CAT Tracks for December 18, 2009

CAT Tracks for December 18, 2009

"Concept"...the key word used emphatically and often at last night's presentation by ESG - the Energy Systems Group - to the Cairo Board of Education.

The presenters emphasized repeatedly that they had NOT delved into the particulars of the situation...that they had based their "proposal" on a cursory overview...consistent with what they have done elsewhere. IF - and "IF" seems to be the operative word - their "concept" is approved by the Cairo BOE and the Cairo FOP (which will hear the presentation today in their rescheduled, regular meeting), THEN they will move forward...in conjunction with the District architect.

The result would be a new $5 million elementary school located on the CJSHS campus that would house Grades K-6, with Pre-School students to be located in trailers on the same grounds beginning next year.

The "concept" would NOT require a tax referendum as it will be funded primarily in energy savings.

In response to a direct question from the audience...the elementary building WOULD have windows.

ESG also received a word of advice from the audience..."You better check with Cairo Public Utility." To the puzzled expressions of the representatives, the audience member explained how she had recently installed a new central air and heating system which promised a 30% savings in utility bills...only to see no savings.

Anyway...

Below are pages from the booklet that was distributed at the BOE meeting:

Footnote:
The presenters for ESG asked Superintendent Swopes to explain why the Pre-school students were the "chosen ones"...to be located in trailers...that they were not being "picked on".
Superintendent Swopes gave two rationales:

That Pre-school is funded through grants rather than District funding...so grant money could be tapped to pay for the trailers.

The uncertainty of funding for the Pre-school program...that Districts had been "threatened" with the loss of 50% of Pre-school funding this year (until it was finally fully funded.) Due to future uncertainty, the Pre-school students would seem to best identified for housing in tentative quarters.

In a related matter...
Page 8 of the booklet identified the Pre-school move for Summer 2011. In actuality, installation of trailers at CJSHS would take place at the end of this school year. (This "concept" does at least explain why the Pre-school students are being moved to the CJSHS campus instead of Emerson Elementary...one move instead of two.)
Stay tuned...

Disclaimer: Just in case someone wonders...I hope they can pull it off! What teacher or student would not like to have a modern educational facility. Hopefully, they can tap into some of the billions of dollars of federal money floating around for upgrading the infrastructure. Lord knows that we won't get any money for restructuring...