• From: Ahmed Ismail <ismaila@gpschools.org>
    Date: Sat, Feb 25, 2023 at 4:36 PM
    Subject: Re: IA Building - Delay in Vote on Option 7 and Concerns re: Non-Board Members Recommendations
    To: Colleen Worden <wordenc@gpschools.org>
    Cc: School Board (GPPSS) <schoolboard@gpschools.org>


    Trustee Worden,

    You must be telepathic, as I just completed and sent a response to your February 22 email.

    Please review it at your convenience.

    With reference to adding items to the agenda, please follow Board Policy 1.40.2.  As you well know from attending our February 16 Facilities-Finance Committee meeting, the administration and Plante Moran CRESA are putting together information for the Committee that will help aid the Committee in its recommendation to the Board.  A Board discussion without this important recommendation and additional information on a $7 million plus investment would not be in the best interest of our community.

    Thank you,

    Ahmed Ismail

    Ahmed Ismail, President
    Grosse Pointe Public School System - Board of Education
    313-343-9060

    Note:  The opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the balance of the Board of Trustees and/or the administration of the Grosse Pointe Public School System. Emails sent to or from this email address are accessible by the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).


    On Sat, Feb 25, 2023 at 2:42 PM Colleen Worden <wordenc@gpschools.org> wrote:
    Good afternoon Ahmed,

    I sent you an email on February 22 requesting that you address a number of concerns about the recommendations by the non-board members of the Facilities and Finance Committee regarding the future of the IA Building and location of GPS Art Department.  I also expressed concern that the Facilities and Finance Committee is making decisions about the IA Building that involve funding and financial risks that the entire Board of Education should be considering for full transparency.   

    As of today's date, I have not received a response from you.  (I also sent you an email on February 17 requesting a timeline as to the deadline that the Board must decide on Option 7, before it becomes necessary to push the project into 2024, and you did not respond to that email either.)  By delaying the vote on IA Building - Option 7, the Finance and Facilities Committee IS making a decision about the future of the IA Building, and this decision is improper because committees do not have such authority.  The entire Board should be considering this decision, because the costs of implementing Option 7 (or any of the options) will be significantly higher if the project is postponed to late 2024. 

    I am requesting that you add an agenda item for discussion regarding the IA Building project to the February 27, 2023 Board of Education meeting to apprise the entire Board and public of the status of the IA Building.  The GPS Arts Department, Mr. Szmrecsanyi and our community deserve to know if the project is being delayed and the costs of such delay.  I am attaching the non-board members' memorandum of recommendations regarding the IA building for reference.

    Thank you.
    Colleen

     

    --
    Colleen Worden, Trustee
    Grosse Pointe Public School System