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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’S INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR
Last night Superintendent Richard Green and Mrs. Tracey Austin provided residents with an excellent informational seminar pertaining to the School Department‘s many accomplishments. These accomplishments were achieved without the use of a bond or asking the taxpayers for additional monies. The School Department used money that was not used during the year that was previously budgeted.
Now, the School Department is at a crossroads. There are two large tickets items that is needed which they cannot complete utilizing the previous method. One is the creation of an all-weather track and the second is constructing a new gymnasium. At the end of the presentation, the people were asked if they wanted to see a question on the June ballot for one or two of these items to go out to bond.
There was an open discussion period in which citizens provided support for both the track and the gym. The cost for the Track is approximately $350,000.00 but that does not include equipment, fencing and overall maintenance. The gym’s cost is approximately $5,707,864.00. This year the town is facing a tough budgeting process and money is going to be tight. Both of these projects will increase taxes even more.
The residents that were supporting the Track have strong feelings because the majority of them have young people involved in track. It is a shame to have a track team that cannot host any home track events. Lisbon’s track teams have won the Mountain Valley Conference (MVC) the last few years. There is no doubt the town needs a new track. There are probably a hundred young people involved in this sport.
The people that supported the Gym had strong feelings also. The gym would open up a great deal of opportunities to the community. The town would have a place to conduct graduation ceremonies, host a number of tournaments at the state level in various sports (basketball, wrestling, and cheering) to name a few. Even though there was no mention of a Performing Arts Center, the old gym could easily be converted with grant money to become the Performing Arts Center. All of these events will bring people to Lisbon and will increase revenue for the School Department and local businesses. A new gym will impact a lot more students and provide more additional revenue than the track.
The gym is what is currently keeping our school on Probation. Our schools are fully accredited but are on probation because of the gym. However, having said that; there is no guarantee that with a new gym the committee will not find something else to keep Lisbon on probation. Right now, this is why we are on probation.
At the end, the people were asked to complete a survey there or on-line asking the question of whether to put the gym and/or track on the June ballot. It is not too late for any of you to express your opinions. Please contact Mr. Richard Greet at 207-353-6711 Extension 1005.
Larry Fillmore
2 comments:
Very well said Larry. I do have more to add. As you wrote, the new gym will not guarantee the removal from probation. Knowing the way the NEASC has reviewed many schools in the past, they can and may find more hits when they come back to review LHS. One of the "hits" that other schools have run into is the lack of a suitable running track--I think it was either Old Town or Telstar. They had a pre-inspection that sited the track as a problem. They had the same "dirt oval" as we do now. They took that as a warning of such from NEASC and remedied the situation. I also have to clarify the statement you quoted by Mr. Green about the cost of the track. As you found out last night when Mr. Cornish from Maine Tennis and Track was asked about fencing and such, Mr. Green was very far off with his estimate; additionally, it was made know that yes doing it in stages can be done. It has never been done, nor is it recommended. Doing it this way will add much more time and money to the project. As for the overall maintenance cost. Don't you think the addition of a Gym of the size planned will need the same? Finally, the equipment needed is an extra cost. And the run down for the equipment needed is this:
Finish/Lynx timing system--$12,000
Pole Vault Mat--$13,000
Discus cage--$2,000
High Jump Mat--$5400
That is all the equipment that is needed.
I don't know what the block in Mr. Green's philosophy towards the track or his tunnel vision prioritizing the Gym as first. Yes it was sighted on the NEASC, but, as stated, but there are no guarantees. Adding the Gym has as much affect as adding a track. Conversely, NEASC may find other hidden problems that no one is looking at. At least by adding both for 1 mil increase as stated will cover most know bases.
So, from what I gather:
Track: ~$350,000
Fence: ~50,000
Equipment: ~35,000
__________
~$435,000
Again. The > ~.5 Million that Mr. Green over stated. I don't know why but he doesn't do the same for the gym.
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