Wood Shop Doesn't Meet Fire Code
Two more motions for the Financial Town Meeting would save the Barrington Middle School wood shop program and bring it into compliance with the fire code.
Photos
Make that three motions to save the wood shop program at the Barrington Middle School at next week’s Financial Town Meeting. Two ask for more money to bring it into compliance with the fire code.
All the motions are from William and Kari Banas, of 74 Fales Avenue.
Their latest two motions, filed on Tuesday, May 16, ask that even more money be added to the school budget. Indeed, more money may be the only way to save the wood shop program because the shop does not meet the fire code.
“It’s not in code,” confirmed Skip Learned, facilities director, of the wood shop. “It probably shouldn’t be used.”
Learned said the room is out of code primarily because the sawdust-removal system is inside the building, not outside, as the current fire code mandates.
To make the room as healthy as possible this year, Learned said, an industrial fan was set in the doorway to help pull air and dust out of the room. The sawdust removal system also was cleaned more often, he said.
If voters want to save the program, Learned agreed: “It should be done right” – by getting it into compliance with the fire code. Which will mean more money.
The first motion filed by William and Kari Banas on Monday asked for $108,000.
Their Tuesday motions ask that “the wood shop program be level-funded and that “the wood shop sawdust removal system be brought up to code due to the Barrington Fire Marshal notification received in 2012.”
One of their motions asks for $128,000; the other asks for $144,000.
The difference between those two motions and their first one -- $20,000 to $36,000 – is a ballpark figure of what it would cost to get the wood shop into compliance with the fire code, Learned said.
Learned also said that bringing the wood shop into compliance was on the original list of health and safety work at all six schools that is to be completed at a cost of more than $2.4 million. Learned said it was pulled off that list to make more necessary repairs to the schools.
Kari Banas presented another petition that supports her motions to the School Committee at Thursday night's meeting. She said she gathered 224 signatures even after she explained to people that putting more money back into the school budget would hike taxes.
"The pulse that I got from people is that they really believe in the program," she said.
Banas said she would rather not have been forced to go before the Financial Town Meeting with these motions. But the School Committe didn't give other other options before making the cut, she said.
Banas also said she is aware that only the option with the largest figure, $144,000, could save the program. The sawdust collection system has to be brought into code or the program probably can't operate, she said.
The cost to bring that system into code, said Ron Tarro, finance director, will be between $10,000 and $30,000.
Scott Douglas, a parent and PTO member who attends most School Commitee meetings, specifically asked the administration Thursday, thus, which motion he and other PTO members should support if they want to save wood shop. The answer: the motion with the largest dollar figure.
Gary Morse
6:14 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
"even after she explained to people that putting more money back into the school budget would hike taxes".
At some point, we have to understand that taking on any initiative that raises taxes in a poor economy is self destructive.
We are already relying on a huge gamble by the state treasurer that pension reform will be deemed legal (not likely).
Then there is the problem with the school funding formula's "distressed city" language which is making our share of future state money less likely.
Then there is the added tax load that will come from the huge property tax subsidies that will be granted by the town council to affordable housing (as much as an 80% reduction from what any other resident has to pay).
Then there is that thorny issue of the continuing longevity raises.
BCWA is about to raise water rates again causing another taxpayer speed bump.
And now we are told that the town council wants to support a money losing wind farm initiative backed by East Bay taxpayer subsidies and loan guarantees (backed by property tax revenues, not the state's general fund).
You can argue all day about the goodness of these things, but in the end, if Barrington is too expensive because of property taxes, you are forcing many long term residents out of town.
Is "move out if you can't afford to stay" proper public policy?
And please don't argue that the purpose of affordable housing is to give our seniors a place to go.
Gary Morse
6:42 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
In case anyone hasn't yet picked this up, the states unemployment rate went up again to 11.2%.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/providence/providence-ri-unemployment-rate-ticks-up-to-11-point-two-percent-in-april
And least I remind Barrington residents, you can no longer itemize expenses on your state income taxes. That was a tax increase for most in town.
This has to end sometime!
Townie
7:16 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
Save wood shop if something else is sacrificed, but nothing will be. This is Barrington. Everyone apparently is awash with extra money, so let's raise taxes as we do every year for the bloated school system.
Manifold Witness
7:49 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
This is Barrington. The "Financial Town Meetings" is actually more like a union rally packed with the teachers.
They vote in the highest budget that's on the table.
The Financial Town Meeting is not a fair voting process for a number of reasons.
The votes are taken in public rather than in private.
Voters cannot just stop into a private voting booth for a quick vote.
Elderly taxpayers don't really get a vote because they can't sit through it and stand up to the teachers. It's physically impossible and somewhat intimidating.
Parents who may want to vote for cuts are seated near a teacher who is watching to see which way the parent votes. And then your kid goes to the teachers' classes the next day. Parents have said that they voted the way the teachers want them to because they did not feel free to do otherwise.
Even if cuts are proposed, the teachers (PTA) have the use of the school resources to rally the vote to restore the cuts.
Most voters in town don't get a voice in this process.
This Financial Town Meeting is antiquated. The process should be changed.
Bristol County Anonymous
8:43 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
“It’s not in code,” confirmed Skip Learned, facilities director, of the wood shop. “It probably shouldn’t be used.
Why were the schools allowed to become non-compliant with the fire code, and why isn’t this being immediately addressed?
Also, it makes no sense to be discussing the idea of bringing in more students from out-of-town, and placing them in an unsafe environment that is non-compliant with the fire code.
What is going on here?
TJD
9:18 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
If the Wood Shop is eliminated now, it won't return.
The loss would be a great shame. The Wood Shop offers an
opportunity for kids to learn about carpentry and
design. It shows kids the value of math and
creativity. It helps kids understand history through
architecture. As the daughter and sister of finish
carpenters, I would be very sad to see it go.
I'd like my own daughter to do Wood Shop.
I understand the expense of bringing it up
to fire code. Has anyone pursued targeted
grants? Perhaps from Home Depot, Lowes,
or the Carpenters Union?
Concerned
2:19 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
In their haste to avoid conflict with the Committee on Appropriations this year, the School Committee and Administration have done a disservice to both the students at Barrington Middle School and the residents of this town.
Rather than engage in an open dialogue about proposed cuts to programs considered non-essential to common core curriculum and PARC assessments, they chose to make a decision at the eleventh hour that left little time for public discourse and alternative proposals. When presented with the results of a 12 year old's grass roots efforts to save a program that benefits hundreds of students, they paid lip service with a vacuous reply that tough decisions need to be made.
The process by which program cuts are proposed, deliberated on and decided is in need of serious review and revision. This will ensure residents have the opportunity to engage in the process and provide feedback within a reasonable timeframe rather than finding out at the least minute.
The School Committee and Administration can do better and they must.
native
3:57 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
Now you mention the problem with the fire code? It sounds like the wood shop is a dangerous place for a class. Mr learned say it probably shouldn't be used. You have to be kidding. So has the Banas family been wasting there time? I have an idea. Lets get 12 families to pay tution to attend our schools. Oh thats right we already tried that.
Manifold Witness
6:16 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
As long as it doesn't comply with code anyway, doesn't blowing sawdust around with a fan cause more of a breathing issue than allowing the sawdust to settle to the floor?
native, the school committee's attempt to get $128,000 in additioinal revenue by selling 10 slots actually could put the school budget at risk of incurring a much larger deficit. It is not a prudent plan.
Non-compliance with the fire code isn't prudent either. How did this happen?
RI Politics
8:24 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
The head of maintenance says it shouldn't be open. Why is it open then? Can you say liability?! Close it and do a business and economics program. Never to early to start.