Putting aside whether the Emporia school board took into account taxpayers’ concerns about the long-term value of installing a new football field at Emporia High School, the board technically played by the rules in September when it entered into a contract with Custom Energy Solutions of Overland Park that included spending $1.6 million to install artificial turf and accompanying track.
But sometimes the rules aren’t right.
What has muddied the playing field is an unusual statute pertaining to the state energy savings program, that exempts governmental units and school districts from the advertising and bid-letting process usually mandated by the state.
Based on The Gazette’s coverage this week of “Turf Wars,” we’re calling a foul on the state — and our school board — for not being better stewards of public funds.
Although it’s easy to understand why circumventing public bid may speed up the process of getting projects like the Emporia school district’s Facility Conservation and Improvement Program completed, it’s not practicing due diligence.
The result has been messy. There is a company who, although it claims to be able to save the district nearly $400,000 on the project, was left out of the bidding process and it’s causing more questions and confusion about just how much this football field should cost taxpayers.
The only way to prevent this kind of mess and to ensure the transparent use of public funds in the future — whether it involves a city or county commission or a local school board — is to always require the standard advertised, bid-letting process. Certainly, it may require more time, patience and effort on behalf of the governmental body at work, but it could mean saving a substantial amount of money (and face) in the end.
We certainly hope the state and our school board aren’t willing to leverage public trust for artificial turf. But unless this loophole in state law is closed or our local board members demand more vigilance with public funds, that’s a risky play to run.
After all, spending $1.6 million of taxpayer money is not a game.
Ashley Knecht Walker
Editor
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by gg (anonymous) on November 8, 2009 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
FYI, NEWS FLASH; The City Of Emporia's city council DOES NOT GIVE A RATS ARSE what the citzens of Emporia think or want.
Most of their doings are closed end deals with the good ole boys scratching each others back.
I would think an investigatin would be in order. $1.6 million for an artifical turf that less than 1/10th of 1% of the areas population could use or even care about.
The gull of these so called "city managers."
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 8, 2009 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
gg, right on !
What I would like to know is, if a so called " State statute " takes what and how the school board spends taxpayer money, then why is the local school board called, The Emporia Board of Education and not the State of Kansas Board of Education. Emporia and its citizens have no control over anything the EOB does, except the electing of those who serve on the EOB ?
It would seem, if it is called the Emporia Board of Education and its members are elected by Emporia taxpayers, then the Emporia tax payers should have a say in how the EOB spends the Emporia taxpayers money !
I know there are those who are going to say, Oh, but this is " Free Stimulus " money ! However I beg to differ, the $6.8 million or the $1.6 million to be used needlessly is not free and it some of it is Emporia taxpayer money !
Ashely, this is not only a foul but a double, triple, quadruple technical foul !
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 8, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ashley, Sorry for mispelling your name, please excuse me !
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on November 8, 2009 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
gg.......You are exactly right on. I have been bellering about the good ole boy back scratch for years.
Posted by create (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Right on the button, Ashley!
Changing the process of bid letting will only take a little bit more time. I'm willing to wait longer for improvements as long as time is spent first before money is.
Posted by justaflushaway (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
gg, I will go one more, I don't even know where the damn place is and furthermore, could care less, BUT that is a little of my tax money.
If the little babies want to play, let the damn parents PAY FOR IT, not me.
Get back to studying and teaching and FORGET the damn sports for the .01%.
Join a club if you think your special child is that good. OR maybe YOU are competing with THE OTHER PARENTS?????.
SPEND the money on the school and for teaching NOT ON SPORTS.
I would like to know how much money is spent for all sports every year at the high school, but I would bet the is no record of that.
Posted by admireed (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Justa....not in your lifetime
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wish he was wrong......but I'm afraid admireed is right we won't see it in any of our lifetimes Too bad!
Posted by YY4U (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To understand what is happening between private companies like Custom Energy Solutions and local government taxing authorities, first you must understand the game. Read Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins. Third world countries are becoming wise to the game so they are now out here in rural America offering multimillion dollar projects that we will not be able to pay for and by the time we realize that we got much less than what we have to repay, it will be too late.
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)