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A Message From

Jonathan L. Edelson, Board Chair

Oakland Mills Community Association

jledelson.omca@gmail.com

Speak Out at the September 23rd Board of Education Meeting ~ FUND Deferred Maintenance at Our Schools

September 3, 2021



Dear Residents and Friends of Oakland Mills,

 

***Save the date! September 23rd at 7:00pm***

 

On August 12th, we asked you to testify to the Board of Education in support of Oakland Mills High School (OMHS) and Oakland Mills Middle School (OMMS), and you delivered. Last week, we asked you to email all of your elected officials before the school system’s superintendent submitted his capital budget and plan, and you delivered again. We also said that this would have to be a sustained effort over a long period of time. The good news is that people are starting to notice a lot of talk about Oakland Mills these days.

 

Our next milestone is September 23rd at 7:00pm when the Board of Education considers the Superintendent’s proposed capital budget and capital plan. This document does include a renovation of OMMS; however, that renovation would not be complete until 2030 if funded at all. Sadly, the document does not include anything for OMHS. Recall that OMHS has more deferred maintenance than any other school building in the county. It’s at $111 million and counting!

 

Simply put again, OMMS and OMHS account for 20 percent of all deferred maintenance across the school system, yet only serve 3 percent of the students.

 

This cannot continue. Excluding OMHS—the building in most need of repair and renovation—from the capital plan is negligent. If OM will not be seen in the capital plan, then we will be seen when we speak up on behalf of our children, our teachers, and our cOMmunity.

 

Please sign up NOW at this link to testify on the 23rd. We will distribute talking points for testimony closer to the date, but for now, if you want to draft your testimony early, please refer to the OMCA testimony delivered on August 12th. We are also attaching a copy of the proposed capital budget and plan for your reference.

 

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jledelson.omca@gmail.com for more information.

 

It won’t be easy, but we can do this! We are OM…We are strongest together!


Superintendent's Proposed Capital Budget & Capital Plan

OMCA's August 12th Testimony

 

 

Stay well and enjoy the holiday weekend,

 

Jonathan L. Edelson

Chairman, OMCA Board of Directors

jledelson.omca@gmail.com