The Board of Education is the land owner of public school property.
Only the Board of Education can make decisions to build, sell or buy public school land.
However, Superintendent Jack Smith has decided to bypass the Board of Education on Wednesday, January 4, 2016, and he will be asking the Montgomery County Tower Committee to approve the construction of a cell tower at Neelsville Middle School without the consent of the Board of Education.
Afterall, who cares about another cell tower on another Red Zone (high poverty rate) school?
And who cares about getting the approval of the land owner, the Board of Education, prior to constructing a cell tower for a private company on public school land?
No need to follow the national news to hear reports of government officials making back room deals, behind closed doors. Just follow MCPS and the Montgomery County Tower Committee and you will witness the exact same behavior right in your own backyard.
Bowers Putting Another Cell Tower Compound on Another Red Zone Playground - Meeting Tues. April 14th at 7 PM: Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland
Would it do any good to contact my BOE members and ask why Smith has the authority to do this. BTW - Is there a spreadsheet and tally of all cell towers and the revenue generated? Where does this money go or not go?
ReplyDeleteOf course, contact BOE members. Smith has NO authority to do this. None. Zip. Zero. That has already been settled at the Montgomery County Board of Appeals. This land belongs to the Board of Education, they are the owners and THEY are the ones to ask for a permit to build on this land. Random, outside companies have NO RIGHT to ask for a permit to build on this land. None.
ReplyDeleteYes, we know where the money goes. MOST of the money from these cell towers goes to the MCPS REAL ESTATE OFFICE that is pushing for these towers to be built. The money does NOT go to teacher salaries or classrooms!
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/05/45-of-mcps-cell-tower-revenue-goes-to.html