Thursday, February 2, 2017
Opinion Piece: PPS Bond Survey an Opportunity for improved Accessibility and Safety
Recently, PPS released a bond survey to get community input on what issues it should prioritize when allocating the 1.6 billion dollars in current and potential bond funds. The implications for the allocation of these funds are substantial.You can find the survey link and my response below.
What questions do you have about this bond process?
How will you be able to maximize the tax payers money to make schools safe and accessible? I could imagine millions of dollars could be saved if the right (really smart) people figured out a way to maximize efficiency without compromising safety or cutting corners. I am also curious about what the plan is to deal with the lead in the water. My understanding is that lead levels are at legal and safe levels if the people ran the water for a few seconds before drinking. Rather than replace the entire plumbing infrastructure, couldn't plumbers install a water catch timer system that would functionally do this (let the water run) prior to being available to drink? I'm not a plumber or engineer but would love to see some updates on different proposals for creative and cost-effective problem solving by our best plumbers and engineers. Thanks for the survey.
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| Can PPS incorporate a timed water flush system into our infrastructure to save millions? Please respond in the comments section if you are a plumber, hydraulic engineer, or have expertise in this area. |
What would you like the Board of Education to consider when deciding on a bond package to refer to voters?
I think making the water safe to drink again may be the most pressing issue that voters will most likely support. However, almost as important are access and universal design considerations (ex: wheelchair, stroller, bi-pedal can all use ramps/curb cuts). Is there anything else you’d like to share about the bond proposals?
After safety and access issues are addressed I would love to see some funds allocated to build safe, accessible, and fun school playgrounds. While some playgrounds are accessible, there are very few that are fun and accessible (see Harper's Playground as an example). I would love to see Harper's playground design team incorporated into future development of schools and playgrounds.
Pete Carpenter MOT, OTR/L (and father of two)
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