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The Post is outraged over what it costs for school playgrounds to be open and closed: "The city plans to spend up to $14.5 million a year to have school custodians simply lock and unlock schoolyard gates."
The city is making more school playgrounds available to the public, as part of PlaNYC. It breaks down to $50,000 per school "to cover annual expenses of opening the gates at 8 a.m. and closing them at dusk seven days a week." Some critics feel it's a waste—NYC Park Advocates' Gregory Croft says, "The custodians are already there during the school week, and they have to clean the schoolyard regardless. So they're really just getting paid to open and close the gates."
Instead, Croft, who notes other school parks are opened and closed by Parks Department staff, suggests a smaller amount of money could be used to hire staff to open the parks— then the rest could go directly to the Parks Department. However, City Councilwoman Gale Brewer said the custodians "do a lot more than just open and close the gates. After a weekend, there is a lot of cleanup to do. They should be fairly compensated for that extra work."
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I'll happily take the responsibility of making sure the playground gates at the school across the street from my building are opened and closed on schedule every day for only $30,000 per year -- saving the city $20 grand.
I went back to my old neighborhood a little while back and was shocked to find my PS schoolyard locked up. I guess that goes with the times. But even back in the mean, old 1970s, I had never seen the gates closed.
Really, Really!
How about you take every school you plan on doing this with, divide that cost up and offer it to a college student as part of a work study, financial aid program for CUNY. Take the burden off state and now you have a workforce doing part time tasks for well over whatever their tuition might be.
Ok, bad idea?
How about reinvesting half that amount to the schools' after-school program, only have the last teacher out of the building lock the gate, consider it a stipend and you're adding a service back to system.
Ok, ok, maybe that one's bad too...
How about you take a fraction of that money and repair the playgrounds badly in need? Get rid of the rusted swings, broken tubes, clean up the dog mess and install some cameras, oh, and give a key custodian to lock up at the beginning and end of the day.
Ya know what, fuck it. How would I know how best to spend my tax money. I elected people to make these decisions for me.
---oh, wait....
Shit! For that kind of green, I'll come down and take care of two or three schools. And I live in Connecticut! Where do I apply?
freaking union scam. the people would volunteer to close and open those for the kids. damn joke thats what it is.
So true. This is perfect for neighborhood volunteers.