08/30/2024
Tax payer’s money used unnecessarily and wasted
Midland County plans to use tax payer dollars to build a new golf course while the Midland independent school district uses tax payer money to destroy a beautiful and established course with mature trees, ponds, and diverse wildlife. Demolishing this existing green space to build a new school while planning to invest millions in creating a new golf course seems contradictory.
Excerpt from News West 9 story linked below:
“We’ve done more than 700 of these in my 50-year career," said Dan Conway, president of THK Associates. "This is probably one of the greatest needs I’ve seen in a market. Usually, you might see the potential for one or two golf courses, but this one suggesting today it needs about four to four-and-a-half new 18-hole facilities.”
However Midland ISD will tear down one soon and have even placed POLICE at the gates to keep members from entering the property. (Pic attached.)
They refuse to consider other more viable options presented by county officials, city council and locals. (Info below)
Headline ideas below in bold.
Oasis in West Texas wasteland to be demolished
For the moment there is a beautiful golf course that is always full of locals. It has century year old trees, green grass and ponds. A stark contrast to its West Texas wasteland surroundings. But it will be destroyed within the month even though other options are readily available. The school district refuses to listen to alternatives.
Community bullied by school district
Independent School District allows schools to go into disrepair to force voters to approve a ridiculous multi-BILLION dollar bond that they say is connected to destroying a golf course. They have repeatedly ignored alternative solutions presented by the city, the county, and locals that would satisfy their needs without destroying a beloved community asset.
So the community loses:
• a recreational space,
• century-year-old trees,
• a meeting place used for generations,
• AND gets to pay billions for the loss.
Local ISD fails to manage funds and assets but asks for more
The school district had $198 Million saved in 2016-2017, according to the Midland Reporter telegram, but they didn't use it for school upkeep and maintenance. Instead, it just sat there, and the schools fell into disrepair; this is why when the $1.4 BILLION bond was proposed last year by MISD, it passed by 56.12%. Parents were desperate for their children not to sit on the floor as they had been and to have proper air conditioning and heating.
There are 96,000 registered voters only 25%, 24,000, voted. 12,900 voted in favor the bond. The school district holds that “During the bond planning process that began in February of 2023 and upon calling for a bond election in July of 2023, the district and the board were clear with voters that the Ranchland Hills Golf Course location would serve as the home of a newly built Midland High School. The Midland community solidified this decision by casting their ballots in November, and the board and district are honoring that vote.” Midland Community? Only 12,900 voted in favor so not the whole community.
The schools are just too old, is what we keep hearing. However, when you search the oldest public-school buildings still used in America, 4 were built in the 1600s, 6 were built in the 1700s, and 98 were built in the 1800s. So, what is wrong with MISD is that it can't keep up with the schools.
If another option is available and supported by both the county and the city, should a school district be held responsible?
A Call for Inclusivity
Golf, a sport played for generations, should be accessible to everyone not just the rich. However, Midland, Texas, has only one public golf course, Hogan Park Municipal Golf Course a 36-hole course, which now has a seven-day wait time due to high demand. For those unable to wait, the alternatives are private clubs with prohibitive costs, such as a $75,000 initiation fee, making golf exclusive rather than inclusive. This lack of access affects everyone, but it particularly impacts minorities who have historically faced economic and social barriers to the sport. By limiting public facilities, these barriers are reinforced, preventing minority communities from fully participating. Golf offers numerous benefits, including physical exercise, social interaction, and community building.
A recent article posted in the local paper highlights the integral part of golf in West Texas culture. We watched American golfer Scottie Scheffler take the gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics. All this while losing golf courses at an astounding rate.
Land Swap offering Denied
A land swap was proposed as an alternative to demolishing Ranchland Hills Golf Club to make way for a new Midland High School campus. The county with the support of the city council suggested trading the golf course property for a different piece of land, arguing that this would preserve the green space, mature trees, ponds, and wildlife unique to Ranchland Hills. The Midland City Council and the Midland County Commissioner's Office have indicated a willingness to discuss such potential opportunities. The supporters of this idea believe it would not only preserve an important recreational area but also address concerns about the loss of affordable golf options in the Midland-Odessa region. However, opponents of the land swap idea argue that changing the location of the new school campus would undermine the integrity of the $1.4 billion bond approved by voters in 2023.
Midland County commissioners have initiated the process of building a new golf course, estimated to cost between $20-30 million. This comes after the recent closures of Nueva Vista Golf Club and Ranchland Hills Golf Club, the latter of which is slated to become the new Midland High School location. The commissioners have unanimously approved a request for a feasibility study to determine the need and viability of a new golf course in Midland. They aim to assess whether the course should feature 18 or 27 holes and include amenities such as a clubhouse and a restaurant. Commissioner Jeff Somers has proposed a 234-acre site near the new Midland County Jail as a potential location, emphasizing the importance of recreational facilities for the community’s quality of life and for attracting new residents.
Tax payer’s money wasted
County plans to use tax payer dollars to build a new golf course while the independent school district uses tax payer money to destroy a beautiful and established course with mature trees, ponds, and diverse wildlife. Demolishing this existing green space to build a new school while planning to invest millions in creating a new golf course seems contradictory. Preserving Ranchland Hills Golf Club would save the community from unnecessary expenditure and maintain a vital recreational and environmental asset. Involving an election attorney could help clarify whether the bond for the new school legally requires using the Ranchland Hills site as the school district alledges. This legal insight could potentially allow for alternative locations for the school, ensuring that both the educational needs of students and the environmental and recreational needs of the community are met without sacrificing the existing golf course. This approach would balance development with preserving the community’s quality of life and natural beauty.
MISD claims there is no other option besides Ranchland Hills to build their school, yet Midland County covers 902 square miles, and the City of Midland spans 71.5 square miles. For comparison, Manhattan Island covers just 22.82 square miles and has no room to grow, yet Central Park remains protected for the community's benefit. The idea that MISD can't find another location for the school and must take Ranchland Hills seems implausible.
Local Independent school district disregards community’s wishes
MISD’s actions are not only disappointing but also a blatant disregard for the community's wishes. They have repeatedly ignored alternative solutions that would satisfy their needs without destroying a beloved community asset. This raises serious questions about their true intentions and the transparency of their decision-making process. Should they be held responsible
• for doing what is best for their students,
• for the taxpayers,
• for the community,
• for the environment?
Friday night lights days are over for local Texas town
MISD already owned land to build a high school, which would have solved overcrowding, but they don't want to lose their status as 6a schools by adding another high school. Sorry to tell ya, but Midland's 'Friday Night Lights' days are over.
Students lose practice facilities at an alarming rate
$75k initiation fee for high school students to practice football. Sound ridiculous? What about soccer or any other high school sport?
The local high school students from Midland and Greenwood used to practice at Nueva Vista until it was bought and shut down last year. Now they practice at Ranchland Hills. Where will they practice when it is gone?
Golf in Midland as of now:
The public course, Hogan Park Municipal Golf Course, has 36-holes and 7-day advanced notice for tee times. After 4 pm, you can play the same day but it is packed and takes 3-4 hours to play 9 holes instead of the normal 1.5-2 hours. That leaves two private courses (one has a $75K initiation fee and wait lists) and a semi-private course, Ranchland Hills. High schools here in Midland and in a neighboring district, Greenwood, used to practice at Nueva Vista before it was recently bought. Now, they practice at Ranchland Hills.
Quick background on Ranchland Hills.
It was privately owned but sold to the Midland Independent School District for $9.5 million in 2019. The members weren't told, consulted, or even made aware the property was for sale. MISD tried to pass a bond with part of the money going towards building a high school on it, but that was voted down. Everyone figured Ranchland Hills was safe because of century-old trees, a protected species of birds, and pipelines running under the property. The city, the county, private citizens, and members of Ranchland Hills came up with a winning solution: a land swap. It was perfect, but in a special meeting last night, the school board voted against the land swap, stating in their pre-written statement released today that the timing just doesn't work along with other fabricated issues.
Save Ranchland Hills and Tax Dollars FB page link
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/7vCScsT8mDXspoC6/?mibextid=lOuIew
Local News story
https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/midland-county-feasibility-study-potential-new-golf-course/513-c132faba-c047-419d-8849-a4f701914506?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3g2Qn22ceQGGltyg4PNV4P1clqTpL1_Hz5Ek26KV0UCnYlmktZ1IH2iFc_aem_nZyUsQfmEtUv7NJx_SAZaA
The study showed a high demand for more golf in the region. As efforts continue, the county has a proposed site with quality water and budgeting now the next steps.
