The proposed Phase I would deal with:
- Benton – $21 million for a new elementary school, which would help relieve Legacy and Apollo.
- Haughton - $45 million for a new middle school, to convert the current middle school to elementary and for a 24 room wing for Haughton High School.
- Bossier High School – would consolidate Rusheon Middle School into BHS and would renovate Rusheon Middle School to house all of the non-STEM technical programs (at a cost of $17 million). It would also call for a plan to lease 47,000 square feet at CIC with an estimated ten year lease of $7 million. It would move Bossier Learning to an empty wing at Butler, and finally would relocate Charlotte Mitchell to the old BPCC South Campus.
- Parkway – $1 million to remove T-buildings from Sun City, add two classrooms and realign the attendance zone.
- Airline High School - $29.7 million for renovation, addition of 24 room wing & expansion of cafeteria. This would also build five classrooms and a rear driveway at Legacy and would add 12 room wings at Greenacres & Cope, and three four-room wings at Cope.
The main thing I question in this phase of the plan would be spending $7 million to lease space from CIC for the STEM students. School districts all over the country have STEM programs, which is a good thing. By integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics into one discipline, schools hope to boost what has been a dwindling college enrollment in these subjects.
I don’t understand the advantage in spending $7 million at CIC. What does CIC offer that the school board could not provide in a facility of its own? Does CIC offer facilities that the board could not duplicate on its own?
Of course, the committee hasn't decided to do that, it is just a proposal.
it's a sincere question, I don't know the answer. It seems to me that $7 million should provide amply for classrooms and facilities to train these students without leasing space from CIC which would have to be re-negotiated or abandoned in ten years.
Perhaps someone can shed some light on this.
Yea Jim at the City of Bossier is going to put their butt on the line and borrow the money roughly $35 million to build the new building at CIC. WHY??
ReplyDeleteI'm will go along with everything but the renting space at CIC. I don't see the need in that. It's sound like politicians trying to help other politicians. They know what a disaster that projects been so they are doing everything possible to try and find some use for it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up on what they're considering. Sounds like some good ideas.
ReplyDeleteI don't get the leasing at CIC, though. Maybe there is some big advantage...maintenance, or something. I'm sure the pros and cons will come out.
I just received my January 20th issue of the Bossier Press-Tribune. The top story is "CIC plans for growth in 2012." It's almost laughable if it weren't so sad.
ReplyDeleteRemember when they were telling us if the CIC was built Bossier City would be the world's leader in cyber innovation and every major company would locate here? Well, now they are going to bring in teachers and university faculty from all over the country.
When will your readers take pride in Bossier City and be thankful for the blessing that we have? Progress does not occur overnight, it takes years of strategic planning and investments. I think Bossier has made enormous strides over the last 10-15 years and is poised for even greater things to come. Don't fear change but embrace it.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:17, my children are in the Bossier school system and they are benefiting from these new programs. And these programs aren't just for Bossier but being rolled out regionally and now nationally. Finally some good news about Louisiana on the education front.
5:01,
ReplyDeleteYour just another kool-aid drinker.
5:01, you need to pull your head out of the dark, warm, moist place and listen to what people are saying on this blog.
ReplyDelete5:01, "And these programs aren't just for Bossier but being rolled out regionally and now nationally."
ReplyDeleteCan you name some? I mean, honestly, can you name some? I read the article in the Bossier Press. OK, Lockheed Martin is putting in a corporate filed office. Whoop Whoop!
We were promised being "regionally and nationally" known when the CIC was built, because we were building an innovation park that was going to be the envy of the nation if not the world. Where is it? It didn't happen. In case you didn't know hear, Cyber Command, which the nimrods in Bossier was certain was coming to Barksdale didn't. Go out to the CIC an look at the parking lot. Ah, not much happening there.
Go to the Boardwalk, which was put up for a Sheriff's sale because of bankruptcy. Yes, that $23 million the city spent on the adjacent parking garage was one hell of an investment.
There has been so much waste that the taxpayers have to pay for. These fiascos weren't free.
We're not against progress, but we're against having people pissing on us and telling us it's raining.
Quit drinking the rain. It is making you more stupid.
ReplyDelete9:29,
ReplyDeleteWell said. If I remember correctly we voted for these projects because we believed in our city officials. But unlike 5:01, we finally woke up when project after project has continued to fail. Yet they continue to invest in these failed projects at our expense. The more questions we ask the more silent or bull**** we get in return.
I've given up on getting them voted out of office. I do believe one day justice will be served though.
If I'm a betting man, I bet Lockheed Martin is here because Mary landrieu told them to put an office here. If they wanted field office near Barksdale why not put it on Barksdale? I'm not buying their explanation. They have a field office here now with one employee and he is only here half the time.
ReplyDeleteSome of you people just don't even deserve to live in a place like Bossier Parish! The whole rest of the world is going down the tubes, but here in Bossier, we are living in a paradise, a bright city on the hill, and we have nothing to complain about. We have the best officials that anyone could ever hope for, and they deserve full cooperation from us citizens. We need to fill the Cyber Research Park with world class buildings just like the CIC and they will fill up with world class people. We need to expand BPCC and turn it into an Ivy League university instead of a community college. We need to give the Bossier school board not only the 212 million, but the full 450 million, and even more, so that they can turn our school system into magnet schools which will attract the best and brightest and wealthiest people in the world to move here and have their children educated in the great Bossier schools. You people are just doom and gloom, like RR used to say. We live in the most wonderful place on Earth, and we need higher taxes and more government spending to make it even better. No guts, no glory.
ReplyDeleteThe programs that Anon 5:01 is referring include new courses for our students, summer programs and exposure to job opportunities that didn't exists 5-10 years ago. These programs are being rolled out in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:31 makes a good point. All over the country communities are facing stagnant growth and limited opportunities for the future. Not Bossier! While our city isn't perfect, none are, I believe they helping our community become stronger and a better place to live for our children. My friends son has a job at the CIC working with one of the new companies - Hitachi. It's a good paying job and an opportunity that would not be here without the CIC.
Increasing taxation to have world class education, and reseach facilities and overwhelming police presence is the key to keeping Bossier Parish as the best place in the world to live. The people who don't belong in Bossier Parish should not be able to afford to pay the taxes to live in such a wonderful place, and we should have such strong police protection that they don't even dare to come here. There are plenty of places for them to shop other than the Boardwalk, which was built for us. The police presence there needs to be increased, not decreased, no matter what it costs.
ReplyDeleteYes, and we need to pay 75 to 80 percent of our income to taxes. We need to have the government take care of every aspect of our lives. We all need to drive a Prius and pay $7.00 a gallon for gas.
ReplyDeleteIf you like that, move to Europe you puke!
I hate to be dense, but is 8:31 being sarcastic and it just went over my head, or is he for real? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure he or she is being sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteI hate to tell people who think Bossier is a utopia that if they drove to Dallas, or other cities outside 100 mile radius, and told them you live in Bossier and reply would be, "Where's that?"
ReplyDeleteAs for BPCC being an "Ivy League" institution, don't think so. BPCC will be nothing more than a community college, because that's what it was designed to be. The state wouldn't allow it, because there are already too many four-year institutions in this state. BPCC, which does a damned good job at what it was designed to do, was designed to train people for the work force not become literary philosophers.
Washington wants 50 per cent of our income, now these local politicians want the other 50 per cent. 210 million for the school system? Have you people lost your minds!
ReplyDelete@7:51, it is interesting that you use the word utopia, because that is what we are here in Bossier Parish, a dad-gum paradise, a bright and shining city on a hill, where we can look down upon those all around us, who are unworthy to live here. Who cares if people in Dallas have never heard of Bossier? That place is just a big cesspool of humanity, full of every diverse kind of ethnicity, and even a sizeable number of deviates who engage in non-procreative sexual activity. Of course the greatest President of all time lives there with his lovely wife, Laura, but they have sense enough to live in a very exclusive area up north of that cesspool of humanity. You have to understand that there is rightful taxation as well as wrongful taxation. Federal and state taxation is wrong because most of that is used to help the weak and poor survive. All those failed policies of the 20th century like Social Security, food stamps, Medicare, Section 8 housing, pre-natal care for unwed mothers, etc. ad nauseum. But those of us with the intelligence and wherewithal to live in an exclusive local area, a wonderland of excellence like Bossier Parish must pay high local taxes to make it even more wonderful and exclusive. If you make it so just anybody can afford to live here, then that is who will live here, just anybody. And Bossier kind of people should live in Bossier, and be happy to pay the taxes to do so.
ReplyDelete@7:22, why do you consider it to be sarcastic when a person has values and standards, and is not ashamed to say so?
ReplyDelete12:18,
ReplyDeleteNow your being sarcastic. Funny.
its always nice to see the bloggers casting aspersions here - the great news is that they dont do anything else - they dont raise money for opposition candidates - they dont run for office - they just hide behind their anonymous blog and make allegations - what a simple way to rule a parish - bunch of very informed bloggers that dont do crap but complain and allow the good ole boys to run it how they see fit - ha
ReplyDeleteWell 3:32,
ReplyDeleteAren't you the pot calling the kettle black.
The rest of you can do what you want to but I will vote no on any new taxes and maybe no on existing ones. We pay enough taxes! You can pour all the money you want into the school system and we will still be rated c or d. La. is a backward state and always will be. Most of our politicians claim to be conservatives but spend tax money like it grows on trees. Look at the PJ and self given raises! Remember the school board scandal and no one at central office held accountable. Send a message to all these politicians by voting no on any and all taxes and tell them to do their job with current funding. VOTE NO NEW TAXES!
ReplyDeleteThat's my plan. I have to live within a budget. So should they as well. If there is something I want and can't afford then I save my money till I can afford it or I do without. I can't just go ask for more money to get things I want. I know people like these politicians. They live for today and do not think about tomorrow. Those people always seem to have money issues. Just like our politicians.
ReplyDelete7:42 is right - we forgot the school board scandal and they are wanting more money - a lot more. Who will have a house built out of this one?
ReplyDeleteThere is so much underutilized space in this parish that it is ridiculous to be even thinking about building more buildings. A simple redrawing of district lines and stopping the out-of-district and excessive M2M transfers would eliminate overcrowding in many schools.
ReplyDeleteBPSB employees are numerous enough with all the new hires to pass this if you add up all the employees and just .5 additional family members it will pass overwhelmingly. They don't have the restraint to protect the democracy.
ReplyDelete"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."
I though CIC was so full that they had to expand it. Surely with all the high techness going on out there they don't want a bunch of kids.
ReplyDeleteHow can they charge us the citizens rent, when we paid for the building?
That logic is exactly why NO ONE will move their businesses here.
That is why, we are a Republic!
ReplyDeleteWe are a democratic republic. With the democracy being the element that sets us apart.
ReplyDeleteYou are all a bunch of cry-babies! You had the chance to make a diffrence in the last elections and you didnt, so I dont want to hear your belly-aching. Every incumbant should have been given their walking papers, and no Im not voting for any new taxes. And, to the idiot who said we need to pay more taxes to keep the trash out of our parish... you are just about dumb! Do you really think good people will move to this parish when they see the high tax rates? Hell no they wont, and the good people will move out and the only ones left will be the trash who cant afford to leave! Im now waiting for July when Julian wants a tax increase when he said he was never going to raise them.
ReplyDelete