Selling capital assets to meet operating expenses is a great idea, at least according to Cindy Coats, vice-chair of the CCSD Board of Trustees. But she probably doesn't even understand what's going on.That's the gist of her reaction to selling part of the Memminger school property to the College of Charleston in a no-bid sale. Evidently the reporter either doesn't understand the finances or thinks it a great idea also.
Such is the case in Saturday's article on the sale. CCSD provides no reason for the sale except the cash received. The school board that approved the negotiations doesn't even know how large a parcel of the original property is under consideration. Nor does it have an appraisal (well, I guess those two go together).
The reporter doesn't question the lack of space around Memminger or the necessity of splitting the property because CCSD's administration doesn't want her to. Is she even aware that the deed of the property to the district stipulates that the land be used for public education?
With great ideas such as this, the district could gradually devour itself and disappear like the Cheshire Cat.
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2 comments:
Look out, it’s a fire sale as CCSD unloads anything that could possibly be used by a charter school. They would sell everything downtown, if they could. They would cash out and be done with District 20 at the same time. Then they could just bus all the kids from the housing projects out to North Charleston. Mayor Riley would sign on to that in a skinny minute. Oh wait, they’re already doing that.
Babbie, you're closer to the truth than you know. CCSD has at least a half dozen other properties it plans to get rid of with no plans to confer with any of the neighborhoods involved. No one really knows if CCSD is getting a fair deal in the process.
It's also strange that Bill Lewis and Michael Bobby will remind everyone that revenues from the capital fund can't be used for operating expenses, but they have no problem with selling capital assets and throwing the proceeds into the general fund. Their logic is inconsistent and this plan lacks integrity.
Why not debate the merits of different proposals? Because, when the details are finally known, it won't stand up to a proper review. Why didn't the school district publicly list the property for sale on its web-site, along with a request for proposals (RFP), as it does with other properties? No answer is forthcoming from the board majority (who probably don't have an answer) and the administration isn't volunteering an explanation. District officials do as they please and count five votes on the board to just go along with it.
There will be no transparency and no public accountability with CCSD until there is a better informed majority on the board to make honest and thoughtful decisions happen. Until then we’ll get more of the same.
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