Less Taxes for Pike Township

Guion Creek Elementary

I went to the school on Friday and was shown around the building by Principal Pam Conley, Pike Building administrator Mr. Rivas and two members of the maintenance staff.
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 To say I was surprised is to say the least.  After hearing the horror stories, and one candidate after another claiming the building was on the verge of crumbling, I expected to find tremendous deterioration since I worked in the building in the middle to late 1990s.  Instead I found a fundamentally-sound  building which is in the need of some repair due chiefly to deliberate deferred maintenance by the administration.
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I don’t think there is any question that a new roof needs to be installed and should have been years ago when the roof first started leaking.  The leaking water has ruined many of the ceiling tiles.  Ceiling tiles are a cheap item to replace I know because we have had to replace those tiles at our law firm because of a leaky roof.
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It is also clear from my trip to the building that a new  heating and cooling system need to be installed.  That’s expensive, but nowhere near justifying a new building.
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There were a few cracks in the floor and part of it slightly bowed in a spot, but that is to be expected in a building 39 years old.  Same with the slight gap that has developed in one of the upper walls where people can (barely) look through a crack outside.  These are maintenance issues that every homeowner deals with.  My home is from 1969, two years before Guion was built.  I have dealt with the same problems.
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Most of the other things I saw were things that a good handyman could fix in a week or so of work.  For example, the towel dispensers had come loose in one of the boy’s bathrooms.  In the hallway there was a water fountain where the long push button had fallen off, a plastic cover over a fire extinguisher was broken.
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There were design flaws.  Principal Conley certainly has a point that her conference room was far too small, and the kitchen and break areas for the teachers was cramped and well-designed. There definitely should be some remodeling to address that situation.
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But a new building?    Frankly, I was shocked.  After hearing candidate after candidate tell horror stories of the building, I walked away from my visit wondering what all the fuss was about. 
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I’m not a building inspector though. That’s exactly why I have clamored for an inspection of the building by a trained inspector and an estimate based on what needs to be fixed. I would point out though that the other candidates (with the exception of Ms. Maguire) felt they could render an opinion on the soundness of the building without an expert witness trained in that area.  Regardless, after my visit I am confident that fixing Guion Creek won’t take anywhere near the $21.9 million estimate which continues to mysteriously rise.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the building could be fixed for a couple million or less.
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After leaving the 39 year old building, I drove to the University of Indianapolis where I teach.  Walking into the building where I teach, Good Hall, I asked a professor when the building was built.    She told me 1903, 107 years ago.  Walking around the building, I saw where the university had maintained the building which is why the building is still in good shape today.

Below I reported how 89% of the money going into the pro-Guion Creek Referendum group “Pike Taxpayers for Better Schools” (PTBS) came from companies that could benefit from the Guion Creek and other construction projects in Pike.
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During the campaign, I’ve brought up that Guion Creek is not the only school the district wants to  knock down and replace, but that the old Eastbrook (which has already been replaced), Eagle Creek and Guion Creek are also on the list by virtue of the so-called  ”Blue Ribbon” Commission’s plan for the district.  (Thankfully we in Pike didn’t have the plan put together by the second-place “Red Ribbon” Commission.  Sorry, it’s hard not to mock when people use terms like “blue ribbon” as if the name is supposed to be impress people).
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When I sought to bring up the other schools, I’ve always been assured by the leaders of PTBS that the issue is only about whether we in Pike need a new Guion.  Yet take a look at the sign PTBS and more specifically the construction industry has purchased for the referendum.  It does not say ”Say Yes to Guion.”  It instead declares “Say Yes to Pike Schools.”
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The motives are clear – the Guion project is but one of several coming down the road that the administration is going to ask taxpayers to pay for.  They already have the signs ready for the Eagle Creek and College Park campaigns.

Previously I complained on this blog about the pro-Guion Creek referendum group, Pike Taxpayers for Better Schools, not having filed their finance report which was due on April 16th. Today the report showed up on-line with a date stamped April 19, 2010. I had gone to the Clerk’s Office the middle of last week and was told they still had not received the report and PTBS wuld be fined $50 a day.

It appears the report was hastily put together. The PAC was misidentified by the treasurer as “Taxpayers for Better Schools” (or TFBS) which may explain why the form wasn’t located when I asked for it.

Interestingly the report lists four expenditures totalling $8605.85. While codes are listed for the contributions, no recipient is listed nor is there an explanation what the expenditures are for.

Flipping forward to the contribution section, it is most noteworthy that despite the appearance of strong public support, the PAC only raised $2310 from ten sets of individuals, including Superintendent Nathanial Jones ($200), Pike administrator Linda Searles ($100), School Board Member and education consultant Larry Grau ($200) and Guion Creek Elementary Principal Pam Conley ($200).

Companies, however, that stand to benefit from the Guion Creek and other construction projects in the district were much more generous, giving $19,200, more than 89% of the total dollars raised by the PTBS. These contributions are as follows:

Summit Realty……………………………………. 200
Dallman Contractors…………………………….500
Blakley Corporation ……………………………2000
Open Control Systems…………………………. 1500
Validated Custom Solutions…………………..3500
Summit Construction ………………………….1000
Schmidt Associates Architects……………….2500
JLFox General Contractors……………………2500
Bill Lawrence Company…………………………. 500
G3 Technologies………………………………… 1000
REI Construction………………………………….500
Henry C. Smith Roofing Co…………………….1000
Connor Fine Printing ………………………….. 1000
Old National Insurance……………………….. 1500
TOTAL ………………………………………….19200

Most of the business entities above are corporations. Some of the contributions appear to be in excess of the confusing aggregate limit imposed by Indiana law. Regardless, the way these companies, hopeful recipients of construction work, have banded together to encourage taxpayers to vote for a construction project that will line their pockets with profits made off of our tax dollars is more than a little troubling. We need to have school board members who will ask questions about these construction projects and who is actually benefiting from them.

During the candidate forum Monday night held in New Augusta, a person from the audience asked for the Plan B should the referendum fail.  Board Chairman John Brown responded that there was no Plan B.  Another candidate  pointed out that it is irresponsible to not have a backup plan.

Although it is most certainly irresponsible not to have a Plan B, but there is a reason why.  The administration wants to paint as dire picture as possible about the Guion Creek building and leave the public with but one option – paying more taxes to replace the building.  Leaving no options gives the administration more leverage.  It’s the same reason the administration has not fixed the leaky roof at Guion Creek and failed to do other necessary maintenance on the building, letting the building instead deteriorate…failing to do so gives the administration more leverage to ask for a new building.

Any Plan B should involve an independent review by a building inspector to find out what is needed to fix the building.  The notion you let a contractor wanting the job to build the building also do the estimate for repairing it creates an obvious conflict of interest.  We need an estimate on fixing the building.  Unfortunately because of deferred maintenance that bill will be higher than it should be.

If the building is not fixable, there are other options that do not involve raising taxes.  The children could be relocated to the old Eastbrook, a building which never should have been scheduled for replacement by the administration.

Maybe a better option is to  sell the building to a group wanting to charter a school in Pike.  That would alleviate the need for any taxpayer funds to repair the building.    The charter school sponsor has to pay the repair costs for the building.  A charter school operating at Guion Creek would quickly become the most popular public elementary school in Pike.

There are better options than to continually go to taxpayers and ask them to fund the unwise construction spree this administration is on.

1.  Why are you running for the Board?

A.  Because I do not think we have a strong taxpayer presence on the Board.  I have been involved in education for 21 of my past 23 years teach at IUPUI and the University of Indianapolis.  I feel passionately that we need to improve K-12 education.   Pike schools need to improve.  Plus, I think we need someone on the board who will ask tough questions and demand answers.  We don’t have that now.  Paul Ogden and Allison Maguire would ask the tough questions and demand straight answers.

2.  What unique qualities would you bring to the position?

A.  In addition to teaching, I have been an attorney for 23 plus years.  I have worked in every branch of government.  I bring a legal expertise to the Board that is sorely lacking.  

3.  What approach to issues would you take on the Board?

A.  I have cross-examined plenty of hostile witnesses in court.  I would not hesitate to ask tough questions on the Board.    I know that Allison Maguire has already been out there asking for documentation on numbers claimed by the administration as to new construction v. renovation.   I am baffled why this current board so willingly accepts whatever numbers they are told without asking pointed questions and demanding answers. Also, why isn’t the Board demanding independent estimates of the cost of renovating v. new construction?   Why aren’t board members asking about why the administration allowed the leaky roof at Guion Creek to continue year after year?

4.  Do you support the “Blue Ribbon” plan to tear down Eastbrook, Guion Creek, New August and College Park elementary schools and replace those buildings?

A.   Absolutely not.  That plan is about the most irresponsible thing I have ever heard of.  College Park is barely 20 years old.  I don’t even think New Augusta is 20 years old.

5.   Would you vote to remove Superintendent Nathanial Jones?

A.  It’s far too early to say, but there are a lot of things about his administration that I find very troubling. I intend to keep an open mind on changes not only with the Superintend but with other administrators.

6.   Would you vote to increase Superintendent Jones’ pay and/or benefits.

A.  Now that I assure you will never happen.  He is overpaid now.  Also,  I want to see more pay equity in the district.  Pike has too many overpaid administrators and too many underpaid low-level employees.  

7.  How do you feel about the school district’s legal representation?

A.  I will ask for audit of the attorney itemized billing statements, and review the work that has been performed.  It is perplexing why Pike would actually employ  Barnes & Thornburg, a politically-connected law firm that is renowned for soaking taxpayers up with outrageous legal fees while often providing  mediocre legal representation. Further, the attorney for the district, Jeff Qualkinbush, has close ties to the construction industry.  And he’s advising the district on issues relating to whether to proceed with construction?  The Board needs to be questioning Qualkinbush about possible conflicts of interest.   Further, Qualkinbush advised the district to violate Indiana law by promoting the referendum on the school’s website.  That is unacceptable.  The district deserves better legal representation than it is getting.

8.  How do you feel about the relationship between the teachers and the administration?

A.  I am not satisfied.  Pike teachers are treated as second class citizens by the administration.  The adminstration needs to be more respectful of Pike teachers and more willing to listen to their concerns.  I would like to bring more balance to the Board by being a voice for teachers and other Pike employees.

9.  What other issues have been brought to your attention by Pike employees?

A.  I had a very informative meeting with Pike bus drivers and monitors.  One thing about that meeting stood out above all the others – that employees were scared of retaliation if they spoke out and voiced their concerns.  As a former whistleblower myself who was forced to resign for reporting legal violations, I will have ZERO tolerance for any administrative official who ever retaliates or threatens to retaliate against a Pike employee for speaking out.  If that happens, I will make it my mission to make sure that administrator loses his or her job. 

10.  How do you think the adminstration can better serve the public?

A.  The Pike administration needs more transparency, with a capital “T.”  As I told my staff at the Title Insurance Division, if we’re doing things behind closed doors that we don’t want the public to find out about, then we’re not doing what is in the best interests of the public.  I firmly believe that.  We have far too much secrecy in the Pike administration which unfortunately is the rule of thumb for most school administrations.  Secrecy leads to bad things happening.  We’re seeing it now with the security problems in Washington Township Schools.  Crimes have been covered up in the district.  Further, the private company hired to provide security was maintaining an unofficial and unsecure property room containing evidence in violation of Indiana law.  A lot of really bad stuff has been going on over in Washington Township.  Yet was the focus of the administration finding out the problem and fixing it.  Nope.  The focus was on trying to prevent the bad information from becoming public. Covering up bad news doesn’t serve the public.

11.  Speaking of Washington Township schools, a few months ago school board members in that district were asked to sign a document that they wouldn’t ask for public records from the administration, unless the request was approved by the full Board, and that no board member would independently engage the media on issues that are before the board or could become before the board.  Would you sign such a pledge in Pike?

A.  No, and I would say that any board member who would sign such a document has no business being in public office.

12.  How do you see the relationship between the School Board and the Pike Administration?

A. Someone at a recent meeting suggested the board members are like players on the Colts, and Superintendent Jones is Coach Dungy.   She suggested it is the Board’s job to carry out whatever decision the Superintendent  makes.  Unfortunately that’s too good of a description of how the current Board operates and it is an incorrect model.  School boards are not subordinate to school superintendentsadministrations.  A school board is a legislative body and the superintendent is the executive. A school board is a check, or it is supposed to be, on the superintendent.   It is basic separation of powers, a feature of the American form of government that has worked extremely well for well over 200 years.

Someone pointed out that our contact information was not on the website.  Below is where each of us can be reached.  It has also been added to the bio section:

PAUL OGDEN
3525 W. 55th St
Indianapolis, IN  46228
(317) 297-9720 (home)
(317) 531-6127 (cell)
(317) 631-0172 (work)

ALLISON MAGUIRE
9166 Cinnebar Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46268
(317) 410-1988

We promise that none of the phones will ring into the administration offices.

Tonight the Pike Township Residents Association sponsored a forum on the Guion Creek referendum.  Dr. Tim Koponen presented for the “Yes” side.  We gave the argument for the “No” side.

As was to be expected, the audience was dominated by Guion Creek teachers, employees and district administrators. Understandably they were in favor of a new school.  If I worked at Guion, heck I’d undoubtedly want to work in a new school as well.   But the new school isn’t just paid for by people who work or have kids in Guion.  It will be paid for by all the taxpayers in Pike Township.

Today, we received an education about the problems with the Guion Creek Elementary School.  There was numerous comments about the leaky roof, carpet that needed to be replaced, and AC not working properly.  I have absolutely no doubt that all these complaints are true.  Indeed I’d be shocked if a 39 year old building didn’t need its roof and AC unit replaced.  Likewise, carpet has to be replaced every few years. That’s ordinary maintenance.  The only complaint that speaks to more significant problems is foundation issues.  But even cracks in foundations of 39 year old buildings are typical.  Foundation issues are dealt with by homeowners every day. They rarely require razing the house and building a new one.

What is apparent at the meeting Wednesday night is that there has been a  disturbing lack of maintenance of the existing building.  Anyone who owns any building knows you cannot allow a leaky roof to continue for very long.  The consequences for a building life span for a leaky roof are devastating which is why it absolutely must be repaired or replaced immediately.  It is apparent though that the administration has allowed the leaky Guion Creek roof to persist for some time.

Afterwards, I  suggested to one referendum supporter that the administration may have intentionally deferred maintenance on Guion Creek Elementary to be able to better argue for a new building.  I expected that she would be outraged by the suggestion. I was surprised to find that she agreed the administration had done exactly that. 

Some additional thoughts.  Yes, the referendum is on top of the 1-2-3 tax cap.  While few properties in Pike are at the cap limit, there is nothing to stop other taxing entities or even the schools from increasing their taxing so that properties hit the cap.  The tax increase caused by the referendum then will go above that 1% residential cap.  $237.50 on a $100,000 ($575.00 on a $200,000) assessed value home is no small tax bill.  Then you start stacking that on top of the cap and the tax increase is even worse. 

Regarding renovation v. building a new Guion Creek Elementary School, the fact is the School Board and administration did no independent evaluation of the options.  Rather they let CSO Architects and an attorney from Barnes & Thornburg provide guidance on the subject.  They both make a lot more money if Pike decides to build a new building versus simply renovating the old building.  CSO Architects makes a living at the public trough, encouraging local taxpayers to pay for unnecessary schools. Barnes & Thornburg also lives at the public trough and regularly fleeces local government units with outrageous legal bills.  (Last year, the Town of Speedway was billed several hundreds of thousand dollars by B&T, so much so that each Speedway homeowner pays an average of $90 of his or her property tax in one year to pay that law firm.)  

Asking CSO Architects and Barnes & Thornburg for independent advice on whether you should build a new school rather than renovate is like asking a life insurance salesman to evaluate whether you need life insurance. The answer is always going to be “yes.”

With all due respect to the current board members, the bottom line is we have a school board which is far to close to the administration and which did not do its duty to act as a check on that administration.  The Board should be asking for independent evaluations of options and asking tough questions.  Time and time again the Board has rubber stamped proposals offered by the administration including tearing down and replacing buildings only a few decades old, including College Park Elementary which is barely 20 years old.  The School Board has forgotten that they are supposed to represent ALL Pike taxpayers.