Key officials from Bridgeport and Trumbull negotiating land use issues for a proposed regional science magnet school are scheduled to meet on Friday with former State Senator Andrew McDonald, Governor Dannel Malloy’s legal point person on the project.
There’s been a lot teeth-gnashing and rhetoric over control of the state-owned property located in Trumbull for the proposed magnet school in the Old Town Road area where Bridgeport and Trumbull share a border. In the latest development, Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst would like to transact a property swap with Bridgeport for possible construction of a sewage treatment plant near the Pequonnock River. Bridgeport officials say they have no problem doing the swap, which would locate the school in city proper. McDonald is well versed with all the personalities involved and hopefully will pave the way for a state sign-off to get the deal done.
There’s no perfection to these deals. Get the deal done, let’s move on, it’s a good for the region.
Lennie are you freaking kidding me with this statement? “There’s no perfection to these deals. Get the deal done, let’s move on, it’s a good for the region.”
Good for the region bad for Bridgeport, we will be paying for all the teachers, all the maintenence, the police and fire protection, to what end? Our kids or a large percentage of them will still be going to school in two run-down and out-of-date schools, Harding & Bassick.
Good for the region? Yeah we give Trumbull the land where the park department is, they build a sewer treatment plant and we get more shit from Trumbull. Hey Lennie what happens at this treatment center during times of heavy storms? If you don’t know, let me tell you. Trumbull will be forced to release untreated or partially treated sewage that will then flow into Beardsley park and Bunnell’s Pond. Lennie come out of your ivory tower in Redding and take a ride to Glenwood park where you will see the debris remnants showing how high the water reached during the last storm. While you are there ask Park City Ford how they felt being underwater.
We already have regional schools in the aqua culture high school and the new Science grammar school. What do we get from the ‘burbs, 40 open spots in Trumbull high school? Big deal.
If you think getting this high school is so important build the damn thing in Redding.
Show me any other community in the USA that would have treated and untreated sewage flowing thru the heart of one of their recreational jewels and through their city. There are none.
tc, you’re assuming the DEP will allow Trumbull to build a sewage treatment plant? I would not assume that. It will not happen without DEP consent. But I thought you wanted Bridgeport to be independent of Trumbull’s poop? As for the school, the city desperately needs a new high school and this will take some pressure off of Harding. Are you proposing the city build a new Harding? I’m all for that. Where do you build it and at what cost?
Hey Lennie, money talks and bullshit walks. Trumbull gets the park department property who can say what the DEP will do especially if they get pressure from political higher ups? I want Trumbull to handle their own sewage but not at our expense. You want to be with your family at Beardsley park when Trumbull releases some of their not-quite-finished sewage? Would you want that in one of your parks?
The poor and middle class use these parks for recreation and to get away from the day-to-day bullshit they face. Lennie, on this one you are full of it.
Does the city need a new high school? You bet they do. Do we need a magnet high school for the region? No we don’t. We need a high school to replace Harding & Bassick. Why is everyone involved in this school project forgetting the kids who will not be going to college? Why are we forgetting them? Is it a race thing? Is it that the people in charge are saying screw these kids they are not going to college? God damn it someone has to stand up for these kids and say they deserve to be treated equally. Do you think I want to pay to educate suburban brats? No I don’t. I want my Bridgeport kids to have a chance.
town committee, you said, “We need a high school to replace Harding & Bassick. Why is everyone involved in this school project forgetting the kids who will not be going to college? Why are we forgetting them? Is it a race thing?” Andy, would you explain a little more about what you wrote, “Is it a race thing?”
Ron, here is what I mean. The great majority of kids in the school system are minorities. The 68% dropout rate consists of a majority of minority children. We are looking to build a magnet school that will be regional. Sure there will be minority kids from Bridgeport going to that regional school but I am wiling to bet the majority from the ‘burbs are white.
In the meantime the kids at Harding & Bassick will still be going to 2 high schools that should have been closed long ago. What about the kids not going to college? What about them, keep them in a warehouse-like atmosphere get them in and get them out in 4 years? Why doesn’t anyone see these kids deserve a chance to learn in a proper atmosphere? Why do the powers that be only worry about the kids who might go to college?
I have coached a lot of kids who went to Harding & Bassick over the years and all they ever wanted was a chance. Are we giving them that chance? I say no. Ron if my answer is not to your liking I am sorry but I do care about these kids because I was one of them, I was poor, introverted and basically no one gave a shit if I was in school.
tc, according to Rob Russo, former state senator representing Bridgeport on the school proposal, the state will fund 95% of the construction costs, the City will pay for the other 5% by bonding. 100% of the operating costs will be paid for by the state.
I don’t believe that for one minute. I believe the state will pay 95% so we get to bond the 5% with the ‘burbs bonding for squat. We will be paying the teachers’ salaries and such although if you want to be technical I guess that means the state will up their payments to the city for education. Do you really see that with a 3 Billion dollar deficit?
If we are going to bond for anything let’s build a high school in Bridgeport and combine Bassick & Harding. We will get 85% from the state or thereabouts and we can bond for the other 15%.
This regional BS is because the ‘burbs need more high school space but not enough space to require each suburban town to build a high school.
You build it in a section of “steal pointe” with a football field, track, indoor swimming pool and all the bells and whistles a first in this generation high school deserves. They should probably look into combining both Harding and Bassick. If that’s the case this location makes even more sense as it falls right in the middle of both school districts. At some point we could look into renovating Central.
*** If this happens it will be 5 to 10 years before the school is up & running, same with a new poop-treatment plant. But you can be sure this admin. will want to rush things along & end up with the poop end of the stick as usual. *** HERE WE GO! ***