If the Forest Ridge High fight is any indication, it's going to be a tumultuous transition for the new school board majority.
As noted in today's article, it doesn't look like the current board is too impressed by the new majority's request that they stop spending any money on Forest Ridge. Outgoing board member Patti Head said the new board members don't have all the information that the current board has on Forest Ridge.
"They're duly elected, but they're not sworn in yet," Head said in the article. "We're still the elected officials."
Head said she's only seen new board members Debra Goldman and John Tedesco attend one of the many meetings the current board has had about Forest Ridge. She said she hasn't seen the others at those discussions.
Head said the new board members need to look at all the data first before calling for them to stop spending money on Forest Ridge. She said the new members may change their minds after they get information from all the parties and not just the ones they're now hearing from.
Tedesco said he and the other board members signed the joint letter as a show of support for new board member Chris Malone, a harsh critic of the Forest Ridge site.
"What you're going to see is a team that's committed to parental values and committed to fiscal conservatism in Wake County," Tedesco said.
Tedesco said it would be "arrogant" of the current board to continue spending money on Forest Ridge after getting the request from the new majority.
Malone said he felt the need to send the letter now and not wait until taking office on Dec. 1 because money is being spent right now on Forest Ridge.
"We should stop spending more money on it," Malone said. "Personally, I don't want it built there. I think a judicious review is needed."
Comments
Cancel it
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 12:18 — MorrisVMorrisWe don't need anymore schools. We are not growing and have a surplus of open seats. Let's just cancel this one and save the money. It's a waste of taxpayer money to build.
OH MY!! Typical Patti
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 19:02 — dryeraseuserOH MY!! Typical Patti Head...you know we have to hear from her, since her days are numbered..."thankfully"!!
Amazing. All the people
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:37 — SubwayScoundrelAmazing. All the people who support the new canidates blindly, it appears this is your first time at this rodeo. I have no skin in this game but I have seen this before. This is what will happen. These new guys are coming in on a big high with little details on the job in hand. They run for office because they see a hole to get noticed and gain power for further political reasons. If you think they ran to be school board members for a while, I have a bridge in Arizona for sale at a great price !! Same thing happend a while back with the Coker Towers and the City Council. Some will survive but many will not. Many of these new members will realize there is more to political office than getting people all riled up or feeding into their fears. And if you think they will vote in force/together for long time, remember, I still have that bridge for sale !!!
Mark my words, by 6 months in office, these new people will not be answering every phone call or email as promised and will be referring to many of the vocal people as "those nutcases".
What blows me away is how all these "upset people" expect the system to change when they request and that their view ir correct and others are wrong. If they don't get thier way on something, it is because the person in office "was not listening to the people"
No, they just were not listening to you !!
Pfft...
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 20:28 — Bob_SconceWith the exception of Rosa Gill, how many people do you know who went from School Board to higher elected office or even went on to run for that higher office? School board is *not* a good place to start if you have future political aspirations.
lol
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 20:44 — AngelaW"Jimmy Carter started his career by serving on various local boards, governing such entities as the schools, hospitals, and libraries, among others"
just sayin' :>)
Yeah, ok...
Fri, 11/06/2009 - 09:51 — Bob_SconceI was really thinking of the WCPSS board. Apart from Rosa Gill, who was appointed to fill a seat on the GA, I'm unaware of any. Town councils & boards of commissioners seem to be better jumping-off points. In most cases, school boards seem to be political dead-ends.
How much for the bridge?
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 16:43 — g88ky07Do you mind if we halt 75 million $ worth of busing to cover it? How about potentially millions in wasted forced year round schools? What about millions wasted in the diarrhea of reassignment?
I'm sure that should more than cover the cost of the bridge!
If you have "no skin in the
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 15:05 — woodstockIf you have "no skin in the game" then you must not live in Wake County because the schools impact everyone who lives here. They influence business, growth, quality of life, crime and other issues.
Using your reasoning we should all just sit back and take it from whoever runs for office because no one running for office will listen to us or the buracracy is such a cluster_ _ _ _ that nothing will ever get done anyway. That is a very cynical and defeatist attitude to go through life with; I choose not to do that.
Finally, the new BoE members have been involved in education issues in Wake County for years. They are not novices, as you suggest, to the commitment and effort that positive change requires.
...
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:46 — SideburnsFeel better now? Wow....
Elementary vs Middle
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 11:08 — SDR256A thought just occurred to me after reading the strong opinions here that a need for a middle school is more critical. Do you think the choice for an Elementary school is based on a future development and who they expect to attract to the area as a result of it?
Define insanity
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 11:07 — NOFANOFWAKEMADNESSWhy is anyone surprised about the behavior of the current school board. This is what they do. "We're still the elected officials." So, they will continue to ignore what anyone else has to say and waste our money untill the bitter end.
WhaH!!
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:14 — supportwcpss"I don't want it built there" . I'm glad it's all about what Mr. Malone doesn't want.
Being a sore loser is not a
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:33 — woodstockBeing a sore loser is not a very attractive trait.
The mayors of Rolesville and Wake Forest don't want the school. The citizens/taxpayers don't want it. Before it could be built on the site, millions upon millions must be spent to blast away rock and to build extensive infratructure. Traffic is already bad in the area and this new school would only add to it. Malone does not want it because it is the wrong thing to do from a practical and financial standpoint.
"They're duly elected, but
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 08:49 — KnightdaleParent"They're duly elected, but they're not sworn in yet," Head said in the article. "We're still the elected officials."
Maybe Ms. Head should try inviting the new board members to look at the unrevealed data rather than making inflammatory remarks.
Ahem
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:33 — supportwcpssAs someone else noted this is public information as well as public meetings. They are more then welcome but I'm sure they haven't with the exception of Mr. Malone. Blindly signing a letter without fully researching the issue is irresponsible and is hopefully not what we have to look forward too.
So...
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 20:31 — Bob_SconceYou're making an awful lot of assumptions about how much they know. May I paraphrase? "Blindling posting a blog comment without fully researching the issue is irresponsible...."
AHEM, yourself.
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 10:10 — KnightdaleParentThe point is that none of us know what the new board members have seen or not seen unless we talk with them. Her assumption is that they have not seen all of the data or heard from "all the parties".
Inflammatory remarks are irresponsible considering that the new board simply asked them to stop moving forward with the site, not to cancel it. Would this not be a responsible request if the new board is likely to cancel after hearing from "all the parties" which should include the neighbors, elected officials of the area and any other parties that are affected as well as those with the construction staff at WCPSS.
So, Head wants to continue
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:33 — woodstockSo, Head wants to continue to continue to waste OUR tax dollars to prove once and for all just how arrogant and irresponsible the sitting school board is. Well done, Patti, we get it.
Don't have data?
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 08:29 — ego7601Patti Head says the new board needs to see all the information before requesting work stop? The new school board members already know that even before ground has been broken (1) they are already $7M over budget, (2) traffic congestion will be worse (see what happened at Heritage High?), (3) they have already identified a cemetery (whether slave or not, it is still a final resting place for someone's relatives), and (4) Neighbors of the site AND the town of Rolesville (which is where they need the HS) want it closer to Rolesville. The land that has been proposed at 401 & Louisbury has already started to be cleared. There will be traffic, but by the time the HS opens, if that site is selected, Hwy 401 will be a 6 lane highway. I would like to know what reservations the outgoing school board has with the site proposed by Mayor Eagles. The only thing I have heard is that there are "only" 52 acres and they need 57-60. Mayor Eagles even showed that the 42-acre tract adjoining those 52 acres is also available. More land, easier access, land already being cleared which would save money. Did I miss something? Sounds like someone is pushing the Forest Ridge site because they are getting something out of it. Can you say "kickback"?
Maybe They Can Build A Middle/High School At the Site!
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 08:58 — MamaLynnMaybe they could build a middle / high school at both of those sites! THe 94 acres should be more than enough. It would be cheaper I would assume. Of course this current board is all about wanting to be right and powerful. They throw common sense out of the equation with their decisions!
Not letting go of the bottle easily
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 07:05 — Dadof3What childish, hubristic fools — sigh — but we knew that. All of Wake County knew it, too. Good riddance, you dolts. Rochester and Texas will miss you — but not us.
Remember Lori Millberg's sage advice
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 06:46 — fiestamomOn election night in October, (on WPTF), Lori Millberg said "everything we're doing is working."
Don't worry about it, Patti and Lori, just go back to making the preparations for the lavish banquet you're going to give yourselves in honor of all your "achievements." Maybe you could even invite last year's valedictorians....