No more pointless rec center renovations

It sounds like the Wichita school district’s waste of $40,000 on an unraveled plan to move an early childhood program from Cloud Elementary School to the nearby city-owned Evergreen Recreation Center was an honest mistake stemming from three governments’ failure to communicate. Still, this is the kind of misspending that drives taxpayers to tantrums. And it’s hard not to think of how much good that $40,000 could have done in classrooms around the district.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

7 Comments

  1. Vaughn Tolle
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 8:58 am | Permalink

    Geez, one would think that the district would have coordinated with the city and state to ascertain the requirements before starting any project. I cannot imagine what happened here; from what I’ve read, the district was ignorant of the state requirements and the city code requirements. Hey, USD 259; that’s what attorneys are for.

  2. fleettwood
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 9:27 am | Permalink

    “And it’s hard not to think of how much good that $40,000 could have done in classrooms around the district.”

    It’s much easier to think how much better it would be to give it back to the taxpayer.

    Is it time for another Tea Party?

  3. rm6046
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 10:28 am | Permalink

    Supt. Brooks!! The bucks stop with you, minus another $40 grand, that is. Notwithstanding that it was a bad idea going in. “Johnnie can’t read. Johnnie can’t write. Johnie can’t spell. Johnnie can’t add 2+2, and come up with 4. Johnnie’s dealing crack to his 10 year old classmates!” The Supt. & the Board have got an idea. “Let’s build another rec center!!!” No wonder you don’t have a Ph.D., Winston; not implying it would make much difference, I thought, recalling Stuart Berger.

  4. Vaughn Tolle
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 12:03 pm | Permalink

    Uh, rm, I think you misread the header. The district was going to place an early childhood center in the Evergreen Recreation Center.

    However, your comments re: Mr. Brooks being the one bearing ultimate responsibility are spot on, IMHO.

  5. Kev
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 5:22 pm | Permalink

    If I cost my company $40,000, I would be fired. So should these people too.

  6. Joe Williams
    Posted February 13, 2007 at 6:19 pm | Permalink

    $40,000? Ah! Just a drop in the bucket.

  7. TJefferson
    Posted February 19, 2007 at 4:53 pm | Permalink

    Joe,

    It may seem like a drop in the bucket, but if enough of those drops were saved, it adds up.

    I worked with an afterschool program for several years, and we had to jump through numerous hoops with the state. Why USD259 did not do so beforehand is beyond me.

    The $40,000 should come out of Brooks and the School Board’s pockets, and not the USD259 budget.

    Wichita’s stupid don’t fail policy is putting to good use, apparently.