We shouldn’t go overboard renovating everything in sight

Against $14 million improvements by James Clark

Don’t bring up the children of this community and say I’m against education. Nothing could be further from the truth.

What I am against is opening up a $14 million bank vault for contractors to fix just about everything imaginable when it comes to Warren County schools.

Some of the items are badly needed on the wish list of projects school officials have submitted to the Warren County Commission. Nunley Stadium, for example, is in desperate need of a facelift. The auditorium at Warren County Middle School is also in shambles and in need of some serious funding for repairs. I could even be sold on a new school at Centertown.

But just how far are we going to wander down a wish list of unnecessary improvements? It’s been said some of the items listed aren’t needed immediately. I could argue some aren’t needed at all.

Does every school in the county need storm drainage work? Do seven schools need new doors? Do four schools really need cafeteria renovations or bathroom additions?

The long wish list of renovations also indicates three schools need paving work. Two more need parking lot “upgrades” and still two more need new tile.

These are sounding less and less like needed repairs and more and more like luxury items. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised to see $25,000 allocated for gold-plated toilet seats.

These $14 million worth of projects will end up costing the taxpayers $24 million by the time interest is paid. And while these improvements might not require a tax increase, it does tie up a considerable portion of the county’s money for the next 20 years. Then when a project we really do need comes down the road in a year or two, commissioners will have no choice but to raise taxes.

Lets fix up our schools and make much-needed repairs, but lets also not get foolish. Commissioners should be handed a revised list, and on Monday they should vote on improvements that really are needed.