Calling Their Bluff at White Bluff Retreat

Calling Their Bluff at White Bluff
Print this page Another Posh Retreat for School Administrators Cleburne ISD Administration has spent time at White Bluff Resort in Whitney on two occasions, but CISD hasn't provided records of expenses and attendees. Question #4 from my open records request asked, “Have we ever attended White Bluff within the past six years for any reason? If your answer is yes, then provide: a) Program name or reason, b) All costs (meals, lodging, mileage, materials, registration etc.) and c) List of attendees for each event. Mr. Mike Bailey offered this response and I quote: “In response to your question 4 regarding the use of White Bluff, I provide the following response: Yes, the District has used White Bluff on two occasions for administrative staff training in the last six years. Again, the training sessions were held prior to the 2002-2003 fiscal year and as such, these records are not available . Originally, information was requested for Rough Creek and Garrett Creek Ranch for six years back to include the costs of meals, lodging, mileage and a list of attendees. I received only information for the fiscal year 2004-2005. So in my follow-up request I asked why I did not receive the other years requested. And here is the public information officer, Mike Bailey's, response to me and I quote: “In response to your question regarding the other years I respectfully provide the following: Per open records, the District is required to provide you information contained within our files and records. Pursuant to Board of Trustee action, the District as required by statue, adopted a District wide records retention plan. I have enclosed page 30 from that adopted plan. Part 15, Financial Records, stated that the District will retain accounting records for the current fiscal year (FE) plus 3 years. As such, the District does not retain records prior to the 2002-2003 fiscal year.” The Open Records game as I call it is a little like the program Point and Counterpoint. Although we may appear to be on opposite sides, the goal should be the same. We should all be trying to do what's best for the children. The owner of White Bluff is Double Diamond Resorts. I decided to contact them for help in locating the expenses incurred by CISD for the two occasions. A very helpful young lady put me in contact with a member of their legal staff who asked that I put my request in writing and he would get the records for me. That request was mailed 9.22.06. Until then, taxpayers, I guess the mystery of retreat expenses at White Bluff will have to remain locked in the “Court of Public Opinion.” However based on CISD's track record on retreat expenses, I'll bet it's a real humdinger! The White Bluff website at http://www.whitebluffresort.com says “White Bluff Resort is a master planned 3,450-acre residential community perched atop beautiful Lake Whitney. White Bluff has something for everyone, including Deluxe Accommodations, Upscale and Casual Dining, Two Championship Golf Courses, a Spa & Fitness Center, Private Marina, Conference Center [the only reason we're going], Swimming Pools, Tennis Courts, Fishing Lakes and much more.“ Golf Digest gives them four stars. A review of my past two articles shows that taxpayers have to date spent $18,828.05 on retreats (that we know about) that are an obvious waste of tax dollars and state funds, bypassing the needs of the children altogether. For the doubters and skeptics, we place all relevant documents on the internet at www.cleburnepolitics.com for you to personally view, download and print if you wish. A call to 817.641.6933 will get you a close up personal inspection of the actual documents.

Calling Their Bluff at White Bluff

Another Posh Retreat for School Administrators

Cleburne ISD Administration has spent time at White Bluff Resort in Whitney on two occasions, but CISD hasn't provided records of expenses and attendees.

Question #4 from my open records request asked, “Have we ever attended White Bluff within the past six years for any reason? If your answer is yes, then provide: a) Program name or reason, b) All costs (meals, lodging, mileage, materials, registration etc.) and c) List of attendees for each event.

Mr. Mike Bailey offered this response and I quote: “In response to your question 4 regarding the use of White Bluff, I provide the following response: Yes, the District has used White Bluff on two occasions for administrative staff training in the last six years. Again, the training sessions were held prior to the 2002-2003 fiscal year and as such, these records are not available .

Originally, information was requested for Rough Creek and Garrett Creek Ranch for six years back to include the costs of meals, lodging, mileage and a list of attendees. I received only information for the fiscal year 2004-2005. So in my follow-up request I asked why I did not receive the other years requested.

And here is the public information officer, Mike Bailey's, response to me and I quote: “In response to your question regarding the other years I respectfully provide the following:

Per open records, the District is required to provide you information contained within our files and records. Pursuant to Board of Trustee action, the District as required by statue, adopted a District wide records retention plan. I have enclosed page 30 from that adopted plan. Part 15, Financial Records, stated that the District will retain accounting records for the current fiscal year (FE) plus 3 years. As such, the District does not retain records prior to the 2002-2003 fiscal year.”

The Open Records game as I call it is a little like the program Point and Counterpoint. Although we may appear to be on opposite sides, the goal should be the same. We should all be trying to do what's best for the children.

The owner of White Bluff is Double Diamond Resorts. I decided to contact them for help in locating the expenses incurred by CISD for the two occasions. A very helpful young lady put me in contact with a member of their legal staff who asked that I put my request in writing and he would get the records for me. That request was mailed 9.22.06.

Until then, taxpayers, I guess the mystery of retreat expenses at White Bluff will have to remain locked in the “Court of Public Opinion.” However based on CISD's track record on retreat expenses, I'll bet it's a real humdinger!

The White Bluff website at http://www.whitebluffresort.com says “White Bluff Resort is a master planned 3,450-acre residential community perched atop beautiful Lake Whitney. White Bluff has something for everyone, including Deluxe Accommodations, Upscale and Casual Dining, Two Championship Golf Courses, a Spa & Fitness Center, Private Marina, Conference Center [the only reason we're going], Swimming Pools, Tennis Courts, Fishing Lakes and much more.“ Golf Digest gives them four stars.

A review of my past two articles shows that taxpayers have to date spent $18,828.05 on retreats (that we know about) that are an obvious waste of tax dollars and state funds, bypassing the needs of the children altogether.

For the doubters and skeptics, we place all relevant documents on the internet at www.cleburnepolitics.com for you to personally view, download and print if you wish. A call to 817.641.6933 will get you a close up personal inspection of the actual documents.