Lamar County School Bond Betrayal?

[lamarrebel]

deleted

[aaron]

This is why rural voters didn't pass the first one, because they didn't think the money we have is being spent well, so why give the school board more money? Your right, this is a slap in the face.

[MC69TA]

Administration office space ….. Mobile Homes no A/C Fans only .

What say you!

[lamarrebel]

del

[MC69TA]

Sure you can trust the government! Just ask an Indian!

[TigerJack]

last time i saw dunagin he was in oxford lobbying
for playin time for gary pack! Give them heck Barrister!

[wilebill]

I just passed some of this info to an Ole Miss supporter, who does not live in Lamar County, and he told me that Dunagin was arrested in Oxford last year for scalping football tickets. Any truth to that? He seemed to know about it pretty well.

If true, not a good example to be setting for the kids.

[lamarrebel]

si?

[2002usmgrad]

Not to play devil's advocate here, but maybe since they found out that the project in the Purvis school wasn't going to cost as much, they decided to buy a piece of property that could be used for a good purpose, rather than throwing away money by renting out office space. Before we start throwing stones we should all try to gather the truth. With the massive growing of the Lamar county schools I would imagine that the amount of administrative responsibilities would grow, and perhaps they are anticipating needing more space. And perhaps Hancock Bank is giving them a pretty good deal, since I believe they did obtain this building from Lamar Bank (I could be wrong), when the banks merged, and themselves got a rock bottom price for it. It will be interesting to see the whole facts, which I'm sure will be out soon.

[lamarrebel]

hummph

[2002usmgrad]

I agree, the money should go to the schools, but you of all people should know not to get so frustrated and start throwing stones at people over something that is still just a rumor. When we find out that they are indeed doing this then you can start calling specific people out, but of course I'm sure you want joel out so that maybe even you can run for that spot. All this thread is doing is starting to spread rumors and possibly damaging other people's reputations.

[lamarrebel]

burp

[2002usmgrad]

Have any papers been signed. Is this a done deal. If so, it's not a rumor, but if it hasn't, hmmmm, that makes it a rumor. Just because people are talking about it doesn't make it necessarily true. I'll give you this, there is probably some truth to what you are saying, but I'm guessing you can't find anywhere it says that Hancock Bank has signed this over to Lamar County Schools and for what dollar amount. All these numbers that you are proporting make it a rumor. I do agree that the building probably isn't worth that $1.6 million, but I have a pretty good suspicion that these people wouldn't pay for a property that isn't worth the appraised value, not with how close they have folks like yourself watching over them.

[lamarrebel]

Fair

[Wayward]

Barely two months after the passage of the May 10 School Bond Issue, the Lamar County School Board is poised to slap the faces of the voters and especially those who worked so hard to get the bond passed.

[snip]

Numerous sources are reporting that the closing bank facility will be sold to the Lamar County School District for Administration office space at a cost of $1.6 million. The district has supposedly found cost savings in the Purvis elementary school of close to this amount, and the school board wants to use this excess to make this purchase.

[snip]

And, yes, I suspct news stories will be forthcoming, though not this week.
hubbarrister,

Did you miss the July 21 issue of the Lamar Times? Page 1 story carried over to Page 8 ... quoted in part:

During Monday's [Lamar County School Board] meeting, [board Attorney Billy] Andrews said he wanted to address a rumor currently circulating concerning the school bond issue. Andrews said there is no truth that any funds from the bond issue will be used for purchasing a bank building by the school district. "There has never been such a proposal," he said.
Anonymous "numerous sources" normally don't do much for me.

[Wayward]

I agree, the money should go to the schools, but you of all people should know not to get so frustrated and start throwing stones at people over something that is still just a rumor. When we find out that they are indeed doing this then you can start calling specific people out, but of course I'm sure you want joel out so that maybe even you can run for that spot. All this thread is doing is starting to spread rumors and possibly damaging other people's reputations.
Very well said, 2002usmgrad ... right on point. I'm deeply concerned that hubbarrister chose to invoke the name of Lamar Students First with this comment ...
Numerous members of Lamar Students First, which was the pro-bond group, are discussing this, and are outraged at the thought of this being considered.
To me, it seems that group worked very hard to overcome rumors with fact in getting bond issue details out there. I seriously doubt that members of the group would suddenly decide to become rumor mongers. I'm guessing hubbarrister has political motives for himself and/or others.

[lamarrebel]

hmmm

[2002usmgrad]

I will agree with getting the whole ounce of prevention defeats a pound of problem philosophy, it was just starting to get a wee bit personal about some of the officials on here, let's not take them down until after we know they did something wrong, then you can rag them all you want. Any new confirmations on this or is it still just heresay.

[Wayward]

[snip]

I believe, regardless of the spin, the consideration of doing this was there. I am glad, apparently, that wiser heads are prevailing.
Thanks for the clarification, hubbarrister.

Just to be sure I get it right ... Wiser heads are prevailing not to take action on an unsubstantiated rumor that was disclaimed by the school board attorney at a open school board meeting and reported in the Lamar Times well before this thread was started.

I think I've got it. :smt001

As a side note, I certainly hope there are some long range plans concerning the administrative offices. It will need to be addressed at some time.

[lamarrebel]

spoke

[Wayward]

I spoke with one of the board members this morning (I do have respect for four of them, and would only likely vote against one or possibly two of them if I lived in their districts -- unless they did something really illogical like what this whole thread is about), and am convinced and relieved now there is nothing to this. This particular board member thought such a proposal would be as crazy as I did. I regret not seeing the article in the Lamar Times buried on page 8.
hubbarrister ... Great. I'm pleased that you checked with one of the school board members for clarification. I'm also pleased with your concurrence that the thread is illogical. Concerning The Times article. It was actually a Page 1 story that carried over to Page 8. This specific content just happened to have rolled to Page 8. The whole article, beginning on Page 1, was a good read.

Long range planning may be necessary down the road as far as administrative office space, but I believe that should be subservient to the students who we are educating. I certainly believe the school district can spend a lot less than $1.6 to accomplish this as well. Much of the criticism that had been levelled at public education in this state, has been directed at administrative costs. LCSD has had some of the lowest in the state, and I hope that it will remain that way.
The Lamar County School District is one of the fastest growing in the state, something like the 11th largest school district, and has one of the highest academic ratings. It has something like the 13th or 14th lowest administrative costs of the 150+ school districts. No small feat.

In any event, I am glad this is cleared up, and hope that a further public clarification of this will appear in the Hattiesburg American or other larger media.
Yes, it will be interesting to see clarification of unsubstantiated rumors. Interesting thread.

[2002usmgrad]

Why does any media have to clear up a rumor that was never reported as being true. The only coverage of this was by the Lamar Times, and they had someone saying it wasn't true.

[Wayward]

Exactly, 2002usmgrad. Right on point again. Clearing up unsubstantiated rumors is pointless and fans a non-existent fire. (My final comment in the previous post was tongue-in-cheek).

[lamarrebel]

I do not

[Wayward]

[snip]

Like I said, I'm relieved that the board isn't planning on doing this. I regret I was late getting on the train, after these cooler heads had apparently prevailed. But, I believe there was more to this than a unsubstantiated rumor.
I guess relief that the board isn't going to do something that the board attorney and a couple of board members said was never proposed is a good thing. But it does sound rather unsubstantiated. :smt001

I suspect the bank talked to the school folks (I would, if I had a bank to sell) and I suspect the school folks responded (probably because it would have been a polite thing to do). And I suspect the rumor fanned through Purvis, taking a life of its own.

At this point, everyone is better served to watch the project develop rather than going immediately to watchdog mode, howling at the moon, and barking at everything that moves. At this point only one contract has been awarded and it represents less that 3% of the whole thing. The project is on track ... lets see what happens. :yes:

[subnet_rx]

I guess I should add the Lamar Times to the list of the only Forrest and Lamar news sources in the Pine Belt.

[lamarrebel]

Lamar

[Wayward]

My goodness ... give the poor ole OG football stadium a rest. Timing was lousy, lessons were learned. I think it's been adequately covered. If "Many Lamar County citizens are distrustful, and perhaps justifiably so" ... then fanning the flames isn't really gonna help.

Lets at least get this project underway before demeaning the board and the administration. The project is on an effective fast track ... they deserve a fair shot. :thumbs_up

[lamarrebel]

cough

[TheKingofPop]

What's up with all the editing? Sounds like Noway with all of the coughing.

[Wayward]

What's up with all the editing? [snip] ...
King,

If you haven't run across it, the editing is discussed in some detail here ...
http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7227&page=5&pp=10

Wayward