One building engineer for every eight schools.

DanHolohan

This is nuts.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-ci-schools-money-returned-20180104-story.html

SlamDunk

There are so many things wrong that I do not know where to start!

KC_Jones

@Steamhead What's going on in your city?

Larry Weingarten

Hmmm, If all the technicians from The Wall showed up, we could likely get it all up and running in a week or so. It would be like Wetstock with tools! ... Ok, I'm nuts

Yours, Larry

SlamDunk

Something tells me that the paperwork involved in getting a contract with a city, and the bidding process involved makes it an unworthy endeavor.

I think “use it or lose it” is a fair budgeting policy. Sounds like the problem is at the operations level. They dont know what they are doing or how to do it.

CLamb

I wonder if the City of Baltimore teaches HVAC at one of it's Vo-Tech schools.

RayWohlfarth

That's so crazy. I attended a seminar where the speaker said Baltimore is trying to raise 1 billion dollars and that would only do 40% of the buildings.

Jamie Hall

With reference to @SlamDunk 's comment -- I have some experience with being a consultant, or rather with thinking about being a consultant, for government agencies. After a little thought, I opted out. They pay late, if ever (90 day receivables are routine, 180 days common enough). They have regulations as to who you employ which can be difficult to meet with qualified people. They have regulations on how the work is to be done and when. And then they put it all together in a bid package and ship it out to the low bidder.

It simply wasn't worth the time and effort. These weren't in Baltimore, but somehow I doubt that it's any different there.

ratio

Government. Doing less with more for nearly 250 years.

EBEBRATT-Ed

If they made a movie about it would it be a COMEDY or a HORROR show??

How can these kids possibly be getting any education under those circumstances?

they need money and their turning it back. You got to be kidding

Mad Dog_2

Baltimore, Chicago and a few other cities have generational FAILED political machines. Once great cities, VERY sad. As much as I'd like to visit them, they are very dangerous. Crazy gun violence to boot. Mad Dog

Steamhead

It comes down to incompetence, from the mayor's office on down. They really don't have a clue. This particular mayor was the least-worst candidate that could conceivably be elected. She was running against a former mayor who had been convicted on various corruption charges and thrown out of office as part of a plea deal (avoiding other charges such as perjury), and who thought she could get re-elected. That crook came uncomfortably close to pulling off a Marion Barry. We had to support the present mayor to keep the former one from returning.

Most people who live here would never consider running for office. Why associate yourself and your personal reputation with such a group of failures and scandals?

The city does administer grant money from the state for energy-efficiency upgrades, but AFAIK these do not apply to city-owned buildings. Some years ago we looked into the latter but the "guidelines" virtually assured we'd lose money. No thanks.

@Mad Dog , there really isn't much of a political machine here like there was in the past. We got some decent mayors and councilpersons from that machine over the years- anyone remember William Donald Schaefer?- and others who upheld the tradition of corruption and got caught. So it was a mixed bag.

I have no idea where all this will end. The best option would be a complete reform ticket in the next election, throw the bums out and get things working again.

Fat chance.

SlamDunk

The argument against term limits is that the election process is inherently term limiting. I agree.

The real problem is that neither party supports candidates running against their incumbants. would the gop support another republican to run against Trump? Would the democrats against Obama? Same is true down to local politics.

I’ve been thinking the only way someone like me can combat this stranglehold is to register as an independant. If the middle class made a move to register independant, what would the ruling parties do?

I’d like know if there are better ideas. probably should start a new thread.

nicholas bonham-carter

We will see about the GOP and who they support next time around.—NBC

KC_Jones

SlamDunk said:

The argument against term limits is that the election process is inherently term limiting. I agree.

The real problem is that neither party supports candidates running against their incumbants. would the gop support another republican to run against Trump? Would the democrats against Obama? Same is true down to local politics.

I’ve been thinking the only way someone like me can combat this stranglehold is to register as an independant. If the middle class made a move to register independant, what would the ruling parties do?

I’d like know if there are better ideas. probably should start a new thread.

The people have the power, you have to be willing to vote for any party. People aren't willing and then scream about term limits, vote for the other guy.

A majority of the country is already registered Independent, I know I am. As of December it's 25% Republican, 27% Democrat, 46% Independent

SlamDunk

KC_Jones said:

SlamDunk said:

The argument against term limits is that the election process is inherently term limiting. I agree.

The real problem is that neither party supports candidates running against their incumbants. would the gop support another republican to run against Trump? Would the democrats against Obama? Same is true down to local politics.

I’ve been thinking the only way someone like me can combat this stranglehold is to register as an independant. If the middle class made a move to register independant, what would the ruling parties do?

I’d like know if there are better ideas. probably should start a new thread.

The people have the power, you have to be willing to vote for any party. People aren't willing and then scream about term limits, vote for the other guy.

A majority of the country is already registered Independent, I know I am. As of December it's 25% Republican, 27% Democrat, 46% Independent

I guess then, my idea will not bear fruit.

DanHolohan

In New York, Independents can't vote in primary elections.

KC_Jones

Same in Pennsylvania where I live. Apparently my vote doesn't count.

NY_Rob

Would love to see the salaries of the administrators in these "broken" school districts.

All probably MBA's, PHD's, etc... collecting huge salaries and still worthless/failing.

AnthraciteEnergetics

"One building engineer". This is common in industry as well, where understaffing is a chronic problem many companies think they can solve with overtime and having everyone "wear more hats".

Mad Dog_2

I'd vote for Steamhead to turn that town on its head like #32 Mike Mad Dog Curtis, March down the field like #19 Johnny Unitas, and orchestrate a turn around like Don Shula. It seems like that's the last time Baltimore was really humming, late 60s early 70s. Unfortunately Steamhead has the heating systems of Baltimore to fix, but if he applied his morals, ethics, and common sense to public office, Baltimore would have a shot! Mad Dog

Mike_Sheppard

I live in Virginia but work in Baltimore several times a week on average. I dread going there because I very rarely work somewhere there that has a building engineer or any kind of maintenance that maintains the heating systems. I'm always being called there on emergencies in the middle of the night, like tonight where a building had no heat and no hot water. Three boilers all with different faults, and two hot water heaters with different faults. The "engineer" had trouble remembering where the boiler room was because, "I haven't been up there in months."

unclejohn

Indies can't vote in primaries in MD either. Also hard too work on HVAC equipment in bullet proof vest. When the Mayor of the city says the cops are the problem and then the DA tries sue them police tend to mind their own business.

DanHolohan

More here:

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/01/how-baltimore-students-got-left-in-the-cold/549866/?utm_source=nl__link1_010818&silverid=MzI4NzAwNjYwNTQ1S0

Jamie Hall

One comment (at least!) stands out -- and it's a problem with most school districts, not just Baltimore -- that's just on a grander scale. That is that the administrators hired are educators (well, sort of, but let's not go there). Yet these are multi-million to multi-billion dollar operations, and in most of them there is no one in the administration who has the training and chops to really manage a Dunkin' Donuts, never mind an operation of that size. In my not so humble opinion, there should be a facilities management in place with at least the qualifications in business and facilities management, and let them get on with providing the infrastructure, and let the Ed. Ds and MS.Eds get on with the actual educating (if they can even do that...).

SlamDunk

DanHolohan said:

In New York, Independents can't vote in primary elections.

in nc, the unaffiliated can vote in one of either of the primaries. dems and republicans can only vote their primary. And, unaffiliated are the second largest voting block in nc. There is a movement, I just happen to be late!

SlamDunk

Jamie Hall said:

there should be a facilities management in place with at least the qualifications in business and facilities management, and let them get on with providing the infrastructure, and let the Ed. Ds and MS.Eds get on with the actual educating (if they can even do that...).

Absolutely right . But that experience costs money and teachers like their raises. Heaven forbid anyone makes more than a teacher with a masters. But It takes more than experience and money. It takes patience to cut through the red tape and an unwavering commitment. A rare find.

DanHolohan

And the governor steps in:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-education-20180108-story.html