An Ounce of Prevention….

P

the will of the board” is to move away from talking about which building is better than the other …” -Supt. Mike Hammmer

Reluctance on the part of officials to discuss an issue is a red flag; a call to do just that.

Taxpayers paid at least $60,000 to Ames Associates to prepare this report.

How many bake sales did they hold to get that money? Bottle drives?

No silly! That’s for kids!

What could teachers have done with it in the classroom for our children?

That SACS would be the school to receive the largesse of Katahdin’s liquidation, renovations; maybe a new Chem Lab… …has been a foregone conclusion for three years regardless of AMES’ conclusions.

So why hire them?

Timbered Classrooms is going over the heads of the Board and Administration to the people that they may have the final word about what does and does not warrant discussion.

Our thanks to an astute reader, for bringing the following to our readers.  This is especially timely, as the plan to close Katahdin proceeds….

Maine Revised Statutes

§4001. Facilities

“…A school administrative unit, including the unorganized territories, shall establish and maintain a maintenance and capital improvement program for all school facilities…”

§4001

The following documents, prepared by Ames Associates, prioritize RSU 50s facilities maintenance schedule according to “critical” deficiencies, (2015-2016) “serious” (2017-2020) and “minor” (2021+):

Building deficiencies RSU 50 Katahdin Elementary School

Building deficiencies RSU 50 Katahdin Middle and High School

Building deficiencies RSU 50 Southern Aroostook Community School

In summary:

• CD = “Critical deficiencies” (2015-2016)
• SD = “Serious deficiencies” (2017-2020)
• MD = “Minor deficiencies” (2021+)

Katahdin Elementary School:

• CD = $26,600
• SD = $1,309,165
• MD = $614,680
• TOTAL = 1,950,445

Katahdin Middle and High School:

• CD = $404,490
• SD = $1,525,640
• MD = $392,010
• TOTAL = 2,322,140

Southern Aroostook Community School:

• CD = $1,198,000
• SD = $2,738,390
• MD = $887,600
• TOTAL = 4,823,990
  ”  We will be consolidated somewhere…” “Grades 7-12 SACS, bottom line…” ~Chairman Greg Ryan

  Why?

  Parents continue to seek other options for their children, and enrollment will likely decline; communities will continue to withdraw either to lessen their costs or transfer their dollars to another district altogether – all for reasons obvious to everyone but the Board.

  Please help them choose wisely.