Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

In One Person's Opinion

Let us start with an athletic complex which rivals many college facilities, including the Concession Stand. Then go to the overabundance of trees, many of which will need to be trimmed very soon. Then there is the ''million dollar hill'' which surely does not add to the situation. It always seems that there is ''found'' someplace to spend some money which might be ''left over''. The sad part is that we have spent money on facilities which are not basic to education and still have the mound of dirt to move at some time. There was also a great deal of money spent for ''oversight'' which evidently did not happen in the case of the freezing of pipes and the flooding of the facility.

''excess money''

I'm not going to debate what some call extravangances at North. But, I do recall hearing that for that particular levy, and perhaps standard practice in the past, bond issues covered the building and money earned as interest was used for textbooks and perhaps technology. Now that interest rates are way down, I understand that the school board includes these types of expenses in the total levy amount, rather than gamble that they'll be enough interest money to cover the costs of these items. So, in the past at least, some of the excess costs were planned for and allocated to valid expenditures. I'm sure the school board could tell you where any future excess funds will be spent (e.g., new facilities at Central, repair of existing schools, etc.)

Gimme a break!

Lisa,

Get over it for crissakes. The Taj wasn't built on your watch. Just don't repeat the same mistakes and you'll be fine. It's easy to see how you've switched alliances but you don't have to defend their past tributes to themselves. There are less overt ways to lick boots...

By PO'd

Always amuses me...

It always amuses me that, by-and-large, whenever people are asked about what they believe are ''excesses'' at any new school, the first thing pointed to is the athletic facilities. I presume that is the first and easiest target because sports are considered ''extracurricular'' activities. And sports are the first thing mentioned along with busing whenever cuts are threatened.

We can debate long and hard the importance of sports in the junior high school and high school experience of many of our students. Activities such as theatre and marching band also fall into that category, and I know they are valuable activities for those involved in them. My children have all graduated from PLSD, and were involved in both sports and marching band, and I know the hard work they put into those activities, and the benefits they gained from their participation. Although none were in theatre, we all enjoyed (and still do) going to the plays and musicals, and attend events at both Central and North.

In looking at the sports complex at North, and in talking to North's AD Mark Aprile, I am aware of a number of things that could have been better planned, but neither the AD nor the coaches were asked for input into the layout of the facility.

Plans have been put in motion to upgrade the restrooms and grandstands at Tiger Stadium. These things are needed to improve that facility. Is there opposition to these upgrades because they are ''extracurricular'', or is opposition mooted because Central is considered the ''wrong side of the tracks'' by some, and therefore Central should get whatever the parents want so they can ''feel better'' about their childrens' athletic experiences? If your schools have athletic facilities, they should not be substandard, nor should they be extravagant.

When plans for the grounds at North were shown to the public, was there anyone who objected to so many trees as an ''unnecessary'' expense, and, if so, what was said by the board about it? I'll wager that no one brought that up.

The week that North opened, the Dispatch had an article in their Sunday paper about the three new schools that were opening, North, Liberty, and Westerville Central. The pictures they showed of interior shots at Central (I believe) included street lamps and other amenities that were designed to make the entrance and hallways look like old-time streets. Now THAT is really a waste of money.

Perhaps we should all hold the school board's feet to the fire when the designs are unveiled for the proposed new schools. Let them know what you believe is extravagant or unnecessary about the design, the grounds, and all areas.

I do not recall if there were concerns about ''extravagances'' when Tussing opened. Perhaps there were, but none come immediately to mind. It seems that most only complain when it comes to a schoool for the older students, i.e. high school, but not when it comes to the younger grades.