Comments on Our Loudoun Schools: Lenah Form Letters, Part 1

Sarahnon2stinger--just told Dean on the Living in ...

2008-09-10T01:20:00.000-04:00

Sarahnon2stinger--just told Dean on the Living in Loco that I finally understand the answer you seem to be unaware of or choose to ignore: FOIA does not compel a public body to CREATE records.

You are asking for a change in process: that your desired information be collated and presented how you see fit, not how different departments track and record the issues for which they are responsible.

If a member of the body demands something be done to suit them, it can require an action by the body to devote the resources to it.

You really seem to be seeking a change in the process.

Fine, but legally it isn't going to change in the middle of one application.

Nice comment, by the way, and very different from your reply when I asked you that question on another blog:

"treat all students in this County the same - as you do western children and let their high school populations expand to 2200 students."

Wow. So you do want the current stymied mess in Purcellville enacted countywide?

Sounds really fiscally responsible to me.

Barbara Munsey

Sarah, I've got the whole package on Lambert, plus...

2008-09-10T00:28:00.000-04:00

Sarah, I've got the whole package on Lambert, plus some paperwork that I gleened from another friend that the LCSB does not, or want to, offer on the matter.

Please provide a web link to the cost comparison A...

2008-09-09T10:25:00.000-04:00

Please provide a web link to the cost comparison ANALYSIS (with references cited and preferably links to them) that you suggest has been prepared for transparency of government. I just looked and saw no such cost comparison on LCPS' Planning website listing of Lenah SPEX documents - thanks for wasting my time waiting for all those files to open looking for it. Many others are asking for this information too. I would hope this documentation has already been compiled and summarized for the Planning Commission/Supervisors so they may make informed decisions without wasting their time looking for backup information. Don't you see that by not making these documents READILY available to the public (ALL files not some as you indicate exist somewhere) you look like you are hiding something? For you to suggest Mr. Byard's office prepare separate FOIA responses for each inquiry appears extremely wasteful of his valuable time. That's ridiculous for an issue of this stature.

Sarah, I do show my work, via this blog. But every...

2008-09-09T06:40:00.000-04:00

Sarah, I do show my work, via this blog. But every document and work product produced on isn't posted here. Much of it is on the LCPS website or the County's website and I try to point people to the correct resources. When it isn't available there the appropriate resource is the Public Information Office (571-252-1040) and most documents are available to the public upon request under our state's fantastic Freedom of Information law.

Edmund, that is a fair question and I think you sh...

2008-09-09T06:38:00.000-04:00

Edmund, that is a fair question and I think you should look to §22.1-79 of Virginia's state laws. It it titled "Powers and duties" and begins with "A school board shall:"
Among the items is
"take care that they are conducted according to law and with the utmost efficiency;" To my knowledge this is all the law says about the subject.
Now you & I may interpret this differently. A reasonable person might read this to mean "as cheaply as possible." In my budget posts I make the case for what I believe, that every available metric shows that LCPS provides excellent educational opportunities for less per pupil than most districts provide a merely adequate education. That is how I define efficiency and interpret the law.

John, do you have fiduciary responsibilities? I'm ...

2008-09-08T22:11:00.000-04:00

John, do you have fiduciary responsibilities?

I'm being serious here. It is not in your mission statement.

That's why I want to see the mission statement changed for the School Board and the administration.

John, unless you show your work, the teacher won't...

2008-09-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

John, unless you show your work, the teacher won't give you credit!

Quit saying words and provide numbers to the public AND how they were generated. How in the heck can you say, "Variances in transportation costs for a regional school aren't on the same scale and would not produce a significant difference" without EVER DOING the evaluation? The school will hopefully be there for 50 years!

I hope you learn your lessonS on this debacle before you spend a DIME of my taxes doing site studies on any other new school sites!

Don't you see that something is wrong with the acquisition system if you don't at least make offers on sites in a rezoning process? That alone would seem to disqualify HUNDREDS of viable sites throughout this County. Didn't you take an oath to the residents of this County - or is your allegiance to the Administration? Work to improve, instead of defend.

Have your Staff prepared a quantitative long-term ...

2008-09-08T13:36:00.000-04:00

Have your Staff prepared a quantitative long-term cost comparison of these (and other viable) sites, including transportation over the life of these facilities?
Cost comparisons are done from acquisition through the completion of construction. The variance between projects in this phase goes to the tens of millions. Variances in transportation costs for a regional school aren't on the same scale and would not produce a significant difference.
I ask, why didn't Planning find the Lambert site?
Actually, LCPS Planning did identify the Lambert site, but it was the subject of a rezoning application which automatically takes it off of our list. Its rezoning application was pulled only recently.

Just because the price is 20% cheaper than the inf...

2008-09-08T13:14:00.000-04:00

Just because the price is 20% cheaper than the inflated budget Hatrick proposed and BOS approved, doesn't mean $20M is a value.

Just because it "meets criteria" doesn't mean it is a wise decision.

On both counts your "logic" sounds like something I hear from my teenager!

Don't expect me to approve your bonds when you show such disregard for saving my money.

Have your Staff prepared a quantitative long-term ...

2008-09-08T13:05:00.000-04:00

Have your Staff prepared a quantitative long-term cost comparison of these (and other viable) sites, including transportation over the life of these facilities? Until you do, I think you are NOT meeting your fiduciary responsibilities. I ask, why didn't Planning find the Lambert site? That alone demonstrates your siting process flaws. The only change LCPS wants to implement in the process is to remove legislative checks and balances so you can do as you please. Do the life-cycle cost analysis and then come back to the taxpayers and tell us Lenah makes sense. Tell Dr. Adamo to make realistic projections on his referrals and provide area-specific, up-to-date numbers of children generated from developments and quit pandering to developers. Until then, treat all students in this County the same - as you do western children and let their high school populations expand to 2200 students. I have run out of patience for your politics, spendthrift decisions, lack of scrutiny of Administrators and severe lack of equitable decisions on behalf of all the children in this County.