These Are Not the Droids You Are Looking For

As I get older, I have found that my memory is not quite like it was when I was 17. That is why notes are a wonderful thing. A well taken note is like a time traveling machine, taking you back to the moment in question, providing clarity.

This week the School Board was presented with numbers for the renovation and restoration of Building 8. Let me say upfront that I am in favor of the renovation of Building 8 and have been since the School Board and County Commission began the wrestle for funding for a building program. Too many Jefferson County students pass through the Vocational programs to simply ignore their needs and, frankly, I supported investing in a top of the line Vocational School over funding a freshman academy. That was then and this is now. Jefferson County now has a beautiful new freshman academy and, by all indications, it is functioning well. What is left to be addressed are the needs in Building 8.

Everything comes with a price tag, most especially school renovations. I have the unique perspective of going to nearly every County meeting, so I hear a lot of talk and take a lot of notes. When the idea of renovating Building 8 came to the forefront a couple of months ago, DOE administrators were touting around $2.7 million for the entire project. The restoration, according to DOE administration, could be accomplished with insurance funds already in house, capital projects funds already budgeted and County Commission funding of around $100,000 additional dollars. This was their selling point. Of course that did not include around $1.5 million in additional funds that were estimated to be the cost of renovation. All in all, the estimated renovation and restoration was to come in around $2.7 million.

Conversations began in County Commission about funding $8 million dollars ($5 million in renovation to JCHS proper that was to come as a cash contribution for the project and $3 million for renovation and restoration to Building 8) through financing and I wondered then why the need to borrow $3 million dollars for a project when the DOE had already identified funding sources of around $1.2 million dollars. Now, let me say here that I had concerns about taking funds that were earmarked for Capital Projects needed in schools around the County and using those funds for Building 8, but that is not the point. The point is that using the insurance/capitol projects funds for the project was the party line of both the Department of Education Administration and the Jefferson County Finance Office-until Thursday evening’s meeting. This week the same people who presented that funding avenue had a total memory wash and declared that there are no capital project funds to put toward this project-A project that is projected to cost $3.6 million dollars and will need $2.7 million of those dollars funded by the County Commission-rather than around $1.6 million, which was early October’s estimate. I want this project done and I want it done quickly, but I am beginning to wonder if the trusty County calculator has run out of batteries again. It would appear that the Jefferson County Director of Finance Helton and the Cumberland Securities Representative knew more than the Construction Manager for the renovations projects did because Helton/Cumberland Securities made their bid for a $8million dollar bond, with $3 million for renovation of Building 8, five day before the Construction Manager came back with a price for the renovation work. How is that for having a crystal ball?

This is the second time that I have written an editorial on figures for Building 8. Check the September 29, 2014 editorial and it mentions using the Capital Projects funds for the project and my concerns regarding other Capital Projects funding. Helton and the DOE administration tried to convince Board Member Potts that she was mistaken regarding their own declaration that there are funds available in capital projects and insurance to cover the majority of costs associated with the restoration. In fact, they were adamant, though Helton couldn’t explain why the funds are now unavailable and regardless of meeting minutes that say that they are, indeed, a funding source. Sure, they can vote to alter the meeting minutes but that doesn’t change what was said. Of course, I checked my notes just to make sure that I was remembering correctly and this debate goes to Board Member Potts. I can only guess that Helton and some in the DOE are looking to fund the whole enchilada and that is fine. But call it like it is and be accountable for the funds that are already identified and what they will be used for, if not to restore and renovate Building 8. It is insulting and more than a little disconcerting to keep up the party line pretense. Waving your hand and saying these are not the droids you are looking for may work in science fiction movies but this is the real world. After all, there are no Jedi here and sometimes the dark side and the good guys are really hard to tell apart-even with a magic 8 ball.