Consolidation talk ends – for now

May 17, 2010


Patrick E. Litowitz
New Castle News

A plan to consolidate New Castle’s primary centers is no longer considered feasible.

Although the project was well received, its downfall was the $29 million price tag. Unknowns over the economy, funding sources and the state government’s fiscal management prompted city school board members to question the wisdom of moving ahead.

“We’re in one of the most volatile conditions this country has ever seen,” board member Brad Olson Jr. said at Thursday’s committee of the whole meeting.

“Our state, in and of itself, is in one of the worst conditions – if not the worst condition – it has ever been.”

Although a consensus vote wasn’t taken, Superintendent George Gabriel viewed the proposal as dead.

“I don’t see votes for this project to move forward,” he said. “I think we need to put it to rest.

“I think the administration needs to move forward on a capital improvement plan for our existing facilities.”

Contacted after the meeting, board members were asked how they would have voted on Gabriel’s recommendation to create an early learning center while closing three primary centers.

Barb Razzano, Dr. Marilyn Berkely, Fred Mozzocio, Mark Kirkwood and Olson said they disagreed with implementing the plan now. Kirkwood was out of town when the meeting took place.

Board President J. Allan Joseph, Karen Humphrey and Anna Pascarella supported the move. Attempts to contact Maryann Tofel were unsuccessful. However, in past meetings, she was one of the consolidation project’s strongest supporters.

“I’m frightened, just like all the other board members are about it,” Joseph said. “But I also have faith in George, Joe (Ambrosini), Stan (Magusiak) and Terry (Meehan).

“I saw how they turned (the district) around when they got here.”

As a formality, Gabriel said he will ask the board for a recommendation at its June work session.

Former board member Donna Donati questioned the project’s demise. Donati formed the ad hoc committee that examined the district’s building needs.

“I think he was emotional at the time,” she said of Gabriel. “Perhaps there wasn’t an overwhelming ‘Let’s go for it!’

“It was my impression that we’re just delaying it. I don’t feel like it’s dead. It’s premature to look into long-term debt whenever you have so many variables.”

During the meeting, Gabriel and his administrators reiterated the educational need for a kindergarten-through-second-grade center, which would have been built at Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center. Business manager Joseph Ambrosini also outlined how the closures of Thaddeus Stevens, West Side and John F. Kennedy primary centers would create the savings to make the consolidation possible.

“Stop and think for a minute about our current structures,” said Terence Meehan, assistant to the superintendent. “(They are) the remnants of an old neighborhood school system.

“We approach education entirely different – not just here in New Castle, but everywhere – in the delivery of instruction. We’re trying to operate schools in the remnants of those days and that doesn’t work academically.”

Gabriel said he won’t be revisiting the topic.

“I hope nobody asks me to do another presentation,” he said in a semi-joking manner.

“The presentation was beautiful,” Donati responded.