Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2006 > April > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSecrecy might just backfire on board
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First, let’s praise them.
Gwinnett’s public schools operate well. Athletics and academics thrive and co-exist peacefully. Standardized test results, generally, rank among the highest in the state. New campuses open on schedule.The community supports its public schools.
And for that, we can thank the Big Man — Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks and his administration. Their pride runs deep. It should.
But sometimes they take it to the nth degree, turn praise and success into high-minded haughtiness.
And history has classic tales of where hubris can lead.
You probably know the details. The good news is that Mr. Wilbanks and his crew spent a whopping $117.4 million on more than 1,000 acres to build dozens of schools. The unsettling news is that they did it in secret, then told the public about it. They signed the contracts, let the ink dry, then announced the purchase during a joint meeting Thursday between school board members and county leaders.
Our school leaders say that they’re operating within the law and that making real estate purchases without public input is better for you and me. Better, they claim, because they can negotiate land prices truer to market value. Yet other government entities buy land in the open with no problem.
Our school leaders continue to ignore taxpayer concern as well as the opinion of the state’s top lawman. George Thurbert Baker, the state attorney general, has said that government entities thatbuy real estate in secret violate the state Open Meetings Act.
He’s said that an exemption to the act allows elected officials to negotiate real estate sales in private. All votes, though, must be taken in public.
It’s been nearly a year since the issue of secret purchases first came to light.
The Gwinnett County Commission has corrected its land-buying ways. At first, they, too, were reluctant to change the way things have always been. But instead of insisting their way was the right way, the commissioners eventually brought their transactions into the light. They still negotiate in private, but they require sellers to sign an agreement that locks in a price. Then, after releasing details of the purchase days in advance, they vote on the deal in a public meeting.
Not the school board. Wilbanks and the school board say they re-examined their policy and found that they were right all along. They wrap themselves in their success and push humility out the schoolhouse door.
They’re caught up in the trap of hubris.
And that can’t bode well for the long-term success of the school system. Board members can’t see it now, because all they see is success. But things change. Gwinnett changes, almost every day. Parents’ support may not always be as strong as it is today. The budget is near a crisis point. Tax increases may be inevitable.
If and when the tide turns and the Gwinnett school system begins experiencing the downside of growth and glory, then the heydays of success won’t much matter. What people will focus on then is the superior attitude of the board, and there will be no bigger example than the secrecy by which the board will have spent billions of dollars.
It’s why open government can never be a bad thing. And why secrecy is seldom a good thing.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By LB
April 18, 2006 07:15 AM | Link to this
I think the public should be informed of everything on the slate for discussion. As for Gwinnett schools, a wait and see attitute should be exercised. Gwinnett is highly populated with illegals. A concern for too many schools and not enough students is a realistic thought. My thought is to do nothing at this point. Don’t tear down any more of our trees and wait at least a year to see how the student population pans out.
By what?
April 18, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this
Sure, let us wait.
Let’s wait while laws are being usurped, wait while hundreds of millions more are spent without accountability.
Lets just wait till the cows come home while we are at it
People that turn a blind eye towards government breaking laws, just continue to amaze me. Funny thing is these are generally the same people that want someone caught double parking incarcerated for life.
It’s little wonder we have the type of government we do.
Even more fascinating is the fact that Baker has rendered an opinion that he has the power to enforce and hasn’t nor will he take any action against the Gwinnett County School System to force compliance.
What kind of pictures can we assume the Board of education has of state officials to keep them at bay? Or perhaps a more appropriate question would be, Who owns land in Gwinnett County?
By Bob
April 18, 2006 09:10 AM | Link to this
J. Alvin Wilbanks (not so affectionately known as “JAWs) is an arrogant and unyielding man. Several years ago, he took a meeting with one of the county’s Planning Commissioners, who wanted to talk to him about growth management policies and better participation by the School Board in growth issues. You see, the school system has an advisory position on the Planning Commission, but the chair is always empty.
After the meeting, Wilbanks wrote a letter to then-Commission Chairman Wayne Hill, telling him in essence that he (Wilbanks) would never again meet with an underling to discuss growth issues. In the future, he would meet only with administrators on his same level of authority.
It hasn’t been too long ago that Wilbanks ended a years long battle against opponents of the Gateway test, even using school police officers under his supervision to threaten his critics with arrest and the removal of their children to state custody.
Of course, that reminds me of what I believe was wilful underreporting of school crime by the “Wilbanks P.D.” He only acknowledged a problem when he was exposed by the numbers.
Then there was the time that it took a federal agency to force Wilbanks to accommodate a paraplegic sixth-grader who couldn’t get his wheelchair into one of Gwinnett’s many trailer classrooms for a required class. The mother’s pleas for a ramp fell on deaf School Board ears; they referred her to Wilbanks. He refused to allow a ramp to be built, even when one was donated free of charge. Instead, he moved the kid’s entire class inside and put another class in the trailer. He later called the mother’s efforts, which drew the attention of the Atlanta media, “total harrassment.” The day after the mother was interviewed by local television news stations and with one week of school left, the school system suddenly withdrew the services of a wheelchair van which had been taking the child to class for months, calling it a “safety issue.”
The School Board will never change its policy on land buying until a majority of the current board is replaced by others with some backbone. Until then, Wilbanks will run amok as he has for years.
By terri
April 18, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this
I personally believe that the success of Gwinnett’s schools have been made in spite of the antics of J. Alvin Wilbanks and the school board. I believe that parent involvement, good teachers and the desire of the student to achieve have overcome the arrogance of the powers that be.
The behavior of the BOE and Wilbanks is unacceptable for servants of the community. Sycamore School being built between two nasty landfills was such a bad land deal decision that it received negative coverage in the national media. It really gave a black eye to the community. That vote was taken behind closed doors. When parents became aware of the situation and complained, Wilbanks and crew’s response was nothing short of angry and just plain rude. They seemed offended that THEY would be questioned. Forget about the love and concern that a parent has for their child. How dare THEY be questioned!
If the BOE and Wilbanks were to be ousted tomorrow, life would go on. Learning would continue as well. I find it hard to believe that they are the only people in the county with the intelligence to run the schools. It is so important that citizens keep watch over their officials. They sometimes forget that they work for us. If not….. I have some beautiful swamp land that i would be willing to part with…… for the right price.
By Linda
April 18, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this
Why shouldn’t a man (JAWs) who has gotten by with his own police department and real estate department (buy, then lease of The MotherShip on Old P’tree Rd.)do as he pleases even if it is in contradiction to the Attorney General. After all JAWs is appointed by the school board and not elected by the public. The school board is controlled by him hence who has the power. Does the public continue to elect the same school board members because of their stellar job. Don’t think they work for free—check out their fringe benefits including health insurance, etc.
By Russ
April 18, 2006 04:15 PM | Link to this
Hi Gwinnett Parents The School Board tells you your smart to vote for SPLOST But to STUPID to have a say on how they spend it. Cut off SPLOST and see how good they are….
By Regularjoe
April 18, 2006 09:05 PM | Link to this
Good info Rick. The School Board is typical of people who forget that the money they have is not theirs. It is our money and we want to know how it is spent.
It is like going to a car lot and the salesman saying “you need an SUV”. You say “fine, can I see it”. He says “no, trust me”. You say “the last car you got me had some problems, you wouldn’t let me see that either”. “That’s right, that is how it’s done here” he says “and next year I want you to spend more money”!
By Russell
April 19, 2006 07:59 AM | Link to this
After opening dozens of new school and building additions over the past several years on time and on budget, it is amazing to see how the news media and a handful of anti-Gwinnett County Public School zealots continue to use Sycamore Elementary School as a poster child for a poor school location choice.
Get over it. This school is highly successful and the staff and the overwhelming majority of parents who have children that attend this facility are extremely proud of their school. The location next to a landfill is a non-factor. Hysteria surrounding the opening of the school resulted in taxpayers having to fork over close to an additional one hundred thousand dollars for methane testing and detection equipment that has never been needed. This school is safe, the landfill is not a threat and the grounds and school facility is as nice a setting as anywhere else in the county. Drive around the landfills in Gwinnett County and see how many are surrounded by housing developments. Wonder how many of them have methane detectors?
I agree that the school board needs to open up land deals to a period of public review after negotiations have allowed for such a review after agreeing on a fair market price. But the public also needs to understand that the school system runs a billion dollar business and cannot realistically afford to have every decision held up for a prolonged period of public scrutiny. There are very few tracts of land in Gwinnett County large enough to build a school now. For every tract that might come on the market, the school system would have to compete with numerous developers. For new schools within an established school cluster, the options are even fewer.
The school system need to allow public awareness and review of land deals before finalizing them. But the personal attacks against Mr. Wilbanks, the Board of Education, and the system in general are uncalled for and trashy. The fact is, this school system is professionally run, and is the standard bearer for Georgia and most of the United States.
By jim d
April 19, 2006 08:05 AM | Link to this
Unfortunately Rick,
The Gwinnettt County School System under the tutelage of Mr. Wilbanks has always been and will continue to be a system that feels if you don’t like what they are doing, “sue them”.
As right or wrong as this may seem to the common people, it serves to feed a few political egos because they know few will go to the trouble or expense. They also know that they will be able to use our own money to fight any such suits. So you see they really can’t loose.
Let’s be real about this. We have a little political machine here that is in control of nearly a billion and a half dollars annually that has their own police department to intimidate any tax payers that would ever question the systems authority. They have a staff of legal professionals they pay handsomely to keep them as free from problems as possible and a group of paid lobbyists to assure they receive the maximum amount of funding from the state and fed. They currently hide in executive session to purchase property out of the public eye and have no intention of changing that practice. I mean would you if you were able to purchase property with someone else’s money in a county where you had influential friends that were heavily vested in real estate?
My only question is why Thurbert Baker has refused to force them to comply. He is on record, as stating that the way our BOE is operating doesn’t comply with the law. He’s also been attributed with saying; “We can’t always assume that what we do is right. “We can’t always assume that we make the best decisions. The counterbalance, the way we can get a sense of whether we’re on the right road, is to have public input. And they’ll tell us if we got it right or if we got it wrong. But if you don’t allow for that kind of input, you can make a lot of mistakes in this business.”
Unless I’m badly mistaken (I’m not), In 1998 our state legislature granted the attorney general the authority to apply open meetings and records laws to county commissions, city councils, hospital authorities and other local agencies.
So why is he so hesitant to act?
By jim d
April 19, 2006 08:27 AM | Link to this
Jeez, What was I thinking? Please ignore my question in the previous post, it’s an election year for Baker, he can’t afford to upset contributors.
By Bruce Wilcox
April 19, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this
jim d, think about it, if Thurbert Baker went after the school system people would say it’s election year politics, if he doesn’t it’s because he doesn’t want to upset contributors. Either way he gets shafted.
Being that Gwinnett is a Republican strong, or should that be strangle, hold, I doubt Thurbert Baker is worried about contributions coming from this county.
Maybe if more people contacted his office he would act, but if everyone remains silent and takes it why bother? I’m sure he has enough work to keep his days busy.
By terri
April 19, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this
Russell, I really can’t get over Sycamore Elementary’s close proximity to a toxic landfill. True, this school is successful and the staff and the parents who have children that attend this facility are extremely proud of their school. Alot of hard work goes into raising and educating children. But you’ve got to delusional if you think they are proud of it’s location. When is the last time you heard a parent brag about the fact that their child goes to school next to the dump?
The location next to a landfill is a huge factor. There were other options. There were other sites available. Hysteria surrounding the opening of the school was the result of the BOE trying to slide this situation in under the door. Can you honestly say that, if given a voice, taxpayers would have chosen to build an elementary school on this site? Had the BOE been less secretive, the taxpayers wouldn’t have needed to fork over close to one hundred thousand dollars for methane testing and detection equipment. The school would never have been built.
Quoting from Organic Style’s article _ “Despite its brand-new structure, neighbors say, the school stinks of rotten eggs. “When I dropped off my kids, the smell made me sick,” said one Sycamore mom.” also ” The mounds of trash, which can be seen from the school’s playground, are home to rats and vultures, and the piles belch intermittent clouds of a thick, noxious dust that occasionally keeps kids inside for recess. “That odor is more than just unpleasant,” warns Frank J. Bove, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and expert in environmental toxins who lives nearby. “It is harmful to the children’s health.” end quote.
Like it or not, Sycamore School IS the poster child for GCPS’ poor planning and secretive land deals. It is a glaring example of what can happen when officials believe that they are above the law. Decisions of it’s sort are the reason the “Sunshine Law” was initiated.
By Bruce Wilcox
April 19, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this
Don’t forget Meadowcreek Elementary, located between a truck terminal and a rock quarry. I wonder if any environmental impact studies are ever done on these sites?
By jim d
April 19, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
Russell,
The sycamore school hasn’t been there long enough to determine any long term affects. Just keep believing my friend. 20 years from now tax payers will indeed be picking up the medical bills for kids that attened the school, not to mention the many law suits sure to come down the pike because these kids are either sterile or have deformed babies. Indeed my friend keep right on living in your fantasy world.
By Charley van Rotterdam
April 20, 2006 03:31 AM | Link to this
While we here in Australia don’t have the same system as you guys, the idea that a Board can put in place a policy that makes them unaccountable could never fly here, policy MUST comply with all relevant legislation. For me if a Board/person is accountable then honesty is not an issue, however if a Board/person is unaccountable then their honesty is always in question.
By Nic
April 23, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this
The Board conducted business within legal parameters. Baker is hesitant to act because case law has set the precedent throughout the nation of acceptable closed-meeting BOE land purchases. A compulsory public deliberative would lead to land speculation, ill-informed political pressures, and sky-rocketing prices that would inevitably end up costing us more money. If enrollment projections are not met, then the land can be sold in the future to other business or industrial site-devlopment ventures. I am a tax-paying constituent with the power of a vote if the future reveals any ill-intent. However, in the present, I am thankful for a BOE that operates in such a proactive manner and strategically plans for the future of our children.