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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Board of Ed offices to move next to High School
Posted by Ron Soussa at 9:09 PM
 
The Board of Ed says that $1.5 million has been found from a surplus (!!) in the district's medical plan and that will be enough money to build a new 8,400 square foot office building.

Update: Reality has set in and they are back to 86 River Road, the old police station, that they could have had six years ago. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been wasted by Jon Alin and crew.

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20 Comments:

To the Editor:

When I read your editorial regarding Montville's Board of Education and the surplus it now has to be able to build a new administrative office, I laughed. Whoever had that brilliant idea in the first place to lease a building for $11,000 a month -- and get away with it -- made us, the taxpayers, look like idiots.

And, unless you went to a board meeting, or looked online at the PowerPoint presentation of what the new school budget entails, who would even know this surplus or building idea existed?

When such projects are contemplated, letters should be sent home to every student so parents know what the board is planning on doing. But because of so much apathy in this township, this board can do what it wants to do.

With this surplus, why not reinstate courtesy busing so children can get to school safely? Why not put in a new parking lot for junior or senior students who drive to school? Why not renovate an older building, or build in another area of town so the beautiful views and walkway we have on the top of the park adjacent to the high school remain unobstructed?

If this building idea were put on the ballot as a separate question, it probably would be voted down, and I understand why. The space that is leased now will continue to be leased until this project is complete, so how much money is being saved in that time?

Jeers to Montville's school board for making us taxpayers pay for that ridiculous lease, and for making parents who live too close to the school for busing to have to pay so much extra for our children to be safe!

MARGOT PESCE

Montville

Reprinted from Daily Record letters
Posted by Anonymous MARGOT PESCE on March 28, 2008 5:30 PM
 
 
To the Editor:

Your "Adieu to a bad lease" editorial leads the reader to believe that owning space is good and leasing space is bad. Without analyzing the existing lease terms and conditions, a decision may be made that is economically bad for the people in Montville. I hope the Montville board has done the analysis.

You state a few facts in your editorial that could mislead people. The lease costs $11,000 per month. What do you get for this money? How much space? Does it include heat, electricity and air conditioning? Is janitorial service provided? How about restroom cleaning and supplies and water and sewer charges? Who maintains the building and grounds, and the parking area? What about snow plowing?

Based only on the meager information in your editorial, the people in Montville will get "modular offices" at a cost of $1.5 million. Simple math shows that with an annual lease cost of $132,000, it would take 11.37 years to equal the upfront expense of $1.5 million.

Forget about the current value of money calculations and future maintenance on the "modular building." How about doing an analysis of the lease and the cost of building with anticipated add-ons, and then come to a conclusion?

KEN POPSON
Succasunna

Reprinted from Daily Record letters
Posted by Anonymous KEN POPSON on March 29, 2008 4:32 PM
 
 
What happens when $1.5 million doesn't even come close?

I understand the town spent about $750,000 building the road to the playground and building the parking lot. Much of that cost was due to blasting. The site which the BoE is proposing (next to the high school and library) is on the same rock. Have they done any soil testing and sub-surface analysis?

What are they going to do about detaining the storm water? Where are they going to build a detension basin?

We've already had a public safety building that was proposed at under $4 million that turned out to cost over $9 million. What will happen when the new BoE offices are under construction and they've gone through the $1.5 million?

Hold on to your wallets.
Posted by Blogger Ron Soussa on March 29, 2008 5:26 PM
 
 
1.5 million is not a lot of money. A new office building with all the accompanying equipment, ADA requirements, etc will cost a lot more. Why build, the BOE can get decent office trailers that are fully equipped and ready to go for a fraction of the cost for new construction. The remainder of the money can be plowed back into the schools for the kids and teachers. Administrators do not need fancy offices to go along with their fancy salaries. Surplus money should be reinvested in our kids, not to make some administrator comfortable.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on March 30, 2008 6:40 PM
 
 
Can the BOE utilize the old Police Department building on River Road ?
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on March 31, 2008 7:38 PM
 
 
Copied by the editor from Ask the candidates for Board of Education:

Here is a question for everyone. Why not build the new Board of Ed offices at 86 River? Ok stop laughing! We have gone full circle on this. The plan was scrapped because the Township was funding the construction and according to both bond counsels you couldn't legally do that. Well first of all those bond counsels were wrong but it was enough to have the Board of Ed walk away from the concept.

Now they have their own 1.5 mill so at 86 river you have utilities a parking lot NO ROCK and so on. The Township is going forward with the asbestos abatement and demolition of 86 river so the Board of Ed could start their project with an existing foundation, utility services and a fair parking lot. Since they are talking a modular building this would be a great site for them.

The blasting for the foundation up at the high school and the storm water management infrastructure costs should be scrutinized before they build on that hill. I'm not saying it can't be done however I seriously doubt the Board of Ed can control costs with the amount of rock and blasting that will be necessary.

Regards,
Art
Posted by Anonymous Art Daughtry on March 31, 2008 8:44 PM
 
 
How can we stop them from doing this???
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on April 1, 2008 9:00 PM
 
 
Here's the question. When (not "if") they go over budget trying to put 8000 sq. ft. and a parking lot on the side of a hill, where are they going to get the extra money?
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on April 3, 2008 5:42 PM
 
 
Yea, they found a surplus.

This arrogant, useless group is wrecking Montville schools and ripping our money off.

$1.5 mil for a place to sit with their feet on the table while they cash their paychecks. That would almost be ok if Montville schools kept improving, rising in ranks & attracting/maintaining quality supers and teachers.

BUT..just the opposite is happening and the lemmings in this town are too busy and disinterested to stand up and be heard.

So while they wait for their shiny new building to be constructed, they'll keep shoveling all our taxpayer money into paying the $11,000/mo rent black hole. Btw, did this board ever disclose the beneficiery of this outrageous rent?

Montville, you get what you deserve because you're a bunch of suckers. The BOE knows it, thats for sure.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on April 3, 2008 8:09 PM
 
 
Now that the BoE has managed to find a surplus why do,t they spend te money building a parkiing facility for the high schoolers and proper bussing instead of having the steady stream of cars going through the libary parking lot every morning and evey evening.

Why can't these people work in one of the older building in town. How about the new police station is thee not room there. Or at townhall. Whe do they need a new building.

They just want to continue to make the town look stupid because we had to pay rent on their building. Elections are coming up and the vote for increasing funds for the schools are up not expect it to pass. Use some of this money for funding.
Posted by Anonymous bb on April 12, 2008 9:59 PM
 
 
The Board ofEd has a lot more to worry about then building a builiding right now. Look at the staff they have and what are they doing to our schools.

Instead of builing why not put the money towards a new parking lot for the high school or do more for the students in fixing up the school instead of the fields

Elections are coming and if you think that that budget is going to pass you are living a pipe dream
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on April 13, 2008 6:44 PM
 
 
Its sad that so many people think the BOE is not doing what the majority in the town want. So why don't we see the people on the board meetings voicing their opinion?
Also, constructive criticism is good. however, the key element is to give a valid alternate suggestion.
Yes, leasing a building for that rate and without the majority consent was shameful. Lets come up with ideas,and get BOE to move into more reasonable accomodation.
The arrogance, most writers have talked over does not end with BOE members but can be seen part of the school personnel.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on May 27, 2008 8:39 PM
 
 
Interesting....our high school students lost their parking lot because of permeable land issues when the high school was expanded, but now the permeable land issue must have magically disappeared if we can now add a building and parking. And now we magically find 1.5 million dollars! Magic Montville!
Posted by Anonymous Anne Johnson on May 29, 2008 2:35 PM
 
 
BOO! HISS! We have more important responsiblies in town. We don't need luxury accomodations for the Board. Montville - Smarten Up!!
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on July 15, 2008 12:06 PM
 
 
The teachers had gone a year without a contract...and all of a sudden 1.5 mill is found? Use an existing building for goodness sakes...put the money back into the schools..not the board.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on July 18, 2008 6:50 PM
 
 
Since the Montville Board of Education now finds itself with a surplus, why don't they settle the teachers' contract before they start building buildings.
Dorie Berman, Previous Montville Board of Education Member
Posted by Anonymous Dorie Berman on August 6, 2008 10:11 PM
 
 
Shouldn't the teachers settle with the taxpayers and Board of Education?
Posted by Blogger Ron Soussa on August 8, 2008 10:27 AM
 
 
Correction, teachers are working with out a contract for 2 years and still pending.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on August 9, 2008 11:11 AM
 
 
It is amazing to me that the BOE now has interest in renovating the 86 River road site for something like 2 million. When the Municipal Building and PD were at 86 river we couldn't renovate then...no it wasn't possible "We want new!" No we spent upwards of 20 million on 2 buildings that were poorly designed and have been out grown already by the PD and Municipal workers. The separatism in this town is costing the taxpayers a bundle. Look at Lincoln Parks new Town hall. All resources in one building...Amazing! I bet soccer and football share the same playing fields also.
As per a previous comment, I to would like to know who's pocket the BOE's 11K a month's rent is really going to.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on August 13, 2008 12:14 PM
 
 
I am among the Montville parents with school-aged children who have hazardous routes and we have been appealing to the Board of Education since April 2007 to declare Rte 202 a hazardous route and restore courtesy busing. The route has already been deemed hazardous by Montville's Twnshp. Administrator, Chief of Police, Road Safety Officer, BOE Transportation Dept. and Morris Cnty engineer, Chris Vitz. It is classified as a State Hwy by the NJ Dept of Transportation and in addition to all documentation provided to the BOE we also supplied a traffic study done by Morris County. We further learned that the BOE does not have a policy in place regarding the transportation of children who travel hazardous routes, which is is required to do according to State Statute (section 18a:39-1.5)
The BOE fiscal concerns have taken precedence over compliance with State Statute!? Firstly, this is a safety issue and should not take a backseat to fiscal concerns. Most importantly, they are not operating fully under State Statute. Perhaps the Board of Education's "surplus" should be used to address this 3 yr old problem and get in compliance with Statute.
Posted by Anonymous Susan Perraparo on April 1, 2009 2:24 PM
 
 
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