CROWDSOURCING PROJECT: Performing Analysis of Annual Visual Inspection Reports for the City School District of New Rochelle

This is a project where I need some help from experienced eyes who are familiar with building inspections. If you know this sort of stuff and can help me, please send me an email at robertcox@talkofthesound.com.

I am undertaking this project with good cause. Based on my sources, these records have been falsified to paint a rosy picture of the condition of the school buildings in New Rochelle. I am aware that based on reporting published by Talk of the Sound over the past year, that a more “objective” Visual Inspection of school buildings was conducted and the results stood in marked contrast to what the District has been reporting for years under the recently fired John Quinn and John Gallagher recently “replaced upon request” by Aramark (more on the Aramark situation in an upcoming article). In fact, the uncompromised Annual Visual Inspection Reports done this year played a large role in the termination of Quinn and Gallagher’s positions in the District.

In short, this is a big deal because the public will soon learn that for many years Quinn and Gallagher hid the true nature of the condition of New Rochelle school buildings from the Board and from the Public. The required repairs to these buildings may well run into the millions of dollars.

I would especially focus on the ubiquitous “SATISFACTORY” ratings which, I believe, did not stand up to scrutiny once Quinn, Gallagher and their cronies were no longer able to manipulate the reports or control the outcomes — directly as a result of reporting by Talk of the Sound. I am also interested to understand how, for example, the Annual Visual Inspection Report 2010-2013 for Albert Leonard Middle School could indicate a SATISFACTORY rating in every category and yet have an UNSATISFACTORY Overall Building Rating.

To obtain these sets of records, I downloaded thousands of state records and then culled these reports from those state records. It was a lot of work to organize these AVI Reports and get them online. Now I need a few experts to help me finish the job.

Each year, school districts in New York State are required to conduct an Annual Visual Inspection of school buildings. The inspection requires schools to fill out a lengthy form containing more than 100 questions. Districts are also required to conduct a safety evaluation of school buildings as part of the five-year capital facilities plan. The evaluation helps determine if reconstruction or repairs are needed.

I am not sure why there is no AVI report for 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2009-10 or why there is no report for facilities at Grove Street or Cliff Street 2005-2006.

I have made several Freedom of Information Request to obtain additional records and otherwise sort out if there are any required records missing. In particular, I am seeking to obtain the most recent AVI report and/or five-year capital facilities plan as well as the reports submitted by The Facilities Management Group (TMFG) / TMFG Architecture PC, listed in the reports as the Architecture/Engineering Firm hired by the District. I want to see if what TMFG reported to the District is what the District reported to the New York State Education Department or whether the District altered the data in the reports as the District has done for years with its Violent and Disruptive Incidents Reporting.

Annual Visual Inspection Report 2010-2013

Annual Visual Inspection Report 2010-2012

Annual Visual Inspection Report 2008-2009 NRHS

Annual Visual Inspection Report 2005-2006

The complete regulations are linked here: OFFICIAL COMPILATION OF CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, TITLE 8. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CHAPTER II. REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
SUBCHAPTER J. BUILDINGS AND TRANSPORTATION PART 155. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

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