Slide image from GCSC board meeting showing a replica of West Side Leadership Academy swimming pool

Gary's school district reveals funds for West Side's pool repair were diverted

Contributed By: The 411 News

‘What is the status of the swimming pool repair at West Side Leadership Academy?’ is a frequently asked question by community members at meetings of the Gary Community School Corporation’s Board of School Trustees.

The answer came in a report by GCSC’s Chief Operations Officer DeeEtta Wright at the Board’s Wednesday, October 9th meeting.

“Pre-October 2018, there was a water issue at West Side. There was water in the building’s hallways near the pool area. In November 2018, an inspection found pipes were leaking under the pool. A repair estimate was given,” Wright said.

That repair was out of reach for the district, which in the previous year had been taken over by the state because it could not pay its bills and was facing bankruptcy.

In 2020, Indiana lawmakers approved a bill sponsored by then State Sen. Eddie Melton creating a $25 million fund to make major building repairs across the district. Instead of the district repaying money it had borrowed from Indiana’s Common School Fund, the monthly repayments would be directed to building repairs for a period of 5 years. The fund took its name – Fund 1065 – from the bill’s number and came to be known as the School Improvement Fund.

“In the summer of 2021, district leaders allocated $1.5 million from Fund 1065 for pool repair. Another pipe inspection in July 2021, by the same company, revealed a major leak in pipes from the pool to the building’s mechanical room,” Wright said. “The finding was the cost of the pool repair greatly exceeded the $1.5 million allocated.”

“In February 2024, the district’s previous management diverted the funds to the renovation of the schools bathrooms,” Wright said. “Unfortunately that was not shared with community stakeholders.”

Today, that $1.5 million is going towards the current renovation of all West Side bathrooms. “Renovations have started on the first floor. Then they will move to the second floor. The surge area will be last,” Wright said.

“It might be better to build a stand-alone pool instead of trying to renovate,” said Supt. Yvonne Stokes. “There will be nothing but problems if we have to dig up those pipes.”

Wright added, “The pipes under the swimming pool go under the halls, under the cafeteria, and into the surge area all along the west side of the building. It’s a job that can’t be done in a summer. It’s going to take lots of time and labor.”

The board also heard an update by IT Assistant Director Vince White on the proposal from Crown Castle to put cell phone towers at two Gary schools.

The Crown Castle proposal was presented to the board at its August 28th meeting. At that meeting, the board asked the company to submit a list of school sites where it had erected cell phone towers.

White received Crown Castle’s reply. “Due to our privacy policy, Crown Castle cannot provide landlord information on existing towers,” was their reply, White said. “But they assured us they had cell towers in schools in other states.”

White said Crown Castle offered an additional $200 a month, from its initial offering of $1,450 per month.

The board has not taken action on Crown Castle’s proposal.

Gary Parks Dept. Director earned 2 city salaries


Lavetta Sparks-Wade

After having paid Lavetta Sparks-Wade, Director of the Gary Parks Dept. to also work a part-time position within the Parks Dept., the Melton Administration is asking the city council to approve those payments.

Sparks-Wade earned an extra $8,000 salary in 2024 as the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Coordinator, a part-time position in the 16-week program that hires Gary youth.

C.P.R. 2024-13, a resolution to approve Sparks-Wade salary as SYEP coordinator was heard by the city council’s Human Resources and Personnel Committee on Tuesday, October 8.

The administration is asking the council to make those payments retroactive to May, when the council approved the SYEP budget.

Linda Barnes-Caldwell, the councilwoman for the 5th District asked administration officials, “Is it legal for a full-time employee to work part-time at the same time?”

Celita Green, Gary’s city controller replied, “I believe it is. There is a 1989 city ordinance regarding an employee holding 2 positions needs to be approved by the council. And that’s why we are here today.”

“We had so many people apply for summer positions and so many didn’t get them. Now we have a full-time person, a department head that you gave a part-time position to,” said Barnes-Caldwell.

City council president Tai Adkins added, “That ordinance says a person seeking to hold those 2 positions must come before the council for approval.”

“It is not our intention to let this happen again without properly coming before the council,” Ellis Dumas, Mayor Melton’s chief of staff responded.

The resolution will be held in committee, Adkins said, until the administration provides more information that will justify the council’s approval.

Story Posted:10/12/2024