Re: CF purchase of schools

Erech Morrison | Jan 13, 2016

Further to my concern (letter of December 8, 2015) with respect to the Central Frontenac purchase of Sharbot Lake and Parham schools, despite having no plan for their use. Thanks to Jeff Green’s report (Central Frontenac to demolish Sharbot Lake Public School) of January 7, 2016, we now learn that not only did CF acquire the two schools for $220,000, but that it will cost a further $150,000 to demolish at least one of them because it is unsafe and uneconomic to retrofit for re-sale.

One can only express profound dismay, even shock, by this seeming cavalier approach to managing CF tax dollars.

CF may have every right to acquire and dispose of properties in the pursuit of efficiencies and progress. However, in light of current information, CF appears not to have had any justification to undertake speculative investments of this magnitude. It raises questions:

1. Why did CF decide to assume the burden of ownership from the school board, whose responsibility it would have been to maintain or dispose of the properties?

2. Did CF analyze the structures and prepare a due diligence briefing for Council prior to its decision to acquire them? If not, why not?

3. Unless CF had a statutory requirement for these properties, why would they undertake such a speculative investment without a plan?