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| Peary High School, Rockville, Maryland |
State Delegate Ben Kramer and State Senator Roger Manno were instrumental in shepherding this sweetheart deal through the Maryland Board of Public Works.
And let's not forget the person behind this deal, County Executive Ike Leggett who made sure that public school children were robbed of classrooms at a time when MCPS was using over 400 classroom trailers. The deal that County Executive Ike Leggett sealed called for the buyer to only pay for the land and get the entire public high school building (a building that was bought and paid for with your property taxes) for free.
#EducationFirst
#FooledYou
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Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010
Montgomery County government will sell the former Robert E. Peary High School to the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy despite protests from the county's Board of Education...County Council approves sale of Peary High School
Andrews opposes deal, but many in Aspen Hill say decision was appropriate
...The County Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday to allow the sale, which is expected to become official in the next several weeks.
Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg voted against the sale, saying the site in Aspen Hill could be needed for a public school in the future.
The council's decision ratifies a deal proposed by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) to sell the 19.5-acre site in Aspen Hill for $1.9 million. It includes a provision making it possible for the county to repurchase and occupy the site five years after a judge decides the county needs it for a school.
The state's Board of Public Works, which is composed of Maryland's governor, comptroller and treasurer, must sign off on the deal...
However, Leggett's plan has drawn criticism from those who say the price is too low and from the county school board, which says the move is ill-advised given public school enrollment is growing, and large tracts of land are scarce in the downcounty area.
Those claims were disputed Tuesday by some council members who said the school system has 51 unused school buildings and no immediate need for the Hebrew Academy site.
"The school system is accustomed to having it all," said Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park. "The school system wants everything. It wants its cake and to eat it, too."
Council Vice President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring said Monday the school system was not persuasive in making its case for the school. Ervin is expected to be sworn in as council president next week...
http://www.gazette.net/stories/12012010/rocknew220733_32534.php
...Leventhal said it was not convincing to hear school officials say they don't need the site now, but might at some unspecified date...
Kramer is one of the first who will be recruited by the developers to run for Council should the term limits question pass. He was already making noise about doing so in the past.
ReplyDeleteWill this transaction benefit the taxpayers in any way, shape or form?
ReplyDeleteYou mean did it? This is a done deal.
DeleteNope. You lost millions of tax dollars on this one and your children pay the price with overcrowded school buildings and continued (30+ years) of classroom trailers.
This building was built and maintained with tax dollars - yours. The building was given away for free.
There was little to no maintenance done on the building between Peary's closure and its occupancy by the Hebrew Academy. I passed by the school any number of times during the years the school sat vacant, and it just looked worse every time.
ReplyDeleteThe surrounding community was relieved when the Hebrew Academy moved in. They actually took care of the place.
So what? That's called a rental. The school building could have been rented - just like all the other MCPS school buildings that were not needed when enrollment declined.
DeleteYou have not explained why a $33 MILLION DOLLAR county asset should have been given away for FREE when MCPS schools were ALREADY OVERCROWDED and using classroom trailers.
What about the option to buy it back after 5 years, which should be about now?
DeleteWhich schools' overcrowding would be alleviated if Peary were reopened as a public high school?
ReplyDeleteWhich schools do you want to have overcrowding eliminated?
DeleteMake it a magnet and parents will fall over themselves to get their kids in.
But, MCPS parents like overcrowded schools. That's why there are currently so many empty classrooms in the MCPS inventory. Overcrowding is cheaper than having to hire more teachers.
Eliminating overcrowding is not a goal.
Your Montgomery County Annapolis delegation also just voted for you to donate $100,000 to the private school that got this property. The gift that keeps on giving. By which I mean, the voters who repeatedly vote the same people back in office.
ReplyDeleteGenerosity is always easier when using other people's money.
Delete