Undefined, Unneeded "Future Use" Land Purchased by BCSS.

$1.2 million land purchase next to Adairsville High and Middle School approved. Sewage capacity also in question.

By David McKalip, M.D.

“Future use”. That was the best that Bartow Schools Superintendent Clint Terza could come up with to justify a $1.2 million purchase of 14.09 acres approved by Bartow School Board last night. A purchase that appears to be unnecessary and costly to the taxpayers.

The land was approved on a 4-0-1 vote with Board Member Darla Williams abstaining after Superintendent Terza could not actually explain what “Future use” was intended. Also, why did the City of Adairsville indicate that the sewer system was inadequate for use of that land recently? And why did the city previously tell the land owners who are selling this property to the school system that the Sewage system was being conserved for “future use” (see lawsuit discussion below)?

The land itself was approved for purchase at a Million dollars over the last sales price in 2022. Perhaps market forces justify that, but the School Board needs to produce some transparency on that matter. Especially if the purchase is not needed and more especially as they continue to fight efforts to limit future property tax hikes for homesteaded residents in Bartow County.

Unneeded Purchase and Faulty Growth Projections

This blog has pointed out that school enrollment for Bartow County has been declining and still has not recovered back to peak enrollment experienced in 2008. The School system has missed the projections for K-5, Grades 6-8 and High School in the very first year of “projections” from the highly paid contractor “Education Consultants”.

Now, admittedly, the only schools that seems to be meeting the projections are in Adairsville. However, capacity needs seem to have been already been satisfied by adding 18 classrooms to Adairsville High School with construction planned for completion in December 2024. According to the Daily news Tribune, Adairsville High was meeting capacity needs prior to the addition of classrooms: “Currently, 1,231 students are enrolled at AHS. The school building’s capacity in its present form is 1,376 students.” It is interesting that the local paper is quoting a capacity of 1,376 students prior to construction because the “Education Consultants” report indicated an 1,100 student capacity in their 2023 report). This error is in addition to the one of the Cass High estimate of “1,625” was also under represented in this same report - it was actually 2,000 (per report of school staff to the author)!

With so many errors in projections and capacities, it is hard to trust the Superintendent when he says that the extra 14.09 acre are for some legitimate need of “future use”.

Note that the student capacity was noted to be “1,100” for the 2023 report from the well paid consultants “Education Planners”. The 1,100 number for Adairsville High was reported as 1,376 student capacity by the Daily News Tribune in 2023 base don the “ five year Local Facility Plan”.

The Bartow School System has room to expand without this purchase.

The Land purchased is directly next to both Adairsville High School and Adairsville Middle School. Now, admittedly, there is more growth in Adairsville schools than the rest of the county. But there is room to add more classrooms on current land currently present on the High School and Middle School Campus. A look at the composite map of the High school and the Middle School next to the purchased land reveals there is much empty land on both campuses. Considering that 18 classrooms were just added to the high school, providing much new capacity, it seems there is plenty of room for needed growth in the future for both campuses. The new land purchase for completely undefined “Future use” is unjustified.

Adairsville Elementary, in town, has a current enrollment of 874 with a capacity (if accurate) of 900 students. It sits on just over 14 acres of land in Adairsville. It is noteworthy that the new land just purchased is also at 14 acres. There has been significant talk of needing to accommodate growth for Adairsville Elementary. However, it is unclear if the school projected growth will actually materialize as planned, given other failed projections of the Consultants. Further, will 14 acres here be enough for an Elementary school currently on 14 acres? Only if multistory construction were to occur. But a two story addition could be made on the current elementary school building with temporary utilization of trailers on the empty areas during construction. (figure below). This is the sort of thinking that would assist avoid continued overspending and over-taxation by the BCSS.

Overpayment for the 14.09 acres?

The approved purchase of 14.09 acres from $1.2 million was quite a profit for the current private land owners. Good for them. It is noteworthy that this land was sold in 2022 for $200,000 in total for the entire 14.09 acres which was subdivided into two lots. Lot one is about 10 acres and lot two about 4 acres. It is also noteworthy that there are buildings on the land (home, barn, shed) that will need to be torn down and/or maintained at the cost of the School system. Was a deal discussed to pass that cost to the sellers? Further, was there a property appraisal prior to the sale that justifies this price? Was the sewage dispute (below) unfairly pushing the current owners into the arms of the school system?

There have been similar sales next to the high school. In 2021 a 20+ acre plot of land just north of the high school was sold for $1.18 million after previously being sold for about $300K. Over 100 homes were built there as “Aubrey Park”. An adjoining 20 acre lot just west of it sold in 2018 for $239K. So perhaps the market justifies this price. But with the market cooling off, one wonders. Moreover, the purchase itself seems completely unnecessary.

Sewage Concerns

There is also a concern about litigation surrounding the ability to place sewer lines in there with the city refusing to provide a “Favorable” sewage rating to the landowners of the 14.09 acres? Why was the city reticent to make that determination in 2023. Will they also be reticent to make that determination for the schools? Was there an interest by the city in preserving the land for the school system? Finally, how much will the taxpayers be on the hook for the cost of a sewage upgrade to build any new school here in the future? (The quote below shows it will need a major sewer system upgrade to make this property usable).

“…..Specifically, Madison's office responded with a City of Adairsville Water and Sewer Availability Form which informed Old 41 Farm that “[s]ewer capacity [is] not available without system upgrades on 8 inch sewer line and downstream 12 inch sewer line.” The form noted that another potential subdivision had been denied sewer capacity “for the same reason in July 2020.” The documentation also included an engineering report containing a detailed analysis of why the sewer system was deemed inadequate for Old 41 Farm's request and cost estimates for upgrading it….”

and

“..In July 2022, Old 41 Farm petitioned the trial court for a writ of mandamus, contending that Madison “has refused to provide a favorable sewer availability letter[ ]” and that Old 41 Farm “is entitled to a favorable sewer availability letter based on existing [sewer] capacity[.]” Old 41 Farm specifically alleged that Madison's denial was “arbitrarily and capriciously” based on an unlawful reservation of future use for another development, and that she could not deny Old 41 Farm's request “based on possible future use.” Madison answered and sought dismissal of the petition.”

Quote from lawsuit about City of Adairsville denying sewage capacity availability for the 14.09 acres just purchased.

Was that “Future use” described by the city the same “Future use” to which Superintendent Terza was referring?

Conclusion.

So, was the $1.2 million price right? Perhaps for a large land developer that can turn a profit. But this is the purchase of land by a school system that is using faulty growth projections to add empty land next to large swaths of empty land surrounding the current high school and middle school. It is also a school system that has demonstrated a dogged determination NOT to cut spending and refuses to limit tax growth.

It is very hard to trust the school system is spending money wisely in this situation. Maybe they can sell it in a few years and turn a profit to give all the taxpayers a rebate then.

IN FREEDOM!