The Problem is the Process
In a series of open letters to Town leadership, former School Committee member Dr. Fred Wang explained why he can’t support the Pierce project. He debunks the “cost effective” narrative, asks for transparency, and explains how “the problem is the process” and Brookline’s future is paying the price.
Dr. Wang writes,
“As a former member of School Building Committees and School Committee, I know first-hand how easily “wants” morph into “needs” in the project design process. Inevitably, the envelope is pushed. Too often the process proceeds until the project finds the highest dollar amount that is felt to be passable in a Town-wide debt exclusion vote. Then it is argued that ‘there is no other choice.’
The process is broken and does not use essential needs to drive the design towards the most cost-effective building for educational learning.
The question now is not whether Pierce should be renovated, but why is this solution so outrageously expensive? It's not just more expensive than the most expensive K-8 projects in the Commonwealth, it blows away the top three by 40%, and those are all for larger K-8 schools than Pierce.
If there is no explanation to justify the spending that drives this project far in excess of the most expensive elementary school projects in the Commonwealth, then I think that is the definition of uncontrolled spending.”