By Patricia Morris
How many grass cutting contracts does it take to give to Greg Burton? We all remember Greg who brought people to court in New Orleans from Kentwood. Is this an alleged payback?
While perusing the packet of information given on the various committee meetings and bids to cut grass for this school system, it was noted that Burton made bids to this school system totaling over $76,000 to cut grass in schools on the northend of this parish. While Greg did not get the bids, because his bids was higher than several other prople who made bids to cut grass for the school system, Greg was awarded a $50,000 contract to cut grass in Independence and Natalbany in March or April of this year, and last summer he received a $36,000 grass cutting contract for the same schools. We were at the meeting(s) when this happened. A lot of money for two school districts to cut grass.
We would not want to think this school system would allegedly say others made bids to cut grass that are lower than what has already been awarded to Burton, when they did not do so.
Whatever happened to using the maintenance workers to do this work, afterall, they are maintenance workers, and the amount of money to be saved would be tremendous, as the school system at one time owned the equipment to do so. Since there is so much money in the maintenance fund, we believe spending money from this fund to outside workers is not cost effective.
Since the TPSS is claiming to have deficits, why not look into this area to save money as well, and just a question is now asked. How was, if it was solved, the burgulary that happened in the maintenance department last year when equipment was stolen? With the filming ability the Central Office has, if this case has not been solved, why haven't better accountability of our tax dollars been accounted for?