Terrible, they need to put more money into Education our children instead of worrying about planting flowers. Then the grounds keeper is going to need help with all the work, so that will mean hiring another employee.

Also bet that who ever gets the position will somehow be owed a favor by one of the school board.

Seems this could be a seasonal position rather than year round. That would assist the maintenence staff without being as much money spent on "groundskeeping".

I can't believe how high the salary is for a groundskeeping position. Sign me up.

REALLY ! What do we have a maintenance dept. for ?? people should start working a full 8 hrs !

Please remember, folks, to not make accusations of malfeasance without providing proof.

That salary is ridiculous.

"NO WAY TO GROUNDS KEEPER!" Contract landscaper, "YES !" I think your getting a deal with the maintence workers... You Cheap people! Typical comments from people that probably ,lease there car, have the same carpeting from ten years ago , havent painted inside there house in ten years. kitchens never been remodeled . Same appliances ten yrs,etc.... get my point . Maintainence is a everyday job. Pencil pushers need not apply, Do some of your own maintainence but dont frown when someone makes more than you. Your comments are moot point, you get what you pay for.

Pappy-FYI I painted my house, the whole inside just over a year ago. I don't have carpets because I don't like them and I do like my hardwood floors. My appliances are all new. I guarantee you my walls have been painted more recent than yours and my appliances are newer than yours. And when it gets nice out I will have my lawn guys cuts my grass. That is still too much for a "grounds keeper." Besides, who is "keeping the grounds" now and what is wrong with what they are doing?

I wonder how many students attend Baldwin High School who have able bodied parents that sit at home all day and collect welfare? I wonder how many of them could push a lawnmower or prune some shrubs? Oh wait PA school districts can only wield their levy authority against real property owners....so never mind...there's no way the school district could force welfare recipients to cut the grass or plant the posies. So the kids of welfare recipients just get to attend Baldwin High School for free.....money for nothing and their books for free. Dire Straits is just about the perfect phrase when it comes to that little part of the public school tax story. The only thing more disconcerting is grandpa and grandma long since having raised their kids...but still paying full property taxes so the kids of welfare parents get to learn "living for free" first hand.
By the way....doesn't the high school have a greenhouse? Why can't the biology students get school credits for raising annual flowers and learning and engaging in proper plant husbandry?
The able bodied welfare parents of Baldwin students will have some excuse for not cutting the high school grass... and I'm sure there is some excuse for the Vo-Tech or Biology students not pitching in either. It's difficult to teach some people that money does not grow on trees....and this grounds keeping job illustrates that difficulty quite well.

I would like to know how many thousands and thousands of dollars have been squandered.

Notice how the School Board President say we sink thousands and thousands into this black hole. No, it is the Democrat controlled School Board who has done this.

The mere fact that Nancy DiNardo and the board majority are even willing to discuss the unbudgeted groundskeeper position is clear evidence they are totally clueless about the district’s true financial condition. Last year the board rejected the ½ mil increase the previous business manager stated was needed to prevent bankruptcy in 2014-2015, which contributed to the $2M required to make up the budget shortfall. This year the board has already determined any tax increase will be restricted to the approximately 2% allowable index, so with increasing costs and likely flat federal and state funding there’s every reason to believe next year’s shortfall will be similar to last years. Prudent fiscal managers would not consider a single dollar of additional spending and in fact would be actively looking to cut current spending to lessen the pain in the next budget. Instead, the long term fiscal stability of this district is in the hands of a number of board members who probably can’t even find the district’s budget on the website let alone understand it.

Groundskeeper in Pittsburgh, PA 15236
$19,000
Average Groundskeeper salaries for job postings in Pittsburgh, PA 15236 are 21% lower than average Groundskeeper salaries for job postings nationwide.
This information is from indeed.com by googling groundskeeper salary.

The late Fred Honsberger, KDKA radio talk host, used to always say, buy at the union store and pay triple the normal cost. That is exactly what has happened here with the cost of the groundskeeper salary, which is 3 times higher than normal in this case, dictated by the union. The Democrats support unions and the unions support the Democrats. It is a corruption, and we as the tax payer are forced to foot the bill, with zero benefit to us, just a higher cost. Who is running the school district, the union?

Its time for this Board to get back into the business of how best to educate our kids. They seem to be more concerned with Groundskeepers, Food Service, Transportation....all services that are best left to contractors who have the training and tools to get it done safer, better and cheaper than bringing in house (unless you choose a vendor that saddles us with a contract that loses money like Aramark). Was there any type of analysis to show hiring an in house groundskeeper was more economical? I can't believe the work isn't already being done by someone! I can't wait for the circus to see who gets approved for this position.

As for the 2% tax increase, the District should already see a tax increase with increased assessments. Its deja vu with the last increase. The board raised taxes on top of a hike in assessments then decreased taxes the following 3 years giving them a positive campaign message to we voters. Hopefully we are lemmings no more.

How about Kevin Fischer and George Pry's reasoning on their votes in favor of adding another groundskeeper at a high salary plus benefits? They claim that their votes in favor of this doesn't actually spend the money. Then why even have the vote at this time? How stupid. They agree to add a position without justification from Administration for need and then claim that the position won't be added. Huh? No wonder our school district has mediocre results. We have board members who do not understand what their votes mean.

19 k for a grounds keeper ? Haha. You people think the superintendent ( educated person with a turf or horticulture degree ) at heinz field or pnc park, field club, nevillewood, southpointe, south hills cc, ect... Pitt campus, penn state, duquesne make 19 k ? The seasonal drunk / junkie that cuts grass every summer for "joes lawn service" makes 19 k. You hire the right educated guy ( or gal ) money will be saved in the long run !

They already have 2 geniuses hired your way that already can not do the job.

Depends on who gets the job and their relationship to any board member. I.m not sure but by hiring a person under a particular title allows management to circumvent union rule and people already on the job with seniority. Just food for thought.