I don't know whether to be amused or horrified that the Board is looking to the comments section of this blog for tips on how to run this project. Kirby Callam seems like a nice guy and definitely did not deserve to end up the fall guy when this project falls to pieces.
Good point Barry! I feel both amused and horrified, as well as other feelings I can't quite put into words. However, I am hopeful that this situation will be resolved sooner rather than later for the benefit of the 5th Ward students and families!
I hope you’re right, Tom. And that this shows some prudence & take chargedness on Dr. Turner’s part. Fingers crossed that another relative or friend doesn’t get this six figure job….to be honest though —I’m not holding my breath!
The Evanston Now story quotes Turner saying something like ‘I’m an educator, I don’t know anything about construction.’
It just reminded me how much the board failed in its secretive superintendent search.
Turner is the second superintendent in a row hired in secret who has zero experience heading up a school district.
We will never know who else applied for the job, but it is not hard to believe that there are probably good candidates with experience overseeing BOTH education and new school construction.
They should have prioritized that in the search. We’ll never know whether they did or not since the entire process was conducted behind closed doors.
Some discussions I contend were in violation of the OMA, in particular discussions about the residency requirement. I have an open case with the IL AG on this right now.
At least Turner knows what she doesn’t know - Horton would still be out there YOLOing it.
This information from the Evanston Now article you linked is tremendously concerning and worrisome:
"A member of the Cordogan-Clark team explained that costs were going higher than expected because of the need to add a fire pump, which is not usually required in a two-story building. Plus, there are challenges with the soil consistency under the new structure which will cost $700,000 to remediate."
How are they able to add these costs with no transparency or oversight? I continue to be utterly confused and befuddled by the information and decisions of this school board and administration.
I am also concerned about the current superintendent's comments stating “To be honest,” she noted, “I don’t know how much sleep I’ve gotten this year.” Bringing in the owner’s rep “will let me close my eyes. It’s what we need right now.”
Thank you for providing an update on Dr. Horton. I can only wish, hope, and pray for the best for District 65. It appears we are taking a step in the right direction with hiring an owner's representative.
All this stuff should've been discovered *before* they took the money. I just get the sense they're going to start digging and find a native burial site or something and the whole thing will cost $200 million dollars to remediate.
Or they won't be able to complete the building at that location in time for the deadline! Or keep downsizing and cutting costs to the detriment of 5th ward students and families!
Have they made any decisions regarding Bessie Rhodes TWI students? Omar made some great points about keeping the building open and waiting for additional SAP recommendations. Thank god for Omar Salem!
Someone has to pick that person! We have a civilian in charge of the US military. At some point you have to hire competent administrators to do the skills you can't do, no? I think it's better that she hire that person instead of just shooting from the hip like Horton did!!
But this guy has worked for the district for years …. College and carrer planning in elementary and middle school? He’s ineffective at his current job at best. I’d describe him as invisible … have you ever seen him at a district event or meeting? How is he going to impact a construction project?
I don't know whether to be amused or horrified that the Board is looking to the comments section of this blog for tips on how to run this project. Kirby Callam seems like a nice guy and definitely did not deserve to end up the fall guy when this project falls to pieces.
Good point Barry! I feel both amused and horrified, as well as other feelings I can't quite put into words. However, I am hopeful that this situation will be resolved sooner rather than later for the benefit of the 5th Ward students and families!
That video is… something else.
I hope you’re right, Tom. And that this shows some prudence & take chargedness on Dr. Turner’s part. Fingers crossed that another relative or friend doesn’t get this six figure job….to be honest though —I’m not holding my breath!
I don't know anyone actual real identities here, so as far as I know YOU could be Dr. Turner!
The Evanston Now story quotes Turner saying something like ‘I’m an educator, I don’t know anything about construction.’
It just reminded me how much the board failed in its secretive superintendent search.
Turner is the second superintendent in a row hired in secret who has zero experience heading up a school district.
We will never know who else applied for the job, but it is not hard to believe that there are probably good candidates with experience overseeing BOTH education and new school construction.
They should have prioritized that in the search. We’ll never know whether they did or not since the entire process was conducted behind closed doors.
Some discussions I contend were in violation of the OMA, in particular discussions about the residency requirement. I have an open case with the IL AG on this right now.
At least Turner knows what she doesn’t know - Horton would still be out there YOLOing it.
Loved that video of Horton dancing up to the podium. It was our Board that hired him The laugh is on us
This information from the Evanston Now article you linked is tremendously concerning and worrisome:
"A member of the Cordogan-Clark team explained that costs were going higher than expected because of the need to add a fire pump, which is not usually required in a two-story building. Plus, there are challenges with the soil consistency under the new structure which will cost $700,000 to remediate."
How are they able to add these costs with no transparency or oversight? I continue to be utterly confused and befuddled by the information and decisions of this school board and administration.
I am also concerned about the current superintendent's comments stating “To be honest,” she noted, “I don’t know how much sleep I’ve gotten this year.” Bringing in the owner’s rep “will let me close my eyes. It’s what we need right now.”
Thank you for providing an update on Dr. Horton. I can only wish, hope, and pray for the best for District 65. It appears we are taking a step in the right direction with hiring an owner's representative.
All this stuff should've been discovered *before* they took the money. I just get the sense they're going to start digging and find a native burial site or something and the whole thing will cost $200 million dollars to remediate.
Or they won't be able to complete the building at that location in time for the deadline! Or keep downsizing and cutting costs to the detriment of 5th ward students and families!
Have they made any decisions regarding Bessie Rhodes TWI students? Omar made some great points about keeping the building open and waiting for additional SAP recommendations. Thank god for Omar Salem!
Not that I know of. Big vote to close school is on 6/10. I wish I could go and give a public comment but have a professional commitment that day.
I am glad that we will have someone who is in charge of college and career planning selecting someone to oversee a K through 5th grade building
Someone has to pick that person! We have a civilian in charge of the US military. At some point you have to hire competent administrators to do the skills you can't do, no? I think it's better that she hire that person instead of just shooting from the hip like Horton did!!
But this guy has worked for the district for years …. College and carrer planning in elementary and middle school? He’s ineffective at his current job at best. I’d describe him as invisible … have you ever seen him at a district event or meeting? How is he going to impact a construction project?
College and career planning in D65 is a complete joke.