In the most egregious example of taxpayer waste and bureaucratic tone-deafness we’ve seen in some time, Spartanburg, S.C. School District 7 has formally authorized spending $200,000 on a new putting green at a private Country Club.
And get this … the Country Club’s membership roll includes the district Superintendent and three school board members.
Seriously … we’re not kidding.
What’s worse is that after getting busted trying to approve the measure in secret last November, these bureaucrats are now using the district’s students as pawns in their political status-building game, claiming that the $200,000 is really all about allowing the local high school golf team to use the facility for the next 25 years.
Whatever …
We gotta be honest, when we first wrote about this boondoggle yesterday, we figured there was no way in hell that District 7 officials would be stupid enough to pursue an expense like this one in these economic times – not when teachers are being furloughed and threatened with layoffs.
Amazingly, though, that’s precisely how stupid they were.
Needless to say, the move did not sit well with conservative lawmakers from the area.
“Our schools are getting seven billion a year from three different sources and we’re told it’s not enough, but then there’s money to be spent on something like this?” says S.C. Rep. Joey Millwood (R-Spartanburg). “This just goes to show that we need funding reform that enables us to pump money into the front lines, in the classroom, where the real battle is being fought.”
Of course, the good news is that this becomes a full-fledged PR nightmare for educrats, who have consistently opposed parental choice on the ground that it uses “public money for private schools.”
Well, at least parental choice supporters aren’t spending public money to manicure golf courses at the bureaucrats’ private Country Clubs.
“Sadly this is par for the course for the public education bureaucracy,” Millwood says. “Instead of taking care of teachers and students, they’re spending our money on things like this.”
Update – Interestingly enough, sources tell FITS this whole arrangement was instigated by the school board, and that the Country Club never solicited the $200,000 putting green from them.
By JJ January 29, 2009 at 5:33 pm
This is a really dumb thing for School District 7 to do. Almost as dumb as what Joey Millwood is doing with his childish fight over the Spartanburg County Delagation chairmanship (see article link below). If you are going to quote Joey Millwood in a way that makes him appear to know what he is talking about then this site also needs to level the criticism against him that he deserves.
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090129/ARTICLES/901291102/1083?Title=Consultant_says_rift_could_cost_county_much_needed_jobs
By fitsnews January 29, 2009 at 5:48 pm
JJ-
We contacted Rep. Millwood for a quote on this issue and he was kind enough to provide one.
Frankly, we think Rep. Millwood not only knows what he’s talking about in this instance, but is correct on the delegation chairmanship battle as well.
In fact, we’ve said so …
http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/01/06/spartanburg-flap-not-everybody-loves-a-parade/
Irrespective of where you come down on that issue, though, let’s try and keep our eyes on the issue at hand.
-FITS
By baker January 29, 2009 at 6:29 pm
First of all, I think it’s pretty obvious that Joey Millwood and Lee Bright and the others (including Democrat Glenn Reese) are in iffy territory about the county delegation chairmanship — no clear-cut court rulings on such a matter. And, either way, it would seem a pretty childish and counter-productive fight….at least if you’re into the business of trying to help Spartanburg County.
Regarding this District 7 matter, it’s funny: People like Joey Millwood talk about the “public school bureaucrats” and the “educrats” and so forth. If you look at this story, it comes down to approval by publicly elected trustees — people elected by the voters just like Millwood or any other politician. Not to say their decision was the right one; it’s just odd how guys like Millwood like to talk up the “educrat” angle rather than directly call out other democratically elected leaders.
As for the actual decision being discussed, it clearly looks bad. No way a public school district can give this much money to a private, elite country club — especially if there is a possible conflict of interest — and not have it upset people.
I do have mixed feelings, though, and here’s why:
Spartanburg District 7 is engaged in a comprehensive athletics facilities upgrade touching many sports. They’ve collaborated with the city of Spartanburg on renovations to old baseball park. They’re working on new athletic practice fields, new tennis courts, a new track, etc. Some would say this is no time to spend money on athletics facilities; others would say the experience of team sports is extremely important for many youngsters and, indeed, a huge motivator for some kids to do well in the classroom. In any case, the fact is that Spartanburg 7 is putting money toward capital improvements related to athletics — and, again, numerous teams and sports are part of the equation.
Problem with golf, of course, is that the school district can’t very well build an entire golf course for the team. So it HAS to partner with a local club. Competing schools like Dorman and Byrnes play at nice, upscale courses, and the only course in District 7 that’s in that league is the Spartanburg County Club. It also happens to be the closest course to Spartanburg High School.
Now, why they’ve got to spend $200,000 on the deal is questionable to me. I just don’t know….I have heard talk of course improvements, but I don’t know if that’s in terms of general improvement or instead related to practice faclities primarily used by the kids. And if there are conflicts of interest, that’s an issue, too (though it shouldn’t rule out a partnership between the district and golf club, if that golf course is in fact the best location for the golf team). So, anyway, the price seems pretty darn high.
And, yet, even on that front, context is important. My guess is that the $200,000 is a lot less than their spending on building new tennis courts, or constructing new practice fields, or renovating the old baseball park. The difference, of course, is that those are taxpayer-owned facilities — not a private country club. Once again, though, golf is unique among these sports….Spartanburg has no municipal golf course. Meanwhile, per student-athlete this cost represents a smaller expenditure than most other sports — much smaller than teams that require lots in the way of school-financed equipment and coaching personnel.
So, while I think this one is problematic on some levels and obviously touchy, it’s not as clear-cut as it might appear to folks like Joey Millwood.
By fitsnews January 29, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Baker,
You have got to be kidding us, man.
Based on your chronic defense of the indefensible, Spartanburg School District 7 could vote to have you shot in the head and assuming you survived and woke up from the coma, you’d probably write a nine-paragraph essay on how it was “problematic on some levels” but “not as clear cut” as some people might think.
Put the Kool-Aid down, man. Put it down.
-FITS
By baker January 29, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Nice stuff, Will (“chronic defense of the indefensible…”). I expected such a response on this one. Indeed, this one presents a pretty target for public education bashers like yourself. But, knowing that, I gave you what I truly believe to be a reasonable response.
Did you read what I wrote? Will, how would you handle a golf team situation like this? Maybe you could find a better deal — and do wonder about the $200,000 expense….though I did find that a portion of that will go to the construction of a practice green for the high school players. Either way, there are a few real factors here:
– Golf team has to have some place to play/practice.
– Building a whole course — or even driving range — would surely costs millions more, right?
– Spartanburg has no publicly owned course, so a deal with a private club is pretty much a necessity.
– Even at $200,000, the school district will be spending less on the golf team than on most sports or other athletic facilities.
So, yeah, it’s obviously something that’s going to look questionable. And, “defender of the indefensible” that I may be, I admit that feel somewhat squeamish about it, too. I’m certainly not a member of the Country Club, and considering that this is taxpayer money, I guess I’m thinking it should qualify me for a couple free rounds a year, at least. Yet, if you consider the major factors I’ve pointed out, I think, once again, the whole deal isn’t as screwy as it sounds.
And at least I had the guts to come on here and say that — knowing what your response would be.
By Catherine January 29, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Have to agree with JJ — lumping this bone-headed decision in with your very favorite stereotype “educrats” is over the line. You said yourself that this was done BY school board members. As much as I can blame teachers and principals for a lot that’s wrong, I don’t think they had any say in this at all. I doubt many (or any) of the teachers belong to the club.
This sounds like the school board has been taking lessons from Harrell, McConnell and company — not teachers.
By fitsnews January 29, 2009 at 7:21 pm
You people are on crack. The whole idea came from the Superintendent. It is an educrat idea through and through.
Splitting hairs over the focal point of the “bone-headed” decision (is it educrats or not) is a pretty piss poor way of moving the conversation off of what it’s supposed to be.
-FITS
By baker January 29, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Will — I’m not sure you know much about the Spartanburg District 7 school board. It’s not a bunch that sits on their hands and waits to be told what to do. Particularly with things like this — capital investments, facilities, partnerships with community entities, etc. — the heavy-hitters on the board are very much involved….Whether you like their decisions or not, I can tell you that much.
Maybe it is splitting hairs, as you say. But it’s still funny to me to hear guys like Joey Millwood rant about the “educrats” and not take on his fellow locally elected officials.
By Anthony January 29, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Will,
Baker makes some very valid points as far as the logistical problems for the golf team at Spartanburg High. They are paying for a putting green. In return, they get the use of the entire facility for 20 years. Spartanburg High School has for many years paid rent to Wofford College (a private institution) for use of their football stadium and you don’t hear a word about it. How do you feel about that use of taxpayer money?
If these funds were being allocated for a football field, new equipment for the other sports teams, or a new locker room at a school, would anyone, including yourself, be bitching about it?
By Earl Capps January 30, 2009 at 9:52 am
What I don’t get about the whole thing with the Spartanburg delegation is the Republican legislators who (along with their backers) are fond of calling everyone RINOs for cozying up to Democrats … signed right up with Democratic Senator Gleen Reese to take over the delegation.
I would bet that if the roles were reversed and they came out on the losing end of the vote, RINO shots would be the first thing you’d hear.
While the likes of Millwood are entertaining at times, there are just so many sad examples of politics and governance in Spartanburg County that one has to wonder what they put in the water there.
Next time I go up to my mother’s house in Spartanburg, I think I need to bring along bottled water, just in case.
By PalmettoCPA January 30, 2009 at 9:53 am
Anthony,
While there are certainly logisical problems, this whole situation is indefensible. From the SHJ article, only two of the other six districts in the county even pay for their golf teams, and the most expensive is Dorman paying $1,000/year for Carolina Country Club. Even by those standards, $5,000 yearly is expensive, but not outrageous.
What irritates me is spending that kind of money ($200,000) on capital improvements at an exclusive private club. The only way this would be remotely defensible would be if the course was open to any District 7 student. The golf team already discourages anyone from trying out who doesn’t already have a handicap in the teens, and most of those kids are already members at CCS.
At the end of the day, I’ve defended public education (especially in Spartanburg) for quite some time, but after these shenanigans it’s especially tough to do so. We basically have the trustees and Superintendent subsidizing their private country club with taxpayer money. The waste has become so egregious that my own mother (a teacher in the district) is hoping for consolidation. They’ve cut pay for bus drivers, cut travel for teacher training, but still can find the money for this?
Shows where the priorities of the Trustees lies, and is a perfect example of the problems in public education.
By Nope January 30, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I too think the whole thing is crazily indefensible. Then again, I think all money for all sports should be redirected to the classroom if there’s not enough money to pay for teachers. I know sports are valuable but they aren’t the schools’ fundamental mission.
But it is CERTAINLY not the fault of the “public education bureaucracy.” This one is the Board’s. They need to be removed if they were stupid enough to be led by the Superintendent into such a lame-brained decision, and they need to be removed if they did it on their own. Lay off the educrats and put the blame where it belongs.
By liz January 30, 2009 at 7:00 pm
In the most egregious example of taxpayer waste and bureaucratic tone-deafness ???????????????? HUH?
I told you about a group of people stealing Social Security money for twenty plus years. You think that’s ok>???
THAT”S EGREGIOUS>
By BIN News Editorial Staff January 30, 2009 at 8:07 pm
The BIN News Staff spent hours today discussing a serious question.
If sic(k) willie learned golf, would he be a slicer or a hooker?
We are sure it would be impossible for him to hit the ball straight.
A slicer starts his ball to the left and it then goes right. A hooker starts his ball to the right and then it goes left. Confusing?
It takes practice to hit straight balls. And willie can’t hit straight balls.
But, if willie had enough practice balls, maybe he could shoot straight.
Right now we can never tell if willie is a slicer or a hooker.
He does not have enough balls.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
By James the Foot Soldier January 30, 2009 at 8:53 pm
BIN, you ignorant slut – I hate to correct you (again) but world class golfers know how to shape their shots depending on the situation – go back to the practice range and leave the golf to the true professionals.