EDITORIAL

Are we ready to invest in school repairs?

Posted 8/25/16

Warwick Vets and Pilgrim High haven't looked as good as they do now for decades. Some work has still to be done and there's a rush to see it's completed in time for the schools to open on Aug. 31, but overall two weary buildings are showing new life,

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EDITORIAL

Are we ready to invest in school repairs?

Posted

Warwick Vets and Pilgrim High haven’t looked as good as they do now for decades.

Some work has still to be done and there’s a rush to see it’s completed in time for the schools to open on Aug. 31, but overall two weary buildings are showing new life, especially in areas frequented by the public. The auditoriums have new seating and carpeting in addition to an overall facelift. Gymnasium floors have been replaced, and throughout the buildings walls have been painted and ceilings replaced. The worn entryways to both schools are new and at Vets freshly poured concrete walks align with granite curbing. The canopy still has that dated ’50s look, but it’s sharp. There’s a lot more that is being done with the $3.2 million spent this summer on schools, and not all of it at Vets and Pilgrim.

To paraphrase, Superintendent Philip Thornton says, “If this is what can be accomplished with $3.2 million, imagine what can be done with more.”

What Thornton is talking about makes $3.2 million look like pocket change. Taxpayers are going to be asking, how do we do this without burdening the community with decades of debt? To address all the issues faced by the aging school infrastructure, the system requires an estimated quarter of a billion dollars – $250 million – to repair and replace heating and air systems, roofs, windows and doors. Such issues as meeting American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and asbestos abatement need to be addressed, as well as energy efficiency, including LED lighting and conversion from heating oil to natural gas systems.

The superintendent has brought the issue to the forefront. This is not a plan sitting in a bookcase waiting for another administration and another time to be dusted off.

Two weeks ago, the School Committee moved ahead and initiated the process of Rhode Island Department of Education review and approval of the first step to making the improvements. It’s an important move as the department – and the taxpayers – are relying on the state to pay 40 percent of the overall tab.

Thornton is talking about a $90.8 million jump-start. A bond issue of that amount would accomplish about a third of all the work to be done in addition to building a stadium at Vets. The stadium would be the icing, for much of the work to be done is hardly glamorous.

According to the plan, and assuming RIDE approval, which would commit about $36 million in state reimbursements, Thornton would then seek the mayor’s approval of the plan along with that of the City Council. It doesn’t end there. For the bond issue to appear on the ballot, giving voters the ultimate say, it also needs General Assembly approval.

Thornton wants to put this all in place for a special election next year. It’s an ambitious schedule and project.

Our hat is off to Thornton for addressing an issue that up until now has been chipped away at on an emergency basis (the roofs at Vets and Pilgrim) and, for the most part, hidden behind the curtain.

What needs to be answered is whether the community – the taxpayers and voters – are prepared to underwrite what needs to be done. That, we are sure, will play out in the next year.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    I hope they fixed the lighting and ceilings in Pilgrim. Some of the classrooms in the English wing had mold growing, if you could see it in the dim light. The School Department was lucky no one sued. Too bad Mayer Corrente did not follow up on this.

    Thursday, August 25, 2016 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    I did! Many times!

    I have often written that "The Warwick Taxpayers have spent over $1,000,000,000 (one BILLION) of their hard earned money since 2009 and today we have:

    1. Teachers without contracts

    2. Students without Chromebooks (although that one has improved somewhat)

    3. Buildings that are literally falling down (brown water, mold, falling ceilings etc.)and

    4. A mayor that just doesn't care. He hasn't attended any School Committee meetings. He hasn't done anything to end the contract dispute with the teachers. His response to the Mario Atoyan (sexual misconduct) issue or the David LaPlante (theft/embezzlement of thousands of items) issue was absolutely ZERO. "

    Dear Justanidiot,

    Even though you can't spell "Mayor", I still think you are one of the most knowledgeable taxpayers in Warwick.

    I always appreciate your insight and find myself agreeing with you "most" of time. The above comments were written by me dozens of times and now I did one just for you. (and anyone else that read it).

    Take good care my friend.

    Richard Corrente

    Endorsed Democrat for Mayor (or Mayer, if you prefer)

    Friday, August 26, 2016 Report this

  • HerbTokerman

    This is the result of having essentially corrupt entities responsible for the school budgets.

    It is a fantasy that a mayor could force the school department in to responsible budgeting, they don't have the power to do so.

    The real fix is to abolish school committees that are all made up of relatives of or retired teachers that have an inside interest in financial decisions that don't have the students as a first priority and give the entire budget to the mayors.

    Friday, August 26, 2016 Report this

  • Stella

    Read the SMMA final report, the numbers are staggering. Everyone needs to step up to the plate. It is great that Dr Thornton is taking the first steps, but make no mistake there is no amount of money you can cut from the teachers contract that will even scratch the surface of the problem. The bond debt should be thought of as an investment in the community, schools make the city great. To the Editorial staff PLEASE take a good look( not just the entrances) at the schools being worked on. Maybe you should find a friend that has a construction background to enlighten you. In any case make it a point to continue writing twice a week, the public has a right to see what years of neglect look like. For those residents who don't have children in the system, like myself you too need to step-up. Great Schools= Great Students= Great City. One last thing Forget being hung up on test scores,

    They are just one small part of a much larger problem.

    Saturday, August 27, 2016 Report this

  • Imhere

    Phil Thorton is brain dead, and he will spend all taxpayer money because he is not one in the city of Warwick. He wants all this money but this incompetent moron can't keep girls safe at Norwood Elementary. He and his cover up crew let it happen on 4 different occasions and the predator who did the touching who doesn't even live in Norwood (hails from Oakland Beach) gets no repercussions and gets to go on and stay at Norwood. John Gannon the principal at Norwood let this happen on his watch and after the last incident was brought to his lack of attention, the predator was sat next to one of his victims a week later. "The Cover Up Crew" which consists of Puppet master Phil Thorton and his little puppets Lynn Dambruch who is in charge of elementary education and John Gannon principal at Norwood Elementary none of which pay taxes in Warwick and all are a waste of tax payer money and should resign immediately!!! These morons know what happened and just pushed it off and are doing what they can to cover it up to steal another inflated paycheck and never mind a pension they don't deserve!!! Phil Thorton, Lynn Dambruch, and John Gannon should resign effective immediately!!!

    Saturday, August 27, 2016 Report this