The Burlington School Board approved a resolution Tuesday asking the City Council to place a $70 million Burlington High School renovation bond on the November 6 general election ballot.
The council is expected to consider the proposal and hear a presentation from school leaders on Monday.
The school board voted 9-1 in support of the resolution. Mike Fisher of Ward 5 voted against it, Martine Gulick of Ward 4 was absent and Clare Wool of Ward 6 abstained as chair of the board.
But in a press release, Wool expressed support for the bond.
“In a city built upon institutions of higher learning, we must continue to lay the educational foundation for our current and future students,” she stated. “Our thriving community depends on the quality of our school system.”
The high school bond might be competing with other big-ticket items for space on the ballot. Another possibility for a November vote: bonding to renovate the shuttered Memorial Auditorium on Main Street.
Before the high school proposal advanced Tuesday, some city councilors suggested that the school board slow down. The council might need more time to consider the tax implications and total city borrowing capacity before green-lighting a high school bond question for November, they said.
Supporters argued that renovations to the high school have been under discussion for years, and that action is past due.
For more information about the renovation and potential tax impact, visit the Burlington School District website.
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How about fixing your constant human sewage and road runoff pollution into Lake Champlain first! Or, maybe the Burlington Liberal Progressive ilk really does not give a hoot about pollution and the environment and applying $70m towards a now-functioning school is a better option than applying towards the $100m needed to fix sewage system so after every heavy water event a big raw sewage dump does not happen. Don’t complain about farms if you won’t correct your own mess with funds that’s clearly are available.
In James Berry’s world, you can either pay for clean water or pay for education, but you can never do both.
The board chair refused to vote for unreported reasons, yet issues a press release favoring the project?
1.) Why did she refuse to vote?
2.) If her refusal stems from an alleged “conflict,” then how does issuing a press release favoring the project on which she “abstained” free her from her conflict?
Very confusing story.
But maybe that’s how the board chair prefers it to be – confusing.
The $70mm to upgrade this school could be used for the $70mm they claimed to need to fix the consatant sewage dumps and put towards the $100mm estimated for a total fix (separate runoff from human sewage) – claim they dont have the $ but hope to over 20 more years. Clearly, They can raise the money but chose to apply it to school upgrades instead. Dumping sewage into the lake for another 20 years obviously less urgent to fix.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/muddie…
The proposed new BHS looks great and is sorely needed. Agree the city also has other pressing projects with capital needs. But the City Council (and Mayor’s) financial concerns ring a bit hollow to me. After all, they gave away $20MM in TIF funds to Sinex and continue to allow major projects owned by non-profits (Champlain dorms) to be built in the city which pay reduced or no property taxes.
Here comes the Miro Shock Doctrine. At least $70 million for school, at least tens of millions for our leaking water treatment system, North Av is going to become obsolete with the over-development going on at Cambrian Rise and will need widening, plus ramming thru the already obsolete design for the Southern Connector, and last but not least, trying to horrify taxpayers with a bill to fix Memorial Auditorium. And, when the downtown Catholic Cathedral gets sold that will be another high rise TIF give-away. This will be Miro’s chance to force taxpayers to choose what they want, thus insuring that they will want to sell off Memorial Aud and Miro can sell that to another Money Buddy.
I think Miro should forfeit any more pay since he intentionally stopped repairs on Memorial Aud so that it will have to be sold. More Neo-liberal policy of selling off the Commons for private profits.
And once all these bonds go thru and the city gets saddled with a ton of debt Miro will be off to greener pastures, most likely running for Congress since Leahy and Bernie are both getting up there in age.
A man I respect said that those who strive for power over others are mediocre at best, and venal at worst. I believe him.
$70 million on 1 building that has 1,000 students is absurd. It does nothing to improve the quality of education or find the BHS graduates decent paying jobs. Fix the school for $30 million and spend more money on improving the education. Burlington HS has dropped to 40 on the school rank list, 8 years ago – it was 15.
https://www.schooldigger.com/go/VT/schoolr…
School scores at BHS are nothing to brag about. The building will not improve school scores.
http://education.vermont.gov/data-and-repo…