoE to answer these questions publicly, pause the Consolidation part of this project, be open and fair with the tax-payers, force Ms. Moody to take the gag off of system employees so that they can speak out without her being able to fire them by repealing:
Policy Code 1701(3) “3. Direct complaints regarding the work environment to the appropriate supervisors and/or file formal grievances or complaints in an effort to promptly address concerns in a professional manner, instead of acting to undermine or diminish the authority of co-workers and supervisors (through informal comments, gossiping, or unproductive promulgation of rumors and negative miscommunications).”
Suppressing dissent just creates more hidden dissent.
I saw Ms. Rider’s article today in the Salisbury Post. Tell Ms. Moody to stop treating media like they are visiting North Korea when they want to visit, replete with monitors and handlers.
Rowan County voters have never, ever turned down a school bond. Keep treating us like this and there is always a first for everything.
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