Brookfield embarks on new schools

There was some sniping
between a board
member and teachers.

By ERIC GROSSO

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BROOKFIELD — Brookfield school board officially entered into an agreement that will bring $20.1 million into the district for new schools, starting a classroom facilities project that will total $31.4 million.

The Ohio School Facilities Commission had been working with the district for nearly two years, including an in-depth inspection of district buildings.

The OSFC made a preliminary grant offer to the school over the summer. The district, however, could not accept the grant before raising $11.3 million, or about 33 percent of the total cost of the project.

Brookfield residents approved a 7.4-mill levy earlier this month, 1.6-mills of which is for local funded issues, which cover purchases made by the district that are not covered by OSFC funding.

On Saturday, board member Joseph Pasquerilla’s speech thanking the community for approving the levy didn’t sit well with some board members and district teachers.

“It was one of the most important elections in Brookfield history and will affect the community for the next 50 years,” Pasquerilla said.

He then said the bond issue passed “despite the Save Our Schools Committee with their negative influence under [board member] Ronald Brennan.”

Brennan immediately interjected, “That’s an out and out lie. I’ve always wanted the voters to have the right to choose .... ” but he was cut off from finishing his statement by Pasquerilla, who demanded Brennan to ask for the floor if he wanted to speak.

Brennan immediately called for the floor, but was denied by Pasquerilla, who continued his speech.

Pasquerilla went on to say that “teachers did not support the levy,” which drew another response from Brennan.

“It’s bad to start off painting with such a broad brush and further alienating the teachers,” Brennan said.

During the public address portion of the meeting many teachers agreed with Brennan.

“It’s a false statement; we never told anyone to vote against it,” said Margaret Kerrigan, Spanish teacher.

“The teachers were never asked to take part in any discussions” to get the levy passed, said Sally Schneider, Brookfield Federation of Teachers president.

Tim Filipovich, who will join the board in January after being voted in earlier this month, said the approving votes weren’t because of Pasquerilla, they were in spite of him.

“The voters put feeling for the past actions of the board aside and put the children first,” Filipovich added.

The board unanimously passed the resolution to enter the assistance program with OSFC.

The board also approved a Phase I study on a 44-acre parcel on Bedford Road across from Tiffany Manor at the cost of $1,500 for the new high school/middle school campus. The district also approved a payment to Timmerman Geotechnical Group Inc. out of Akron for $4,571. The group performed a soil sample on the same property.