Poor communication between Baltimore County government and school administrators could have jeopardized state funding for building projects, according to Maryland?s school construction chief.
The county?s request for state construction funding was “replete” with errors, late submissions and constant changes, said David Lever, executive director of the Interagency Committee on School Construction, the agency tasked with recommending how to allocate millions for school buildings. The county received $41 million in state aid for 2009, but Lever said miscommunication between the staffs of Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith and school Superintendent Joe Hairston prompted “lack of direction on major projects.”
“It could result in major projects which can?t become eligible and that could restrict the amount of funding we can recommend,” Lever said. “It?s a great concern for us, but it?s also a great concern to them.”
In a memo to state schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick, Lever said communication woes forced his staff to visit three construction sites to clarify projects. The “extraordinarylevel of involvement” detracted attention from the requests submitted by other Maryland counties, he wrote in the April 22 memo.
Lever?s concerns were addressed at a Wednesday meeting of the Board of Public Works, where local lawmakers criticized what they called a lack of community input on plans for an addition at Loch Raven High School. Several lawmakers, including state Sen. Jim Brochin, Dels. Sue Aumann and Bill Frank, and County Councilman Bryan McIntire advocated a new high school in the county?s northeast corridor.
Treasurer Nancy Kopp said enrollment projections don?t warrant the addition, and Comptroller Peter Franchot suggested deferring the allocation until a public hearing.
“It sounds like a real mess,” Franchot said.
County school officials did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Smith spokesman Don Mohler said the county executive and Hairston have an “excellent working relationship” and meet regularly.
“These are complex issues and they don?t lend themselves easily to answers,” Mohler said. “But I don?t think there is any friction there.”
Lever said his committee will meet with county officials over the summer to review the process and monitor their spending.
Examiner staff writer Len Lazarick contributed to this report.
