Jonnie B Wiley Restoration [Video]

Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced that the city has reached a 15-year lease agreement for the control, management and operations of the Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletics Sports Pavilion, which follows the formation in June of a new board comprised of representatives of the local community, Buffalo Public Schools, the city’s development community, social service providers and local professional sports organizations that has participated in the continuing process of the restoration of the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Complex and future planning for long-term athletic and social activities at the facility.

While the facility fell within the purview of the county under the existing city/county parks agreement, it will revert to the city when the inter-municipal agreement is terminated on December 31st.

The school district has long managed the facility and undertook the process of a condition survey of the facility by DiDonato Associates, which led to the issuance of construction-related Requests for Proposals. On June 10th, the Board of Education approved construction contracts totaling $1,967,309 for the planned restoration of the Eastside-based sports complex that will include: new artificial turf and synthetic surfacing, site drainage, new lighting, scoreboards and equipment for the facility’s football, soccer and baseball fields, as well as its track. In addition, new locker room and toilet facilities will be constructed in the facility’s maintenance/storage building.

Under the new 15-year lease agreement, which was signed by the city, the school district and the JB Wiley Board, the first use of the athletic facilities are for District schools and collegiate activities approved by the District. The second and third use of the facilities will be for organized community youth athletic events and community events. Permits for the 2nd & 3rd use activities will be approved 60 days in advance by the JB Wiley Board, which will then be forwarded to the District for approval no later than 35 days prior to the requested activity. In addition, the city agreed to cover utility costs for electricity and gas capped at $38,000 and $15,000 respectively, which, if exceeded, will be covered by the District. The city will provide monthly utility usage reports to the District Superintendent.

“This new 15-year agreement, which can be extended another 5 years, removes any further impediment from the rehabilitation and restoration of the Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletics Sports Pavilion and lays out very clearly what entities are responsible for specific activities at the facility,” said Mayor Brown. “I commend the school district, the JB Wiley Board and our city Law Department personnel for working diligently to achieve this new agreement that opens the way for the modernization of this key community athletic and special event asset. No longer will anyone have questions about whose responsibility it is to operate and manage this facility and, most importantly, the youth of our community, both in amateur and collegiate athletics, will have the chance to play their sporting events in a first-class athletic facility.”

While the contract process still requires the approval of the Common Council and the Control Board, the key issues have been resolved by all of the affected parties.

“We are very excited about the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Facility, the third, in a series of four facilities. One of the great advantages of this facility is its location in the heart of city. It is also another exceptional opportunity for the Buffalo Public Schools to collaborate with the entire city of Buffalo, as this facility will be shared by both the District and the community.”

The Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletics Sports Pavilion board includes: Otis T. Barker, Sr., Director, Division for Youth, City of Buffalo; Dave Thomas, Director, Physical Education and Athletics, Buffalo Public Schools; Aubrey Lloyd, Superintendent, Physical Education and Athletics, Buffalo Public Schools; Cedric Holloway; Danielle Judge-Johnson, Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo; Thurman Thomas (Chair), former Buffalo Bill and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Mike Buczkowski, Vice President/General Manager, Buffalo Bisons; Dorothy Hill; Kenny Simmons; Brett Benderson, Vice president, Benderson Development; Kenny Whigham; and Joanne Wiley.

The City of Buffalo has held $2 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the restoration of the facility until the school district finalized plans for the actual restoration work.

Contractors selected by the Buffalo Public Schools are Anastasi Trucking and Paving (General Contractor, $1,745,499; source of funds: $1,545,499 HUD Grant; $200,000 LISC/National Football League grant); O’Connell Electric Company (Electrical Contract, $140,800; source of funds: HUD grant); J.R. Swanson Plumbing Co. Inc. (Mechanical/Plumbing Contractor, $81,010; source of funds: HUD grant).

In addition to these capital improvements, the city’s Department of Public Works conducted improvements to the facility’s tower building that focused on making the tower’s first floor functional for community meetings and other activities.

“In 2009, I put $53,500 in the city’s capital budget, which has gone toward HVAC and electrical improvements the facility’s offices and the city is currently conducting a roof repair survey of the facility with these funds,” said Mayor Brown. “In the city’s current 2010 capital budget, I recommended $428,000 for major improvements in the facility’s second floor offices, as well as the installation of a new elevator for the building. Our Public Works Department, earlier this year, also sealed broken windows in the building and cleaned the building’s second floor of refuse, including potentially harmful bird droppings.”

Spotlight Buffalo: Five New Schools

Five newly reconstructed schools opened for the first time today in the Buffalo Public School District as part of the joint schools reconstruction project:

• South Park High School: $36 million
• Burgard High School: $35 million
• International School #45: $25 million
• Academy School #43: $22 million
• Herman Badillo Bilingual School: $20 million

(full disclosure: I have an ongoing video consultant contract with the BPS)

I don’t often share the school videos I shoot, but this is a great segment for our ongoing series “Spotlight Buffalo Success Stories”.

All of these schools are absolutely gorgeous and are a true asset to this community. Yes, the system still has an uphill battles to face in the years ahead, but buildings like these will help make sure urban school kids get the education they deserve.

By the time the reconstruction project is completed in 2013, the entire district will be one of the most technolgically advanced in the country.

HTN: McKinley Teacher Resigns

Ralph Hernandez Needs a Vocabulary Lesson

Dumb as a box of hammers

Ralph Hernandez, who was part of the school board faction critical of Superintendent Williams, was elected president of the board yesterday with the votes of the pro-Williams faction.

Hernandez defeated Lou Petrucci, 5-4, dashing the hopes of Petrucci’s camp — which is far more critical and questioning of Williams — that they would gain control of the deeply divided board.

“Is this a victory for James Williams?” Petrucci said moments after the vote. “Of course it is.”

Catherine Nugent Panepinto, the board’s North District representative, said Hernandez switched allegiances to put together five votes.

“I think he’s an opportunist and did what he had to do to be president,” Panepinto said. “I think Ralph philosophically agrees with the people who voted for Lou.”

Hernandez brushed off the opportunist charge.

“She can call me anything she wants,” he said. “I felt I had earned the right to be president. I was campaigning to be president. Where do you go? You go where the votes are. That’s common sense. It has nothing to do with being an opportunist.”

Doesn’t switching sides to “go where the votes are” have everything to do with being an opportunist?

WNYMedia: Florence Johnson Retains School Board Seat

WNYMedia has learned that the absentee ballot count from the Erie County Board of Elections show Florence Johnson is now leading challenger Bryon Mcintyre by 94 votes and indicate that she will indeed retain her seat on the Buffalo Board of Education.
The election shoud be finalized by the end of the day.

Sam Hoyt, Chris Jacobs, and the School Board Election

I like Sam Hoyt.  I’ve voted and volunteered for him in the past, and we were even guest speakers at the same event once.  But I don’t understand why he would urge people to vote for incumbent school board member Chris Jacobs when so many of his supporters were actively working to elect a different slate of candidates.

In the week before the election, I got the following Facebook message from Sam: “For those of you who live in the City of Buffalo, I’d like to encourage you to get out and vote tomorrow for my good friend Chris Jacobs, who is running for re-election to the School Board. You can find out more information about him at his facebook group, linked below.”  I’ve also heard that Sam sent a mailer and recorded a robo-call message in support of Jacobs.  You can read about the endorsement here.

I’m not going to try and figure out the politics behind this support.  Suffice it to say, it’s confusing — Jacobs was supported by Byron Brown, Hoyt’s constant nemesis, and opposed by the Buffalo Teacher’s Federation, who have their problems with Sam.  I’ll just say that it seems odd for Sam to work against many of his strongest supporters — who have spent several weeks trying to oust the incumbents — particularly when these folks stood by Sam last summer during the intern scandal and worked to get him re-elected.

Buffalo School Board Elections

I have stayed way the hell out of this, since I don’t have a direct stake in the outcome. I have an indirect stake, in that it is important for the whole region that kids living in its urban epicenter obtain a quality education. I haven’t commented on the fact that various political and lobbying organizations have backed certain candidates, and stayed out of the whole thing pretty much completely.

The votes are in, and it looks like a big blow was dealt to the incumbent slate – only Chris Jacobs won re-election. Catherine Collins and Florence Johnson, both of whom have been on the school board for many years, and are strong supporters of Superintendent James Williams, appear to have been ousted.

Newcomers John Licata and Bryon McIntyre have been elected to the board. This does not bode particularly well for James Williams, any initiatives he might propose, or even for his continued tenure.

Because kids only get one chance in life to get a good education, and because the City of Buffalo has largely been failing them in that task, it will be a very interesting place to keep an eye on when the newbies are seated.

I hav

Buffalo School Board Election Results

Here are the results from last night’s Buffalo School Board Election:

B    COLLINS, CATHERINE      3,780      14%
B     DEVIS, PATRICIA E     2,733     10%
B     HAMPTON, ROSALIND J     2,240     8%
B     JACOBS, CHRISTOPHER L     4,239     15%
B     JOHNSON, FLORENCE D     3,773     14%
B     LICATA, JOHN B     4,961     18%
B     MCINTYRE, BRYON     3,831     14%
B     WILLIAMS, REBEKAH A     1,937     7%

Buffalo School Board Election Results

Our Next Superintendent?

You can follow things here.

With 90% of districts reporting, John Licata leads with 19%, followed by Chris Jacobs with 16% and Bryon McIntyre with 14%.  Incumbent Catherine Collins is 165 votes behind McIntyre.

If these results hold, it would mean two new board members, two incumbents out on their ass, and (possibly) a world of hurt for Superintendent James Williams.

Updates in the comments.

Buffalo School Board Elections

Catherine Collins: taxpayer-funded glamor shot?

The Buffalo School Board elections are tomorrow, Tuesday May 5th.  Three at-large seats on the 9-member board will be up for grabs tomorrow.  You should vote, and you should kick the incumbents out on their collective ass.

CEJ has been all over this issue, and they’ve put together a candidate questionnaire.

Business groups and entrenched politicians have spent more than $30,000 in an effort to retain the current at-large board members — Chris Jacobs, Catherine Collins, and Florence Johnson.  This support comes despite — or perhaps because of — the fact that these three board members are at the heart of the corruption and ineffectiveness that have marked the board in recent memory.  For instance, the board has spent some $33,000 on meals and snacks for itself over the last 18 months:

Last week, for instance, they could choose from egg rolls, shrimp lo mein, General Tso’s chicken, pepper steak, sesame chicken, cheesecake, cookies and flan, among other goodies, before they sat down to discuss finance matters.

Other weeks, board members enjoy meatballs, turkey, chicken, potatoes, corn and salad. Sometimes, it’s steak fajitas and chicken wings.

Besides the $300 or so that’s spent each week on meals for the board and administrators who stay late for meetings, another $100 a week keeps the board’s kitchen in City Hall stocked with soft drinks, chips and cookies.

There are two issues here.  First, the obvious fact that gainfully employed adults can feed themselves rather than gorging at a taxpayer-funded smorgasbord.  But second, and more interestingly, these Board of Ed buffets are being catered by a woman named Joyce Livingston.  This seems odd, since board members could keep their business within the school system — and save money — by having their meetings catered by Emerson Commons, the culinary arts high school on Chippewa that runs its own restautrant and catering service.  Who wants to bet that Joyce Livingston knows someone in City Hall?

Beyond that, we’re paying to send these people to conferences around the country with little apparent benefit to the district.  Collins is one of the worst offenders, racking up more than $14,000 in expenses for 9 trips over the previous 18 months.  Johnson has taken “only” 4 such taxpayer-supported vacations, while Jacobs — the son of a billionaire — has spared the district and used Daddy’s money, instead.

Ok, the board may be full of greedy leeches, but what kind of job are they doing?  Remember the Jayvonna Kincannon fiasco? Or how about the decision to give ResultTech millions of dollars to run an alternative school, despite achieving a 100% failure rate with its 8th grade students?

These people are free to continue ripping us off because turnout is so low for school board elections.  If we let it continue, we have no one to blame but ourselves.