We don't have a 'local' tv station, the closest is 70 miles away, but they may be an option if the plan the city manager and I are working on doesn't pan out. My husband had just suggested writing our state representative and attorney general when we were having lunch. I have written to someone at the state board of education but have heard nothing. As for people seeing the problem...I haven't videotaped it but that option has also been discussed if we need to go to the council and board. I did have one city council member who actually joined the principal and I after school one day to see the problem. She was appalled but unfortunately she doesn't get listened to very much. I've tried to be nice and work through all the "proper channels" but I'm just about fed up. If this Plan B doesn't work-the gloves are coming off and I'll leave the PTO out of it and take it as a personal issue. I make my kids back track up the street and take another(longer) route to get to school so they avoid the danger area, but even if someone else's child gets hurt, I'm going to be really angry.
Our town has had some bad economic times lately, and I'm sure that will be an excuse, but just a couple weeks ago they agreed to give our minor league baseball team $32,000 for a batting tunnel, this summer they built a bike trail to our RecPlex that has been a financial black hole from day one, and they are talking about an aquatic center to replace the city pool. All the other schools that are getting expanded sit on improved streets and those streets are getting resurfaced upon completion of each building. The city also claims they don't want to set a precedent by paying for an upgrade for one neighborhood and not another. No logical person is going to bad mouth them for setting a precendent by looking out for children's safety instead of following some "city policy". Our group is supposed to meet again next week and try to come up with a formal presentation for the school board and city council-I'll let everyone know what happens next. Thanks for your ideas and support.
Just out of curiosity, do you have a consumer advocate person with your local TV station? My thought is is you can get on the local TV and your neighbors that live around the school not aware of the issue (sounds like they would have to be living in a bubble to be clueless about this) may help... Have you taped the morning arrivals and afternoon kids going ome? What does the district think and how the *&^% did you get exculded from the improvements that should have been done from the beginning? Do you think the Attorney General for the state be interested in hearing how the city will take care of the new schools but not your established?
I can only pray in the meantime your children are safe going to school. KC wasn't too far off mentioning nothing gets done anymore until a child gets hurt..
Lisa,
We have done all the things you suggested. The newspaper is non-responsive, the mayor and the 2(out of 6)council members that responded to my pleas were pretty much useless. The superintendent and city manager are working together with us(parent group) to try come up with a plan to get this done. The city manager and I are currently working to put together a firm plan to present to the city council and school board-requesting they pay a bigger chunk. The problem is we have to tell them where to get the money from-that could be difficult. Today I also found out from a property owner that some anonymous person is distributing flyers discouraging support of the project. I JUST WANTED SIDEWALKS!!!! This has turned into such a BIG fiasco. The other parents on the committee are getting so frustrated, I'm afraid they are going to drop out. Then here I'll be alone. I'm going to draft a letter to the editor next so I can explain why the PTO is involved in this and what our concerns really are. Thanks for the support.
We had a similar situation. Our PTA pressed the Mayor and city council to do something. Our street had no sidewalk, and there was barely enough room for a bus and car (let alone 2 buses) get by. The city finally decided to widen the street and the school board said they would pay half of the cost of the sidewalk (after we attended a school board meeting and several parents stood up and requested it).
All this is city's property. You have to get your parents involved in this. Your city has a budget for this road and that. Make your road a priority. It will take a while, but get your road put on the city's agenda. Write letters to your local newspaper. If you have to, send pictures to the paper and explain the need. We have a small city, so it was a little easier. Find out when your next city council and school board meetings are. Our road is currently getting widened--6 months later! Can you email your mayor and superintendant to get them on the same page?
Good Luck! Don't give up. That's politics!
Lisa @ Tx
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>The city's position is that the upgrade will increase the curb appeal and therefore the value of their property so they should pay the bill not the city.<hr></blockquote>
But if the property value goes up, doesn't that increase the cities tax base, increasing potential property tax collections? Therefore, the city has a vested interest in making the improvements. At the same time, home owners who do not anticipate a sale have a vested interest in keeping their property values down by refusing to pay for the improvements.
And then there are issues like the overall average quality of housing within the city. Doesn't raising that average make the city a more attractive candidate for new businesses and business relocations? Do they want to tell a potential employer "we have fine schools where 2/3 of the students can safely get there"?
You can argue these types of issues until you're blue in the face. It sounds like you may already have done so. Good luck, keep up the fight, and have a happy holidays!
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