One of Those Times
So, here is the thing. I have been thinking about the Capital Projects Plan that the School Board submitted to the County Commission. Last School Board meeting, Board Member Potts made a motion to fund $726,188 of the three year plan for projects that would address needs in every school this fiscal year. Her plan would have left around $1,400,000 that could be used in the Department of Education General Fund Balance. That amount is above and beyond the imposed minimum and it is above monies that have already been “earmarked” for needs that Jefferson County Finance Director Potts knows are on the fiscal horizon. I use the work earmarked loosely because I don’t know what the official category of the funds are currently, I just know that the School Board had around $2.1 ,million free and clear to spend as they deemed necessary. Board Member Pott’s motion failed in a 4-3 split.
New Board Member Cox, who represents the White Pine area, stated openly that he just couldn’t see putting money toward other projects until the White Pine project is addressed. The issue at hand is that the scope of the project that was drawn by architects to answer the immediate needs at White Pine School exceeded available funding by around $800,000 dollars. Right now, the school is slotted to get $2 million dollars worth of a $2.8 million dollar project, which leaves it about 1/3 short of the full phase I renovation. I will say upfront that I think that this project has been wanky from the start. The company that got the contract to do the drawings knew the financial boundaries, said that they could present plans that met the needs of the school within the funded amount of $2 million dollars, and then came in $800,000 over budget. They also held up the project for several months over contract disputes with the County, who handed over cash for half of the renovation bill, which left the school administration in a bad working position this year.
But, as they say, that was then and this is now. Now, we have a school full of children and educators that need another $800,000 to get through phase I of a seriously needed renovation project. Like many in the County, I have been open about my disappointment in the way that the County Wide overcrowding has been handled. The reality is that, regardless of what I may wish was done, I have to set aside my druthers. The fact remains that White Pine School children, our children, need another $800,000 and we, through some miracle or fine financial wizardry, have it to spare. Several Board Members expressed that they do not want to be blind sighted to the needs of all schools, as they are all our children. I agree. $726,188 will fund this year’s portion of the approved Capital Projects Plan and will address many needs, save that of paving at Jefferson County High School. The paving was listed at $600,000 and that is just a hop, skip and a small jump away from the amount that is needed to complete phase I at White Pine. Several County Commissioners have been vocal about their hope that the School Board will prioritize White Pine School above paving at JCHS.
Should the School Board decide to complete what is, finally, to be started and dedicate $800,00 to the White Pine renovation project, they will still have around $660,000 to spend as they see other needs across the County schools and they can fully fund the 2016-17 Capital Projects List (minus the paving). Why, if they were so inclined, they could even commit part or all of the remaining funds to paving. Or perhaps something else.
The School Board has the money. White Pine needs the money. The Capital Projects Plan, which has been approved by the School Board and been presented , favorably,to the County Budget Committee, can be (with exception of the paving) fully funded meaning that all parts of the County will get a share of the money. The kids win, the teachers win and from the perspective of the County Commission, who made it clear that they want this project done from available funding rather than taking on more debt, it will be a star in the School Board’s political cap. Assets grow rather than just throwing good money after bad- it is a win, win , win and much better than watching the money get eaten away for this and that, with little to really show. From where I am sitting, the School Board’s position looks pretty good. Sometimes you just have to take the ball and run. This seems like one of those times.
