Berea College: The gift that keeps on giving
You may have heard the criticism that Berea College is routinely allowed to steamroll the city. The presence of so many BC alums on city council, it is argued, often makes our local government a mere pawn in the college's diabolical machinations.
So has the college had its way with the city? A quick look at a few past projects reveals Berea College’s underhanded attempts to benefit the community.
Closure of Short Street/Boone Tavern: The college recently approached the city about closing Short Street to start a $9.6 million project to renovate Boone Tavern. Where does the college get off spending nearly $10 million of its own money so that Berea will have a four-star hotel –adding value to an already nationally-known tourist destination? In return, the city paid a dear price - closing the 73rd most trafficked roadway in the city. Closing Short Street is actually bad for us folks in the news business, as it greatly reduces the chances of a spectacular collision near a very busy intersection.
Berea Park: Hoping to double the size of the current park, the city approached Larry Shinn and asked for the land. In a move that can only be described as utter treachery, the college said, “Okay.” But instead of charging the city an arm and a leg to buy it, the college is instead leasing the land to the city of Berea for like a buck a year. Do they think the city is made of money?!? Now citizens will enjoy an expanded park in the center of town without the pride of ownership that goes with paying exorbitant taxes to fund the purchase of the land. The nerve of the college!
Berea College Utilities: Some familiar with that deal mentioned that BC could have sold Berea College Utilities on the open market for millions (yes, millions) more than the city actually paid for it. Berea utilities customers could have been beholden to some multi-national giant had the college sold the utilities for what they were worth. Instead, control over water and power is effectively controlled by an entity (the Berea City Council) that has to answer to voters. Moreover, that governing body, unlike some faceless company, has a vested interest in protecting the quality of life in the community. How city officials could fall for a deal in which they could secure control of the city's vital resources at a bargain price is utterly beyond some people. So thanks a lot, Berea College! You did it to us again!
Artisan Center: Berea College foisted upon the state a bunch of prime real estate to help create the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, a tourist attraction that has drawn over half a million visitors to this city. Last time I checked the Artisan Center showcases the products of some 650 vendors from all over the Commonwealth, bringing economic development not only to Berea, but to artisans from counties all over rural Kentucky. Tourism has been the second-largest growth industry in Kentucky in recent years –part of a larger, $1 billion national crafts industry. But who needs it? That place draws strange people who get off the interstate, gas up their strange cars, and spend their strange money in restaurants and shops in Berea. Somebody complained recently that the Artisan Center, which the college supported, has made only $5 million since it opened – or an average of well over $1 million a year. I'm sure Richmond or Rockcastle and Laurel counties would turn their noses up at a measly extra million a year, not to mention the additional tourists who come into town to explore.
There are other examples of furtive and shameless generosity on the part of the college - like giving right-of-way for the widening and improvement of Highway 595 or paying for under-grounding all of our historic and picturesque utility poles from I-75 to Ellipse (I still tear up when I think of how much I miss seeing them).
And when the city approached the college about giving up some prime real estate in the middle of town for a community center, you know what college officials said? They didn't say no. Instead, they said “Let us look at this and maybe we can work with you.” What? They can’t make a snap decision and part with a piece of property worth at least several hundred thousands of dollars? Cheap bastards.
So what's the alternative to our current leadership? For one thing, we could start by electing officials who are chronically suspicious and angry - leaders who won't be hoodwinked when the college wants to sell the city something very valuable at a price way below market value.
After all, why keep electing officials who will just go along with the current city/college working relationship (in which citizens get more amenities for less tax money) when we could have irrationally confrontational leaders motivated by long-cherished class resentments?
It’s time for our leaders to stand up to the college - to look those fancy-pants college folks in the eyes and say, “You can’t fool us! From now on, our taxpayers are going to pay full price for everything!”
That’ll show those smart-alecks, won’t it?
So has the college had its way with the city? A quick look at a few past projects reveals Berea College’s underhanded attempts to benefit the community.
Closure of Short Street/Boone Tavern: The college recently approached the city about closing Short Street to start a $9.6 million project to renovate Boone Tavern. Where does the college get off spending nearly $10 million of its own money so that Berea will have a four-star hotel –adding value to an already nationally-known tourist destination? In return, the city paid a dear price - closing the 73rd most trafficked roadway in the city. Closing Short Street is actually bad for us folks in the news business, as it greatly reduces the chances of a spectacular collision near a very busy intersection.
Berea Park: Hoping to double the size of the current park, the city approached Larry Shinn and asked for the land. In a move that can only be described as utter treachery, the college said, “Okay.” But instead of charging the city an arm and a leg to buy it, the college is instead leasing the land to the city of Berea for like a buck a year. Do they think the city is made of money?!? Now citizens will enjoy an expanded park in the center of town without the pride of ownership that goes with paying exorbitant taxes to fund the purchase of the land. The nerve of the college!
Berea College Utilities: Some familiar with that deal mentioned that BC could have sold Berea College Utilities on the open market for millions (yes, millions) more than the city actually paid for it. Berea utilities customers could have been beholden to some multi-national giant had the college sold the utilities for what they were worth. Instead, control over water and power is effectively controlled by an entity (the Berea City Council) that has to answer to voters. Moreover, that governing body, unlike some faceless company, has a vested interest in protecting the quality of life in the community. How city officials could fall for a deal in which they could secure control of the city's vital resources at a bargain price is utterly beyond some people. So thanks a lot, Berea College! You did it to us again!
Artisan Center: Berea College foisted upon the state a bunch of prime real estate to help create the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, a tourist attraction that has drawn over half a million visitors to this city. Last time I checked the Artisan Center showcases the products of some 650 vendors from all over the Commonwealth, bringing economic development not only to Berea, but to artisans from counties all over rural Kentucky. Tourism has been the second-largest growth industry in Kentucky in recent years –part of a larger, $1 billion national crafts industry. But who needs it? That place draws strange people who get off the interstate, gas up their strange cars, and spend their strange money in restaurants and shops in Berea. Somebody complained recently that the Artisan Center, which the college supported, has made only $5 million since it opened – or an average of well over $1 million a year. I'm sure Richmond or Rockcastle and Laurel counties would turn their noses up at a measly extra million a year, not to mention the additional tourists who come into town to explore.
There are other examples of furtive and shameless generosity on the part of the college - like giving right-of-way for the widening and improvement of Highway 595 or paying for under-grounding all of our historic and picturesque utility poles from I-75 to Ellipse (I still tear up when I think of how much I miss seeing them).
And when the city approached the college about giving up some prime real estate in the middle of town for a community center, you know what college officials said? They didn't say no. Instead, they said “Let us look at this and maybe we can work with you.” What? They can’t make a snap decision and part with a piece of property worth at least several hundred thousands of dollars? Cheap bastards.
So what's the alternative to our current leadership? For one thing, we could start by electing officials who are chronically suspicious and angry - leaders who won't be hoodwinked when the college wants to sell the city something very valuable at a price way below market value.
After all, why keep electing officials who will just go along with the current city/college working relationship (in which citizens get more amenities for less tax money) when we could have irrationally confrontational leaders motivated by long-cherished class resentments?
It’s time for our leaders to stand up to the college - to look those fancy-pants college folks in the eyes and say, “You can’t fool us! From now on, our taxpayers are going to pay full price for everything!”
That’ll show those smart-alecks, won’t it?