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School Board Spends With Abandon

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

Long-time members of the Hillsborough County School Board made a good case for term limits Tuesday by refusing to pull the reins on lucrative consulting contracts - an area of spending that's spun out of control.

Despite the public's outcry over government spending, longtime board members see nothing wrong with granting these sweet no-bid contracts to former employees and friends.

Instead, they voted Tuesday to give a $157,000 no-bid contract to Tom Blackwell, who retired in August as general manager of construction for the district. The contract calls for him to conduct a state-mandated inventory of school sites.

In an organization with thousands of employees, taxpayers are expected to believe that no one else has the time or abilities to do this six-month task?

Similarly, just last month, an administrator awarded a $54,000 contract to a wellness consultant who happened to be her former colleague.

When the board's newest members targeted the questionable contracts for discussion, the old guard got huffy.

Board member Carol Kurdell scolded board members April Griffin and Susan Valdes for rightly urging caution.

"What disappoints me is the lack of trust in the expertise sitting in this room," Kurdell said, referring to facilities chief Cathy Valdes, who wanted the consultant.

Board member Candy Olson chimed in with, "You go, girl!"

School boards have been held mostly harmless from state-mandated budget cuts because people believe the money is needed in the classroom. Board members have responded by spending with abandon.

But surely with this kind of extravagance, taxpayers will soon be demanding a day of reckoning.

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