Weast plans to proceed with Kendale at expense of other schools

School Superintendent Jerry Weast has informed officials that he intends to proceed with the Kendale/Seven Locks "Replacement" school at the expense of other school construction and modernization projects.

In a memorandum to the Board of Education, Weast announced that the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) funding discrapancies mean that many projects must be delayed, some by years. He then listed the school projects to be affected negatively by the lack of requested funds, omitting the Kendale/Seven Locks "replacement" school and therefore indicating its priority over the other schools.

Weast added that he has shared the information with Montgomery County PTA leaders.

However, he has not acknowledged that the Seven Locks PTA has voted overwhelmingly on more than one occasion against his initiative to build the "replacement" school.

This and other recent county actions add to widespread suspicions that Weast, County Executive Doug Duncan, County Executive candidate Steve Silverman, and most County Council members and school board members might be using school construction in ways that could be improper or illegal.

The county Inspector General's investigation of alleged corruption in the Kendale/SLES "replacement" school, and an audit of the project, continue.

Click here for a pdf copy of Weast's January 20 memorandum.