Mark Millican
Despite a Whitfield County commission meeting this week where it appeared commissioners were at an impasse with the county school board over use of the school system’s athletic facilities, officials on both sides are hopeful an agreement will be reached.
The bodies have had an agreement in place since 2002. School board member John Thomas said a committee was formed between the two to develop a new proposal for 2009.
“I consider that proposal a joint proposal between the two boards — each board appointed someone to work on the committee — but that wasn’t the way it was presented at the meeting,” said Thomas. “Our understanding was that there were only a few things that needed to be ironed out.”
Finance director Ron Hale and county parks and recreation director George Page worked on the proposal for the county, and assistant superintendent of operations Richard Schoen, maintenance director Randy Jones and finance director Kenny Sheppard represented the school system on the committee.
Thomas said “all” the committee members were “on the same page” with the recommendations, which include operational costs of $100,000 per year to be paid in-kind to the school system and $75,000 in in-kind service requests provided by the county’s public works department. The operating costs include $6,400 in utility usage, $9,000 in custodial services and upkeep, and depreciation of gym facilities of $79,000.
The previous agreement, which ran from 2002 to 2007 and was extended to 2008 at the same rate, had as key provisions (all paid with in-kind services) a one-time payment of $1 million for gym expansion and an additional $50,000 per year for operational costs.
Commissioner Randy Waskul called the disagreement “a big concern.” The depreciation issue appeared to be the sticking point.
“We have limited fields for football, and registration for that starts in early August,” he said. “I don’t know about the basketball (gym usage) either. The depreciation of those buildings for us is a big chunk of dollars, and I don’t feel it’s appropriate. We’re looking at almost $1 million in roadwork (at the new county high school), and that’s solely picked up by the county.
“In my view, they’re double-dipping if they want us to pay for facilities we’ve already paid for.”
Waskul noted the school system already collects more than 70 percent of county-wide tax dollars.
School board member Thomas Barton was asked if he believes an agreement is urgent.
“I think it is,” he said. “Basketball season starts in about a month with practices. But if you don’t have a facility to use, what will those kids do? Where will you put them?”
Barton, who was at the commissioners meeting Monday night, said the commissioners “put it off on the school board, but we instigated the meeting.”
“I believe it’s a fair price for everybody,” he said. “It’s in-kind services — it won’t be dollar for dollar — but the county benefits all the way around. I don’t see any negative to it. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it possible, because the kids need to be kept busy. We’re not blessed with a YMCA, and this shouldn’t cost the kids a place to play.
“If we can’t find agreement, I’d be the first to say I don’t need to be there (serving on the board), and the other four don’t need to be there either — and that goes for the commissioners, too. The kids don’t vote, but they’re the ones who suffer.”
Still, Barton and Thomas are optimistic.
“I almost bet you something will be done,” Barton said.
“If anybody can work together, it ought to be these two governmental bodies,” said Thomas. “I’m going to remain positive and think something will be worked out. That’s why the committee was set up.”
Waskul said he hopes Monday’s meeting sent a “clear message” that something needs to be done quickly.
The school board has a work session scheduled for July 27 at 6 p.m. at the central office at 1306 S. Thornton Ave. in Dalton.
