SA Elementary falling apart

So, where is the outrage here? What does everyone think of our new elementary school now that it's falling apart??? Guess those people that were against it knew what they were talking about, didn't they? And now we are not onlu out $12 million, but now legal fees, and we will never get any money out of the people that did this crappy work!

12 million? Was that the cost to build the new elementary school. How about the cost to fix the problem, another 5 million?

And what about the nontangible costs? Port Vue and Glassport lost neighborhood schools, a concept which seems to be coming back all over the country. We lost more than just 2 school buildings, one which was torn down and the other sits empty. Wasn't Risha supposed to get top dollar for that building? We can't even give it away! Would have been better off keeping it as a school, which we may need yet, if something happens to this new, state of the art, AWESOME building! All you Risha puppets out there should hang your heads in shame over what you have done to this school district!

What do you think Risha and Riley made on the deal???

First off we are the only state with this many school districts. Neighborhhod schools do not exist anywhere else. People always have to complain about things. You should be happy your children are healthy. The school did not cost the taxpayers anything. The money was from the state. You should be thankful Rendall did not abolish the districts like he wants to and comprise the areas into less schools. Sooner or later the PV and Liberty students will be put together at the high school, so let them become frineds now. PV and Liberty residents need to stop thinking they are way too good for this district because I see the bad in your areas also.

Actually, school districts all over the country are moving back to neighborhood schools. The thing I'm complaining about is spending $12million on a big white elephant-a piece of crap building. And yes, madmac, that school cost SA taxpayers $12 million! You're obviously from Glassport- your jealousy of the other boros is showing! Wake up and open your eyes and don't believe everything you hear. The SA community will be paying for this new school, the repairs, and the legal fees for 25 years to come. If you don't believe me, go to the next school board meeting and ask Dino, Russ and Luke. Then come back here and tell me what they say.

I'm disgusted too, but not with this building problem. The building was sorely needed. PV was an atrocious building. Building anywhere in the mon-valley area is a gamble with all the mining that went on around here years ago. My house is 30 years old and it just now has a foundation crack. A contractor told me every house is going to get them sooner or later. Its the nature of living here. IMHO, file the lawsuit against the builders and contactor and see what you can get.

What bothers me is RE-reading on the West Mifflin Topix about the outrageous buyout of Risha contract by past board members at SA. At least I hope they are all past board members. Over $300, 000 plus benefits. No wonder our taxes were jacked up awhile back. I guess that is what the WM residents can look forward to in the future.

Wasn't that buyout ruled illegal by the attorney general? Why were no charges filed against those responsible? Why hasnt the district pursued recovering those funds from those responsible via a lawsuit against those board members?

I think the public has a right to know!

my younger children love that school! my oldest child never got to go there and i believe it should have been built years ago.

a guy who knows a current school board member told me the Risha buyout at SA was close to $600 K's when you figure in the benefits. plus, those same board members turned down an offer to get a state of the art stadium built at the high school in exchange for the stadium property. this guy was originally from Glassport and wanted to put a shopping strip center on the stadium property. it would have changed Glassport for the better and would have gave the school district a new athletic facility for next to nothing, other than the cost to acquire some land by the school. a new stadium costs what? about 5 million to build? how could you turn that down? plus a new shopping center. just think of the work and money that would have been pumped into this area by those 2 projects. and that was at least 6 years ago! Glassport may have never gotten to the sorry shape its in right now. those screwballs cost this district a lot of money and development.

I don't think our taxes went up because of a $300,000 buyout, which, contrary to what a current board member says, is exactly what it was. Our taxes went up because there was no money left in the school fund! Of course he had to be paid for all his sick time he brought with him to SA, how much do you think that costs? He wouldn't have shown up for work anyway once they took office-heck, he was never in the building anyway! And the word around town was that the State of the art stadium was going to be a $2 million project, and did not include a strip mall-that was a separate project. And I don't think the stadium proposal ever made it to the school board- it was a behind the scenes Risha deal.

turf field, stands, lights, locker rooms, practice field, seats, concession stand, and storage area. was an all-around field for football, track, and soccer. i don't think you could build that for under 5 mill. he said the guy wanted to meet with the board but Baily and Dozi didn't want to hear of it and told them to forget it. the strip mall was seperate and would have definitely helped glassport. what a shame.

Disgusted in SA wrote:

I don't think our taxes went up because of a $300,000 buyout, which, contrary to what a current board member says, is exactly what it was. Our taxes went up because there was no money left in the school fund! Of course he had to be paid for all his sick time he brought with him to SA, how much do you think that costs? He wouldn't have shown up for work anyway once they took office-heck, he was never in the building anyway! And the word around town was that the State of the art stadium was going to be a $2 million project, and did not include a strip mall-that was a separate project. And I don't think the stadium proposal ever made it to the school board- it was a behind the scenes Risha deal.

I don't know where you went to school or even if you did, but I find it hard to believe that you don't believe spending $350,000 on a buyout, plus additional benefits of over $250,000 and what, another 100,000 on an interim superintendent wasn't a factor in having to raise taxes.

Yeah, I see where the fund balance was depleted. It's all very clear now.

wait a sec.

you mean to tell me the school district was offered a new stadium with turf and it was turned down years ago?

EA has an all purpose field, EF too, Mckeesport, SV, Norwin, Yough, Mt Pleasant, Mcguffey, all schools around us or schools we play in different sports.

this is unbelievable. i never really paid attention to school board stuff in the past before, but this is nuts! who are these people that made these decisions? i'll bet they are some old fogeys with no kids in school!

people in politics that pass up free money and then give out money for others to not come to work
should be tarred and feathered for all to see their crookedness.

No, the district wasn't offered a new all purpose stadium. Risha had a friend that talked about building a new stadium. He never took it to the school board. It never got past the barroom. In fact, I think it wasn't a new stadium at all, but $1 million towards one- a far cry for free. But I see what it all comes down to here as well- athletics. Glad my kids are out of school-no one ever talks about academics.

And BigAL, if you think a McDonald's was going to save Glassport, think again. Ask Dino to tell you the truth about the whole thing. He should know it, but may never tell.

so, let's see here. disgusted says there was no stadium proposal to the school district, but then there was a $2 million proposal, then it was a $1 million contribution, then it never went to the school board. if there wasn't a proposal, how do you know so much about something that never was? methinks you're trying to spin this. i will find some answers and facts tomorrow. i smell a fish on this board and it's really stinky.

BigAL, something does smell, and it's not on this board. Go directy to the school district and check past meetings-there never was a proposal made to the board. The "benefactor" wanted to donate money and in return have the stadium named after his father. He was going to donate $1 million. Any idea how far that would have gone? It took $3 million to fill the mines on the SAE site, and you see what a good job we got for our money there!

Let me set you people straight. There were plans to build an all purpose field/stadium. The idea never was presented to the board at a regular meeting because the idea was rejected by school board member Doris Bailey at a work session WITHOUT hearing ANY of the details. This was the same Doris Bailey who wanted the district to have a second bus pickup in the mornings for kids who couldn't wake up on time for the first bus. Huh?
Get yer butt up and be on time like everybody else!

That group didn't have a clue, let alone a plan, as to how to run a school district. They ran up the debt, raised the taxes, hired inexperienced administrators, and basically ran the school district into the ground. From what I hear, the school district is finally getting straightened out. I never would have thought people elected on a single issue could screw up a district that much in 4 years time. Live and learn.

And which school board member are you or which one are you married to? From what I know, the superintendent they hired could not have been more experienced or qualified! She is even working for the state as a distinguished educator! And we finally had someone to run a school district without regard to any politics or paybacks. So what administrators would you be talking about that they hired?

Street Smart wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't know where you went to school or even if you did, but I find it hard to believe that you don't believe spending $350,000 on a buyout, plus additional benefits of over $250,000 and what, another 100,000 on an interim superintendent wasn't a factor in having to raise taxes.
Yeah, I see where the fund balance was depleted. It's all very clear now.

You forgot to add in the legal fees. The final total will never be known, but sadly it cost the taxpayers darn close to $1 million. But, you can be assured they will insist they "saved" the district money. Its the "new math" they wanted to push on the kids in school. Spend a million dollars but your really saving money. Sort of Obama-speak before Obama.

Thank the Lord they are all off the board now! Its just a shame they stuck us for $1 million.