Expensive Stadium or Legacy To A Big Ego

Here are the latest numbers on the proposed cost for remodeling Sam Davis Park. Presently there are three options that are being discussed.

A 1,500 seat stadium costing between 412,000 and 675,000 dollars. Added to this are 2,950 sq.ft. of restroom space for 10 men and 19 women at a cost of $740,000.

A 2,000 seat stadium for 550,000 dollars. Added to this are 3,300 sq,ft. of restroom space for 13 men and 23 women at a cost of $825,000.

A 2500 seat stadium for 687,000 to 1,125,000 dollars. Added to this are 3,700 sq.ft. of restroom space for 15 men and 27 women at a cost of $925,000.

These prices are based on the following formula.

$25,00 sq.ft. for pre-cast concrete with brick inlay.

$25.00 sq. ft. for concrete block and brick verneer.

$250.00 sq. ft. for restrooms.

$275.00 per seat using steel and aluminum.

$450.00 per seat using pre-cast concrete.

$2,500.00 per parking space including curbs, lights and drainage.

These prices do not include doing anything to the surrounding walls or press box.

The idea expressed so far for paying for this stadium is to borrow $6,000,000.00 (6 million dollars) and increase the sales tax to pay it back over twenty years. The question is will the sales tax increase be enough or will a property tax increase also be added? Allen Barrett

The Giles County Budget Committee plans to seek, at least (it started out being less than a million and grew as different offices got a smell of new money), a two million dollar loan, to cover expense shortfalls in the current budget. What are your thoughts about this loan, as presented on Wednesday morning 28 Nov. , that will cost over $265.000 dollars in interest and between 15 to 20 thousand more in broker fees? Would it not be better to just stop spending so much money instead of trying to borrow the county out of debt? Oh, this loan did not have any money for water included in it so the amount may be going up. Can anyone hear the words "TAX INCREASE" forming in the near future? Allen Barrett

Will The Real Finance Director Please Stand Up!

Does it seem odd to have the retired Mrs. Judy Roberts attending County Budget Committee Meetings and being asked questions about county finances while the "Real" Finance Director sat ignored by committee members? Was Mrs. Roberts there as merely an interested observer or as a paid consultant... she has not been at any other committee meetings since retiring. The more interesting question is if she is a paid consultant, as some commissioners have stated, then at what meeting was there authorization to hire her and to expend county funds to pay her. Allen Barrett

Will We Really Have $40,000.00 Custodians

This is the payroll for current custodial staff members at the courthouse. This was handed out at the budget meeting this morning Wednesday 28 November.

1. Roger Strickland $32,,448.00 per year

2. Missouri Holman $26,208.00 per year

3. Chris Judkins $20,387.00 per year

Payroll Per Hour For Hours Worked

1. Roger Strickland $1,248.00 for two weeks 100 hours = $12.48 per hour

2. Missouri Holman $1,008.00 for two weeks 70 hours = $14.40 per hour

3. Chris Judkins $784.00 for two weeks 70 hours = $11.20 per hour

PROPOSAL FOR NEW PAY SCHEDULE

Promote Roger Strickland to maintenance supervisor over both Courthouse and Annex Bldgs.

Increase salary from $32,448 to $40,448 per year an increase of $8,000.00.

This is, word for word, the statement at the bottom of the proposal :

Ladies and gentlemen:

If we hire a part time person at $8.50 per hr. That will be $8,840 per yr. $8,840+$8,000=$16,840 Per yr. We don’t have to pay extra insurance and full time benefits. Since we have help that is flexible, and willing to help out in both bldgs we need to keep good help.

SUGGESTION: Keep $25,000 in this budget. We will have $8,160 to adjust hrs. or pay scale if we have to.

In this same proposal is a list of changes and new responsibilities:

1. Hire part time person to work 4 hrs per day.

2. After talking to Mr. Wilburn at the bank he has assured me that the bank will be open at 7:00 a.m. every morning.

3. Start this person at 7:00 a.m.

4. Vacuuming and most cleaning should be done by 8:a.m. (Bank Opening Time).

5. Mr. Wilburn has assured me, it will not be a problem if we have to do a little cleaning after 8:00 a.m.

6. The two cleaning ladies and myself have talked and agree we think this will work.

7. After working with the Heads Of Depts at the courthouse I can’t see this as a impossible task.

8. I, Roger Strickland, do believe I can perform general maintenance duties at both buildings with very few problems.

One question I have is if there is a need for someone to be at the Annex for only four hours a day why can’t one of the current workers be assigned there then work four hours at the courthouse? Presently both custodians are working 35 hours per week, this could be increased to a full 40 hour work week. Mr. Strickland could adjust his schedule to 40 hours a week and oversee and take part in work at both buildings. Allen Barrett

Cemetery Contract?

Why is the city preparing to spend over nine thousand dollars to paint the fence at Maplewood Cemetery when the contract agreed to by the custodian of the cemetery is clearly the one responsible for such upkeep? Article IV SUBMITTALS Section B states, “Submit a narrative business plan detailing the bidders plan to, revitalize, manage, landscape and generally beautify the grounds and walks of Maplewood Cemetery”.

Speaking of the Cemetery the agreement also requires that money received from the placements of monuments would be placed in an “Installation Fund”. Guess who knows all about this fund or its existence…. no one in city government apparently certainly not the city manager. Wonder why?

In this same agreement Article III Section C states, “City will request the successful bidder to submit a schedule of all charges, detail of all sales and services and perpetual care trust fund.” Want to guess who has requested this information….. Apparently not anyone in city government and certainly not the city manager. Wonder why? Allen Barrett

Catch 22 With The City Council

How does a citizen gain the opportunity to address the city council? According to the City Attorney you address them while they are out of session. The problem is when they are out of session and out of the room how do you address them? Well according to the mayor that’s not his problem. Recently I was told during a City Council meeting, by the mayor, that the proper place to address the city council was in their work session so I waited until the next work session and tried to ask a couple of simple questions. I was not allowed to by the mayor who simply got up and started to walk out until the council said I could ask the questions. The mayor refused to return to his seat. I asked why the city was paying over $70,000.00 a year on telephones. How many cell phones did the city have out, how many minutes were being used and if anyone was monitoring the use. The city manager was pointed out as the one handling that issue and he said that he would have those numbers by the next council meeting. At the next council meeting not only were those numbers not made available the city manager denied ever committing to get the numbers. Council members sat silent but the surprise showed on several members faces. Mr. Harrison just laughed it off and denied any such commitment even when one of the council members stated that she remembered he did say he would get those numbers. What is the hold that the city manager and mayor have over the council that would cause them to sacrifice their good names and reputations to silently support a known lie? Allen Barrett