Reply to Gray Proposes Reallocation of $100MM of DCPS Capital Modernization Funds

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Reply to "Gray Proposes Reallocation of $100MM of DCPS Capital Modernization Funds"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=GarrisonPTA]It's me, Ann McLeod, Garrison PTA President.  If I may, I am going to respond to a few items here:
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2.  TO the poster who said "Why do people believe they should get something from reprogramming - redirecting funds from unspent categories - during the next 6 months rather than as part of the regular budget process and capital improvement plan?  I don't get the perspective that anyone was "robbed" here."

We specifically ARE being robbed. Garrison's Phase I modernization is scheduled for this summer - this is the way all phased modernizations work.  This has been scheduled for years; same as other schools who are on the "loser" list.  We have had many meetings about this, architects have already worked on plans, etc.  So, yes, the Mayor is asking that the funds that are "unspent" but the funds have already been set-aside for Garrison via AN APPROVED BUDGET, are now requested to be moved to cover the shortfall for other projects.

3.  No where in the document does it say when the modernization will now take place.  It just says that it will be in a future fiscal year. 
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Personally, what angers me so much about all of this is that there is no explanation as to WHY the choices were made - no strategic reasons, no "OK folks, we need to do this but we guarantee you'll be in the next fiscal year and you'll get a full modernization so you are guaranteed that future renovations will not be rescheduled like this one has."  (Of course, it has been proven over and over again that we cannot trust what is said anyway, so why would we believe that?)  There is NO plan.
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Hi I am the person who wondered how Garrison was "robbed" and the distinction between budgeted funds and seeking reprogramming is important and it’s good that you clarified that.
I think something you really need at this point is DGS and the Mayor’s budget office’s estimate of how much it will cost for them to move ahead with the project.  
•	If you were to receive $6.1 million, would you be unable to get a summer start?  If that is the case, the Mayor’s office and DGS need to be up front about that.
•	Is there a threshold to get facility renovation at Garrison started?
•	How much is the minimum for a summer start to get you to October?  
What you need to do is try to get a meeting with Brian Hanlon and your PTA leadership along with the Mayor’s capital budget staff.  SIT team doesn’t cut it, as no one that matters in the funding actually will be there.
On fighting this reprogramming, you have a tough road.  You’ll be derailing everyone else who needs money this year if you decide you want to fight, and you need a lot of Council allies without interest in supporting their own constituents, which is going to be hard to find.
My advice would be – see if a supplemental reprogramming can be done for summer starts and get the remainder of your funding in the FY15 budget.  I might even ask for an acceleration to get the funds to fully complete the modernization on the schedule set in the CIP.  I think if you do that, you’re bound to succeed.  
If you try to blow up the reprogramming you’re likely to fail with the Council.  The reprogramming as it is has supporters on the Council.  Others from other schools with immediate and greater needs will fight you (I grant you for your purposes your need is great, etc., etc., vent if you need to…).  Inter-PTA bloodletting is needless.  In fact, other parents would probably support you if you went this route.  Could discuss offline.[/quote]

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