Comments on: Fairfield Woods Middle School Building Committee Moves Forward with Proposal http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/ It's about Fairfield. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:28:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephanie Johnson http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8388 Stephanie Johnson Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:02:44 +0000 http://heyfairfield.com/?p=856#comment-8388 I couldn't be happier about the Building Committee's vote for plan D including the Auditorium. I have to say that I was a little nervous, as a couple of the members expressed their concerns about presenting their recommendation to the BOS, possibly offering the option of plan D sans the Auditorium, saying that if it doesn't get approved now, it will still be on the slate to get done in a few years. Come on, people....do you or do you not live in this town? Track records clearly show that's not the way things happen. Plans get placed on the back burner and eventually forgotten about, blatantly skipped over or applied with a butterfly bandage rather than the stitches they really need. That's why we're in the situation we are with our facilities, i.e. Stratfield School costing the town $11M+, the sickly condition of many of our other schools, and this FWMS renovation/upgrade with a price tag of over $20M. The argument is that the town does not want a tax increase. Political motivation wants to keep the people happy. No one, including myself, wants to pay higher taxes but eventually we will be hit with a tax increase - and a significantly larger one - to make up for not implimenting one this year and with no means to support it. If the town would make the commitment to maintain the buildings as they need maintaining then we would be consistently hit with higher price tags to fix correctly what should have been done in the first place. I believe the presentation to the BOS is on or around the 27th; we need to show our support of the Building Committee's recommendation and let our voices be heard. I couldn’t be happier about the Building Committee’s vote for plan D including the Auditorium. I have to say that I was a little nervous, as a couple of the members expressed their concerns about presenting their recommendation to the BOS, possibly offering the option of plan D sans the Auditorium, saying that if it doesn’t get approved now, it will still be on the slate to get done in a few years. Come on, people….do you or do you not live in this town? Track records clearly show that’s not the way things happen. Plans get placed on the back burner and eventually forgotten about, blatantly skipped over or applied with a butterfly bandage rather than the stitches they really need. That’s why we’re in the situation we are with our facilities, i.e. Stratfield School costing the town $11M+, the sickly condition of many of our other schools, and this FWMS renovation/upgrade with a price tag of over $20M. The argument is that the town does not want a tax increase. Political motivation wants to keep the people happy. No one, including myself, wants to pay higher taxes but eventually we will be hit with a tax increase – and a significantly larger one – to make up for not implimenting one this year and with no means to support it. If the town would make the commitment to maintain the buildings as they need maintaining then we would be consistently hit with higher price tags to fix correctly what should have been done in the first place. I believe the presentation to the BOS is on or around the 27th; we need to show our support of the Building Committee’s recommendation and let our voices be heard.

]]> By: David Cullen http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8379 David Cullen Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:49:54 +0000 http://heyfairfield.com/?p=856#comment-8379 To be sure, buildings-- be they schools, firehouses, town halls, our own homes etc. etc.-- are not static structures but must be both maintained (roofs, for exampel) and renovated and/or expanded as is the case with FWMS. The cost is the cost. The Building Committee is a highly regarded group of individuals and I trust they have done their due diligence. I will specifically state that a true auditorium is long overdue at that school and I have heard of no so-called "frills" anywhere in the plans. I would also suggest that anyone who thinks the FWMS community should not have that facility included should tour Tomlinson or better yet, Ludlow Middle first. I would further suggest-- nay, urge--that whether you support or oppose this project or any part of it, that NOW is the time to make your voice heard by your elected officials. David Cullen RTM District 7 To be sure, buildings– be they schools, firehouses, town halls, our own homes etc. etc.– are not static structures but must be both maintained (roofs, for exampel) and renovated and/or expanded as is the case with FWMS.

The cost is the cost. The Building Committee is a highly regarded group of individuals and I trust they have done their due diligence.

I will specifically state that a true auditorium is long overdue at that school and I have heard of no so-called “frills” anywhere in the plans. I would also suggest that anyone who thinks the FWMS community should not have that facility included should tour Tomlinson or better yet, Ludlow Middle first.

I would further suggest– nay, urge–that whether you support or oppose this project or any part of it, that NOW is the time to make your voice heard by your elected officials.

David Cullen
RTM District 7

]]> By: Jennifer74 http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8377 Jennifer74 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:35:00 +0000 http://heyfairfield.com/?p=856#comment-8377 Tell me about it! I also read somewhere that the ROOF needs to be redone at Fairfield Warde.....WHOA!!! The roof and other renovations were done when it was Fairfield High, in my freshman year there! Anyways, the 'one and done' deal doesn't work....and the proof is in the pudding when it also comes to Riverfield, and esp. Stratfield! No one wants another McKinley School mold fiasco..... And yes, who knows how the Board of Selectmen will vote on the Fairfield Woods project....I am very worried believe it or not. Tell me about it! I also read somewhere that the ROOF needs to be redone at Fairfield Warde…..WHOA!!! The roof and other renovations were done when it was Fairfield High, in my freshman year there! Anyways, the ‘one and done’ deal doesn’t work….and the proof is in the pudding when it also comes to Riverfield, and esp. Stratfield! No one wants another McKinley School mold fiasco…..

And yes, who knows how the Board of Selectmen will vote on the Fairfield Woods project….I am very worried believe it or not.

]]> By: Ed http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8376 Ed Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:23:03 +0000 http://heyfairfield.com/?p=856#comment-8376 @ Jennifer74 - Yes this is long overdue. Unfortunately, in Fairfield, there is a mentality of "one and done" when it comes to the school system. Once a project is finished, people feel we are done. The school system needs the continual capital improvements to avoid situations where we need to spend tens of millions to upgrade a school. @ Jennifer74 – Yes this is long overdue. Unfortunately, in Fairfield, there is a mentality of “one and done” when it comes to the school system. Once a project is finished, people feel we are done. The school system needs the continual capital improvements to avoid situations where we need to spend tens of millions to upgrade a school.

]]> By: Jennifer74 http://heyfairfield.com/2010/01/15/fairfield-woods-middle-school-building-committee-moves-forward-with-proposal/comment-page-1/#comment-8374 Jennifer74 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:16:01 +0000 http://heyfairfield.com/?p=856#comment-8374 This is good news! I still feel that the appropriate renovations/additions should have been done when Fairfield Woods was renovated back in the early '90s, but am glad that this is going forward now! It would be very welcoming for Woods to FINALLY have an auditorium, just like Tomlinson and Ludlowe MS....I went to Woods back in the day and recall participating in concerts etc in the gym..... This is good news! I still feel that the appropriate renovations/additions should have been done when Fairfield Woods was renovated back in the early ’90s, but am glad that this is going forward now! It would be very welcoming for Woods to FINALLY have an auditorium, just like Tomlinson and Ludlowe MS….I went to Woods back in the day and recall participating in concerts etc in the gym…..

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