Last week I wrote about the "sidewalk to nowhere", the planned project to build a sidewalk from Citizen’s Lodge Park on the Caverns Highway all the way to Marianna High School. I’ve had several folks echo my sentiments that this seems to be a poor use of stimulus money for our area. Another recent announcement that has got some folks upset is the construction of a new weight room facility by the practice field at Marianna High School.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve said it before that my family and I bleed purple and gold. And I am all for the sports program having the best possible facilities. And that includes a weight room for the athletic programs at my alma mater. When they built the new school several years ago, it did not include a weight room. The plans called for the construction of a weight room facility several years later.
The stated reason for needing a weight room and the location of the new facility all make sense. They have been making do with the weights in a room for about five years now. But that room was not designed as a weight room and a better location is needed.
In addition, the practice field, located just east of the school, has no bathroom facilities or dressing rooms. The practice field is used by a variety of teams including varsity and junior varsity football, soccer and track. The band also uses this same field to practice as well. So the practice field gets a lot of use and students needing to use the bathroom or change clothes must go all the way back inside the school.
So an argument can certainly be made that they are in need of a weight room facility. The problem is that coinciding with the beginning of this project is the news that Jackson County must lay off teaching and support staff due to shortfalls in the budget. But apparently the money for the weight room had already been allocated and comes from budget entities other than teacher’s salary money. I have worked for 26 ½ years in state government and I understand just enough about state budgets to be dangerous. I understand that there are times when money from one entity can’t be spend in other entities.
But you tell me, does it make any sense to build an $800,000 weight facility when we are also announcing layoffs of teachers and support staff. Surely the bean counters could figure out a way to wave their magic wands and fix this problem.
My last two columns have probably got some folks speculating that I’ve been working around Sid Riley too long. But with the "sidewalk to nowhere" and the new weight room while we lay off teachers, Simply Put, we ain’t getting it right.
From the front porch: Uncle Bob said a happy marriage is a matter of give and take. The husband gives and the wife takes.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve said it before that my family and I bleed purple and gold. And I am all for the sports program having the best possible facilities. And that includes a weight room for the athletic programs at my alma mater. When they built the new school several years ago, it did not include a weight room. The plans called for the construction of a weight room facility several years later.
The stated reason for needing a weight room and the location of the new facility all make sense. They have been making do with the weights in a room for about five years now. But that room was not designed as a weight room and a better location is needed.
In addition, the practice field, located just east of the school, has no bathroom facilities or dressing rooms. The practice field is used by a variety of teams including varsity and junior varsity football, soccer and track. The band also uses this same field to practice as well. So the practice field gets a lot of use and students needing to use the bathroom or change clothes must go all the way back inside the school.
So an argument can certainly be made that they are in need of a weight room facility. The problem is that coinciding with the beginning of this project is the news that Jackson County must lay off teaching and support staff due to shortfalls in the budget. But apparently the money for the weight room had already been allocated and comes from budget entities other than teacher’s salary money. I have worked for 26 ½ years in state government and I understand just enough about state budgets to be dangerous. I understand that there are times when money from one entity can’t be spend in other entities.
But you tell me, does it make any sense to build an $800,000 weight facility when we are also announcing layoffs of teachers and support staff. Surely the bean counters could figure out a way to wave their magic wands and fix this problem.
My last two columns have probably got some folks speculating that I’ve been working around Sid Riley too long. But with the "sidewalk to nowhere" and the new weight room while we lay off teachers, Simply Put, we ain’t getting it right.
From the front porch: Uncle Bob said a happy marriage is a matter of give and take. The husband gives and the wife takes.
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