Randy Fairbanks recently sent out a letter to residents of District 1 with many factual errors in it. I will address those so-called “facts”.
In the first paragraph he says, “If you have been paying attention for the last few years, you know our schools are not in good shape. The buildings are falling apart…” Really? Let’s look at the facts, Allen Elementary is 14 years old and is in great shape, North Hamilton County Elementary is 21 years old and in great shape, Soddy Elementary is practically brand new at 8 years old, Daisy Elementary is 37 years old and is getting a new entrance to their school off Sequoyah Road and additional parking spaces costing $554,368.78, Sale Creek Middle/High is getting a $12 million expansion, additional parking spaces and a completely refurbished parking lot as well as a football field. Former Falling Water Elementary students who live off the mountain will be attending the brand new Middle Valley Elementary and the students who live on the mountain will be going off to Soddy Elementary. Are these schools falling down? Don’t think so.
The only school that needs major work in District 1 is Soddy-Daisy Middle School. Commissioner Skillern, Gary Waters and I talked about an 8 classroom addition to SD Middle to get students out of portables. We discussed moving the cafeteria to the back of the school and making the current cafeteria classrooms. We also discussed completely reconfiguring the bus drop off as well as the student drop off areas. This entire project would cost about a $6-8 million. You can bet I will be fighting for every dollar to get the students at SD Middle out of those portables as soon as there is construction money available from the Commission. (So, anyone who knows somebody in District 1 on the County Commission, please tell them we need $8 million.)
Mr. Fairbanks goes on to say. “…the board is hiring and firing superintendents, all with big payouts.” Let’s fact check, shall we? When Dr. Register left (he was not fired), I voted against his $150,000 golden parachute, when Dr. Scales decided to leave (he was not fired) he had plans to close Sequoyah Vocational and make it part of Soddy-Daisy High School and he was bringing in his friends from out of town and to replace our local people so, I voted for his buyout because I wanted him gone, and unless Mr. Fairbanks knows something I do not, Rick Smith (he was not fired) did not get a buyout.
Mr. Fairbanks says District 1 needs “a school board member who will visit the schools on a regular basis.” First of all, I work 5 days a week like most of the taxpayers in District 1. I do not like dropping by schools because it disrupts the entire school. Schools should not be places for politicians to go to be seen so everyone will know how much they “care”. School board members should not have to been seen but, the fruits of their labor should be seen. Not one of the projects going on now in District 1 - the addition to Sale Creek, entrance to Daisy Elementary or the football field was accomplished by hanging out in a school. These projects took many hours on the phone, numerous e-mails, visits to many government offices, a lot of meetings and building relationships.
Any principal in District 1 who needs me knows how to get in touch with me either by e-mail, text, phone or website. If they have needed me and not gotten in touch with me, it is their fault, not mine.
Principals are already out of their buildings 20% of their work week for mandatory principal meetings so, why in this world would they want to entertain me another day? Things have changed a lot in the last 12 years in the way problems are dealt with. For instance, if a principal has a maintenance issue, they send me a picture of the problem either by e-mail or text, and I forward it to Justin Witt, (Gary Waters until his retirement), and he sends someone to take care of the problem, most of the time before I could have driven to the school.
Randy says, “We need a school board member who will support our teachers.” You mean like giving them a 2% raise across the board for everyone except administration plus a $250 flat bonus? I voted for that June 1.
Randy continues, “We need a school board member who will give positive input and try to come up with a budget she can support.” What nerve this comment takes. At least I was in attendance at the school board budget meeting giving my thoughts, objections and suggestions before the school board voted on the budget. That is more than Randy can say since he failed to show up and even cast a vote at the most important meeting of the year for the Commission, the meeting to vote on Hamilton County’s $679.6 million budget.
It has been said many times, Mr. Fairbanks, you are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.
Rhonda Thurman
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I agree with Ms. Thurman that we should just deal with the facts, but I don’t just pick the ones I like.
The reason I said our schools are falling apart is from the report the School Board gave us dated Feb. 16, 2016. Ms. Thurman should be aware of this report. It says if we did all the maintenance needed in all our schools, it would cost us $206 million. District 1 school repairs would amount to $13 million. Does that sound like schools that are in good shape?
Although I am responsible for all the citizens in District 1, I also have to be on top of all the taxpayer’s dollars spent in Hamilton County. Tax dollars collected from the citizens are spent in all districts. That is why it is so important that your elected officials get along with their colleagues. You must have someone that understands the big picture or your district will suffer.
I also work full-time, like everyone else. I visit the schools to show my support for the administration, teachers and students. The principals always thank me for coming and catch me up on the exciting things going on. They need that support. You can’t do the county commission or school board job over the phone, or by e-mail. We are in the people business. I knew the time it would take when I ran for the position and the citizens of my district deserve that.
Commissioner Randy Fairbanks
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Thanks for understanding that we need to stand by our principles, but also knowing that there is give and take in all walk of life. Even in a marriage I am sure Mrs Thurman does not get her way, about everything, but there is room to move, for a little give to reach better results in the end. The same works in the classroom and the school board.
Margaret Chastain
Soddy-Daisy