Education

Open , Honest County Government

PUBLIC SPIRITED CITIZENS of SEVIER COUNTY

P.O. Box 842, Seymour ,TN 37865

E-mail: admin@publicspiritedcitizens.com

Education

Sevier County Board of Education turns Real Estate Broker!

Attached you will find the Private Acts and the Sevier County resolutions which establish the process for electing school board members in Sevier County.

PDF shows that Sevier County requested a private act from Tennessee legislature allowing for ….

For The Children???

Just when cities of the County renege on their commitment to the county's School System in increased taxes of .25% in increased sales tax, Jack Parton, Director of Schools, wades up to his thigh in real estate investment (apparently for resale) to the tune of $1,725,000.00 for improved industrial parcel in John L. Marshall Technology Park. He has executed a Trust Deed for $725,000.00, evidenced by one promissory note of even date due and payable October 15, 2011 – two years from date of transaction. Now, lest you are perturbed - mightily as we, by such a transaction - hold your breath just a minute and let us tell you more!

September 21, 2009, three instruments were placed of record whereby Sevier County Board of Education now holds the fee interest in 22.057 acres of land which is said to be the home of a school planned on or near the Newport Highway, Flat Creek general area? This consideration of this transaction appears to be the mere repayment of a debt due and owing lenders by former owners, simply by placing such in trust to the tune of a $566,000.00 note to sellers, now assigned to Citizens National Bank, all due and payable by the School Board August 2011.

Notice outright `donation ' of 2 acres as a gift – as an inducement for partial release of 3.07 acres withheld by the borrowers on the original note, leaving in trust 22.057 to secure the unpaid indebtedness to be paid by the Board. Is this a great deal - a great deal for the School Board - or for whom? Read these records of September 21, 2009 – Deed Book 3420, page 471, 474, 477 & 483. Now, before that settles in, check out the next deal:

On October 15, 2009, find purchase by School Board in industrially developed real estate to the tune of $1,725,000.00. Find this of record in Book 3438, page 384. The indebtedness - after paying obviously $1M down—incurred by the School Board is $725,000.00 as shown by record in Book 3438, page 386,

At such a time as funding is hanging in the balance for schools in Sevier County – if the Director of Schools and his staff can be believed – why, then, is this entity taking on the role of a real estate broker and investing for resale into improved properties in the John L. Marshall Technology Park, Lot 3, containing 6.93 acres? From what resources did the $1M derive which appears to have been credited on deal? Track this transaction closely citizens, one would question it passing the `smell' test!

Where - with whom - will this tract finally find its home? Once the credibility of the Director of Schools was questioned by the 'posted doctorate' which is not recognized by the State of Tennessee, now, it appears questions should be/are raised as to his `broker's license' to traffic in real estate as the Director of Schools in this county and state on behalf of the School System and the citizens of this county. Is he `doing it' again – one more time - `for the children'?

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/sep/22/probe-uncovers-school-guards-driving-memphis-offic/

Is this Shelby or Sevier County?

You will see from the attached info the name of (a) Pac formed for the benefit of Sevier County Schools, the purpose of which was to defray the actual costs of the referendum (second of two, the first approximately five months earlier defeated by approximately 100 votes). The second passed. Two filings, 1-7-10 & 1-28-10 supports, from their records, a total of $53,774,78 were collected less $22,550.00 in expenditures. Our argument that public funds were utilized by SCUD through its President/Manager, Matt Ballard by paying $5K of this amount, receipted April 20, '09 - same as in other instances reported.

From the report attached, his should leave $31,224.78 - King has as receipt (from some other Pac- quoting him) The amount paid was $46,818.00. Not by Save our Schools. Can’t recall the name of the group without finding the receipt. I too am sure that there are several PACs out there. How many will this lead the Comptroller to finding out about?

Additional issues: perhaps of interest to Division of County Audit is any discrepancy in what was reported by the Pac (after disbursements) and the cost of the election - the public was led to believe the costs of the second referendum was 'at no cost to the county nor were public funds used'. I believe the transfer (see receipt information for funds paid over to L. Waters by Pacs) paid over long after the referendum was forced by King and without his involvement the funds would be remaining under the control of the school authorities, Mary Davis,Treasurer of the Pac, J. Wade, the Director or School Board.

Withheld from the collections in this report is the amount of $22,550., as expenditures which included the expense of $360. for the design of a website by Thomas Group - I find no website existing - www.saveourschools.com

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/oct/24/pacs-proliferate-in-tenn/?partner=RSS

Receipt by County of Pac funds:
- exactly what was the cost of the referendum? Would appear Thomas Group was the greatest beneficiary.
saveourschools.com is the political Pac under which funds were organized - pledged and paid - in support of the sales tax referendum of 2008, as shown by excerpts of documents obtained under Open Records Request by Bobby C. King.

SCUD, in particular is our focus in terms of the President-Manager there, Matt Ballard in his (their) use of public funds for this donation of $5K.

Reference is made to the attachments showing the record pertaining to designation of a Treasurer; two subsequent reports showing a total of $53,774.78, of which SCUD funded close to one-tenth. Interesting - as I suppose someone will actually review the contributors - is included the law firm retained to represent the school board, firms in Nashville and Louisville, Brentwood, local school PTO's, teachers (who we believe are pressured by the Director of Schools) as well as others employed by the director to cough up monetary support possibly to secure their positions?

Information on Sales Tax Increase For Sevier County Schools.