SHS Town Hall 2 Tonight

Regina Scheerer reminds us that the second town hall regarding the Springfield High School Master Plan starts 7 tonight in the auditorium of  the high school, 49 W. Leamy Ave., Springfield Pa. 19046.

The Oct. 16 meeting revealed that four options were being considered for the high school with a cost range of $110 million for extending the life of the existing building to $144 million for building a new one.

Mrs. Scheerer says tonight’s agenda is Statement of Existing Conditions; Right Sizing; Long Term Strategy; Academy Model; Operating Expense; and Cost Benefit.

There will be a 45 minute presentation followed by 45 minutes for questions.

The meeting will be broadcast live on Channel 29 FIOS and Channel 11 Comcast.

The next town hall is Dec. 11.

SHS Town Hall 2 Tonight

SHS Town Hall 2 Tonight

First SHS Master Plan Meeting Now Online

The first Town Hall held Oct. 16 concerning the proposed $150 million new high school for the Springfield (Pa) School District is now online, reports Regina Scheerer.

The original link is here

For your convenience, it is embedded below.

Town Hall 10/16/2014: Refresher from Springfield Educational TV on Vimeo.

 

First SHS Master Plan Meeting Now Online

The present Springfield High School

 

First SHS Master Plan Meeting Now Online

New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary

About 100 persons spent two hours on a Thursday night hearing Springfield School District (Pa) officials detail plans concerning the fate of the high school.

Considering the questions asked, the consensus of the crowd in the auditorium on Leamy Avenue seemed to be “please don’t raise our taxes, we can’t take any more. ”

The officials led by School Director Doug Carney described the current state of things and went through four scenarios as to what to do about it. They were extending the life of the existing building via necessary maintenance, renovating the building, putting a new one  at the intersection of Leamy and Rolling Roads, and putting a new one  adjacent to the Saint Francis property on Saxer Avenue.

Carney noted the maintenance work to extend the life of the building would be far more expensive than most understood due to the asbestos roof, the ancient low-pressure steam heating system and pipes, and the simple pane windows that date to the 1950s.

The discussion was organized to clearly point to the district’s preference of a new high school behind Saint Francis Church, that would have more community athletic fields, parking and better traffic patterns.

It was noted that the building would be smaller than the existing one — the existing one is underused –and have geothermal heat.

Quite a bit of volunteer labor went into the study. The logic behind it is sound and those who did it deserve respect and praise.

However, the plea “we can’t take any more” trumps all.

The costliest of the plans was the one for a new Leamy Avenue building coming in at $150 million, followed by the one for renovating the old high school.

The new school near Saxer Avenue was pegged at $144 million, and the life-extension maintenance at $110 million.

This is a little lower than the costs initially presented in May.

For the most likely plans this translates to an ultimate tax increase of $171 per $100,000 assessed  for the necessary maintenance one which would mean  $250 per year more for a home assessed at the district average of $146,000; and  $273 per $100,000 assessed for the Saxer Avenue one or $398 per year for a home assessed at the district average.

Note the tax will not be implemented all at once but in frog boiling increments — now estimated at between  $26-$46 — over nine years until the max is reached.

In the question period, Carney said in response to rumors about the school district  seeking to buy Saint Francis, that the only contact it has had with the Archdiocese was a plan related to straightening Speakman Avenue, which the Archdiocese rejected.

He also noted that the district is considering unprecedented ways of raising revenue including selling naming rights to the school.

New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary

New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary
New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary
New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary
New Springfield High Plan Leaves Crowd Leary

Springfield School Master Plan Meeting Tonight

A report on what happened at the meeting can be found here.

The first Town Hall Community Meeting to discuss the Master Plan for Springfield High Schooll is 7 tonight,  Oct. 16, in the Springfield High School Auditorium at the school, 49 W. Leamy Ave., Springfield Pa. 19046.

The cost of the project is an estimated $150 million.

The meeting will start with a presentation of the overall plan and options, followed by a question and answer period.
It will be broadcast live on SETV which is Ch. 11 Comcast or Ch. 29 Fios.

This is the first of six planned Town Hall meetings. A schedule can be found here.

 

Springfield School Master Plan Meeting Tonight

 

Springfield School Master Plan Meeting Tonight

Hat tip Regina Scheerer

Springfield High School Project Town Halls

Regina Scheerer has sent us the schedule for the six town halls that will be held for the proposed Springfield High School (Pa.) project the cost estimate of which is $150 million.

The first meeting is 7 p.m., Oct. 16 at the Springfield High School Auditorium, 49 W Leamy Ave, Springfield, PA 19064.

The schedule of meetings can be found here.

Note if  state law is changed the cost will drop by $30 million over night.

Springfield High School Project Town Halls

Springfield High School Project Town Halls

30 Million Dollars Found Money

30 Million Dollars Found Money

30 Million Dollars Found Money if Pennsylvania changes the law.

The Springfield School (Pa) District is pushing for a new $150 million high school that would add about $400 to the already crushing  and ever-increasing school property tax for the average homeowner.

Leaving aside the dubious necessity of the building, that cost could be cut by $30 million almost literally overnight simply by putting some ink on paper — or erasing some off.

Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law adds 20 percent to cost of all public construction projects for absolutely no reason other than to enrich those whose wealth comes from playing politics and it is these who are the true “1% ers”.

So why not scrap a law that impoverishes 99 percent of us? Because 99 percent of us don’t like to play politics. We better learn. Springfield residents contact your state representative Bill Adolph (R-165), who has quite a bit of say in what goes on in Harrisburg, and let him know you can’t hurt anymore. Let him know your grandparents can’t hurt anymore. Let him know your children can’t hurt anymore.

30 Million Dollars Found Money