Gazette: Schools superintendent recommends keeping students at Farquhar during modernization
...Starr recommends the “land swap” option, which would allow the building to be built on property adjacent to the current school site...
...The land swap is the preferred option of parents, who have opposed options that would involve sending the students Tilden. According to Google Maps, the distance between Farquhar and the Tilden Center is between 10 and 11 miles, although parents believe that the trip could take up to 90 minutes each way during rush hour...
...The “land swap” option is contingent on support from the park and planning commission, but if the commission does not agree to the swap, Starr recommends a back-up plan that would relocate students to the Tilden Holding Center during the time of construction.Bill Gries of the Park Development Division said there are several variables that will determine when a decision could be made.They first must receive a letter from the superintendent officially requesting the property be considered for a swap as well as the deed to the property from property owner Pulte Homes. Then it will be scheduled for a discussion and decision at an upcoming planning board session...
...The Hydes question the process, stating that they and other neighbors were not involved early on, since the project was described as a modernization project, not a relocation project...
This option for modernizing Farquhar makes great sense. It keeps students from being sent to Tilden - a trip that means enduring extra busing over two years equivalent in time to 5 round trips to San Francisco. It is the cheapest of the options developed by MCPS. It also allows parking and fields already on the current Farquhar site to be used for a new park - a park recommended by the Olney Master Plan. In a time where the County is dealing with big budget problems, this is a real win for everyone. Let's hope the Board of Education agrees with the Superintendent.
ReplyDelete-Troy Kimmel-
Any idea why the Superintendent didn't make his memo on the subject public?
ReplyDeleteAny idea why demolition of the existing building wasn't included in the land swap option? Seems an easy way to carve multiple hundreds of thousands out of the construction budget.
ReplyDelete@8:55 AM - How do you know that demolition wasn't included in cost of land swap? Where has the recommendation been made public?
ReplyDeleteWe got a copy of the Starr recommendation on Farquhar MS modernization, here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/09/starrs-recommendation-on-farquhar.html