Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Ross]

Battling Corruption in America's Public Schools
is Published in Paperback by
Harvard University Press

Lydia Segal's book puts the NYC, Chicago, and California Departments of Education on notice....we who have read this book know more about how the system is not there for our kids than "you" want us to know. Betsy Combier
           

Battling Corruption in America's Public Schools
Written by: Betsy Combier - Rated 5.00 out of 5.

Lydia Segal's book Battling Corruption in America's Public Schools Changes the Public School Reform Movement Forever

We can no longer assume that more money allocated to our schools will "fix" the disaster that is our public school system.

Reviewed by Betsy Combier of ParentAdvocates.org

Lydia Segal draws on her 10 years of undercover investigation and research in over five urban school districts, including the three largest, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and the two most decentralized, Houston and Edmonton, Canada, to provide, in her new book Battling Corruption in America's Public Schools, the details of the corruption, theft, fraud, and patronage that has overrun our public school establishment for several decades. There is no question that anyone who is interested in school reform -this means anyone who pays taxes, is a parent or guardian of a child attending school and/or who works toward a goal of establishing an education system that puts children first - must read this book.

Read more at:

http://parentadvocates.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=5552

[Mom70x7]

Ross -

Have you talked with your School Board representative about these issues? What kind of response do you get from your elected representative?

I haven't gone to a meeting in a couple of years, so I'm not sure of the opinions of the individual members.

Ross -

You responded to the 2nd half of my post, not the first. What does your school board representative have to say about your concerns?

[Ross]

Ross -

You responded to the 2nd half of my post, not the first. What does your school board representative have to say about your concerns?

I do not believe I have a properly elected School Board Representative.
How's that for an answer.

And you know what, I happen to think that the majority of the School Board Members are more Representative of Elk Konnected much in the same fashion our County Commissioners use to be, until we got one Elk Konnected Kounty Kommissioners voted out of office.

Even after that happened, Elk Konnected fought for the Konnected County Employee by coming to a County Commissioners Meeting.

We all know that is thread is being watched by a lot of people and I'd bet By Elk Konnected.

We could get some answers right here along with some open an honest dialog, if the School Board Members cared to have an open and honest dialog. Very Simple.

I hope that answers the second part of your question! My personal opinion.

Have a great day.

[readyaimduck]

Mr. President, I move that we go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel and students to protect the privacy interests identifiable individuals and to discuss negotiations to protect the public interest
in negotiating a fair and equitable contract and to include Juli Young and Bert Moore.

What I am going to be asking is what kind of contract with the School Board is private, when this is a public entity?

When it is an executive session, it IS private....not for public, as it may contain not-for public information per Statute.  This is not to say it is 'secret' as you may like to think, or implant into our minds. 
This meeting is non public information regarding the  firing, wages/negotiations, names of underage people involved in  issues and/or other discussions that fall into this category.  Please don't spin this into something that it is not.

Ross, Ross, Ross.   Take a deep breath.  Not EVERYONE is out to get you.  ....Well, maybe
Hope all is well with you, irrespective of your blogging. 
just remember:  being misinformed combined with having guts make for a deadly combination.

ready
However,

[Ross]

When it is an executive session, it IS private....not for public, as it may contain not-for public information per Statute.  This is not to say it is 'secret' as you may like to think, or implant into our minds. 
This meeting is non public information regarding the  firing, wages/negotiations, names of underage people involved in  issues and/or other discussions that fall into this category.  Please don't spin this into something that it is not.

Ross, Ross, Ross.   Take a deep breath.  Not EVERYONE is out to get you.  ....Well, maybe
Hope all is well with you, irrespective of your blogging. 
just remember:  being misinformed combined with having guts make for a deadly combination.

ready
However,

Hi Ready good to hear from you.
Everything is Hunky Dory here.

No ma'am I don't figure any one is out to get me. Not worried about that in the least.

What I was referring to was the statement, "and to discuss negotiations to protect the public interest
in negotiating a fair and equitable contract and to include Juli Young and Bert Moore."

The question was what is private in negation's and contracts with the School Board? It doesn't say that, this part involves students or disciplinary actions. Very few actions fall under Executive Session.

I don't hear anyone saying the School Board is spinning anything, but that was their attempt with their 3 School Board Members at the High School Auditorium. Remember they only had three to avoid a quorum and avoid having to make it an official Board Meeting and not have to document the action.  Do you realize the School Board hasn't asked for any sealed bids on their project, which I believe is standard operating procedures for governmental agencies?

They don't even know what they want to do. Last I knew they were talking several amounts for the Bod Issue they plan to deal with tomorrow night. They have figures for $3 Million, $6 Million and $7.5 Million!
Do you reckon they will ask for all three? I don't!

But I think they will ask for enough for their sport complex building design and leave the rest for a class room or two. Maybe!

I sure hope you are enjoying todays beautiful weather as I am.
I'm headed back outside. TTYL

[Ross]

West Elk USD 282 School Board Meeting 3/10/14

I'm sticking my neck out there, all I ask is you use a very sharp knife. Thank you.
I'm just telling it like I see it.

There is just so much to tell and it is not very glamorous.

There is just nothing professional about these events.

School Board Members show up as much as an hour and 41 minutes late.

Another School Board Member gets up and walks out during the middle of the meeting  for about 20 minutes before returning.

School Board Members sit with their backs t o the public while smacking on meat rolls and cookies. No couth, no professionalism at all. Very shameful in my personal opinion.  Are these Walmart people? If they don't feel insulted, they should.

The only people that can speak up like a man are the various entities invted to the meeting, i.e. contractor, architects, oh School Board Member Bellar and occasionally School Board Member Black, and the Schools Coach always speaks up like a man. I wonder what is wrong, with the rest of the Boards voices.
I mean it is just shameful in my opinion. And no protocol. Terrible.

Just a big cluster #$%2, er nuclear mess.

This is kind of pretty compared to School board meetings IMO!

I admit, I can't hear everything at this supposedly public meeting, partly due to my hearing loss (I asked that they speak up in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act, but they fail to comply with the law), but also I can't hear everything because of whispering and private conversations. I do believe that private conversations during the public meetings fail to comply with the open meeting laws at least it is rude, anyway! And there's the rude act of mouthing with no verbal clear, down the table from the President to another School Board Member while a School Board Member is talking.

Extremely rude in my opinion. Does this give you an idea why they won't video record these meetings and put them on them on the West Elk web site? It is a terrible sight and totally unprofessional School Board Meeting.

School Board Member Black shows up for the meeting at 7:41. Apparently these meetings are of little importance to him. What if students showed up for class late every day?
What action would the School Board take?

Their conduct just upsets me something fierce. The total disrespect through rudeness shown by some School Board Member towards other School Board Members is deplorable. I don't even think, these people realize they are being rude.

I'll be back later to post information about last nights discombobulated School Board Meeting.

No real leader, no real President of a real School Board would permit such discombobulating at a public meeting. A real leader would lead and correct the Problems and not be a part of it. A real leader would require decorum and respect of his self and the other board members.  Decorum = behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety.

I wish a few people would come to a School Board meeting and observe the circus for yourself.

I will post information later about what took place during the meeting probably tomorrow or Thursday. I have a very busy day today and have to get busy with my work.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

[Ross]

The Meeting 03/10/14

Commenced the meeting a couple of minutes late with the Pledge of allegiance.

School Board Member Black no show.

AOG – Assembly of God Church was there to discuss their facility use by the School District.

Fire security is fifty percent complete and when completed the information will go to the fire marshal for final approval. Total completion expected late summer.
School Board Member Bellar made a motion to use the church next fall as a gymnasium.
It appeared no one wants to commit to it. More on this later in the meeting.

Architect Interviews;

President of the Board asks if 3 million dollars is enough to build what they want.
8 class rooms and a gymnasium. Architect says systems are a great expense and a great maintenance expense.

PBA Architect
There was talk of a metal building for the gymnasium to save money.
Architect says Metal building with brick veneer 5.5 million dollars.
President asks if there is a way to get the cost down.
Architect says take stuff off and maybe get 25% off but suggest no more than 20% . (Please remember this one,)
Architect says Cut too much off and it causes problems f or them and the school district.
PBA Architect reminded the School Board they worked with them a year ago.

The School Superintendent then started questioning the School Board about their time line for voting.
Are they changing the time line or holding on to it?

Possibly leave bleachers out of the new Gymnasium.

(not a storm shelter after all)

PBA Architect apologizes for previous problems.
PBA Architect says hire who you want and you need to ask who you trust.
He also said the School Board is not ready to go to 5.2 million dollars and he can not come down to 3 million dollars.

Team Architect: Two men.

We pay the architect for bond issue.

PBA Architect says the new gym would be a grade school level of a gym. Grade school basketball hoops. Minimal stuff.

School Board Member Whetsone asked if there would be a scoreboard.
Architect says no scoreboard.
A high school level Gymnasium would cost much more.
The architects keep saying you are on a tight budget.

School Board Members talk of using capital outlay money. And fluff money. And raising the mil levy.

Architect says there will be base line bidding.
All trades will bid.
It will be Design-Bid-Build. 
One of the two guys says he went to Moline Grade School some of you may have gone to school with me. (What does this have to do with business; it is not a class reunion).

Architect says tin building with brick veneer is not a good idea because of movement of the building which causes roof to leak. And only a 30 year expected life span. There were lots of questions about firewalls.

(Shouldn't all the questions and options be worked out before a bond issue is proposed?)

Construction Manager:

The man says I can not work except under an architect therefore you can not hire me.
So I will tell you, you can not build a grade school and a gymnasium for 3 million dollars.
Metal buildings do move – sway - and causes roof leaks. You would be going cheap.

School Board President says we may have to go to 4 million and use fluff money and Mil Levy.

Huh! What is fluff money. I have never heard of such a thing.

(Tax on top of tax. Will we allow them to get started?)

School board Black after showing up late at 7:41 p.m. had to back track over the Assembly of God presentation. Wanted to know if they would use the church building instead of building a new gymnasium. (more on this later).

7:55 p.m. School Board Member Whetstone leaves the meeting and returns at 8:13 p.m.

PBA Architect says he needs something to take to the state. A School Board Member asks how soon the Architect needs that.  The Architect says get it to the state by the middle of March in order to have a Bond Issue by June 3, he says that means now, right now.

My (Ross) opinion: If that doesn't sound like a School Board made crisis, I don't know what is!

School Board Member Bellar says this can't happen. The citizens won't buy it.
We should go with the Assembly of God plan. (more on this later) We should wait until we have all our ducks in a row. Or just build only the grade school.

(Yes, School Board Member Bellar you are showing some common sense and Critical Thinking! That is the idea School Board Member Bellar, the rest of the School Board has known and understood this from the beginning. That is why the School Board Members plan on doing it again in November, just six months later. They want to fool us and wear us down until they can spend money freely. I do believe some of the School Board believes like the editor, that we are a bunch of Boobs and Social Idiots.)

Motion to hire PBA Architect, seconded. All in favor say aye. One voted nay. School Board Member Whetstone not back yet, so no vote from him.

(This is why a responsible School Board Member should not just walk out of a meeting. Instead a responsible School Board Member would ask that the School Board take a short break.)

Assembly of God Issues Revisited by the School Board :

Children walking back and forth to Assembly of God in foul weather. Children will play in mud puddles and take mud into facilities.

Non-exclusive use of the Church meaning if there is a wedding, a funeral or a Church event during the School Day we would not be able to use the Church that day.

School Board Member Black says we are not calling it Grade School Class Rooms, just class rooms.

(School Board Member Black you just did call them "Grade School Rooms", sounds to me like you are attempting to run a con on us the voters. Why? I think we can figure that out! Thank You.)

School Board Member Whetstone says Assembly of God Gymnasium is like comparing Apples and Oranges. We should talk to the teachers about this and consider them the experts on building EDUCATION. 

( Are we to understand that he will settle for nothing less than a gymnasium?)

(Some Teachers may possibly be considered experts on building EDUCATION, but that is not the same thing as building infrastructure or negotiating construction costs and taxation of property owners is it. Besides if they were experts in building EDUCATION I'd bet they would be in jobs of that nature that have far better pay than a teacher. I think you are using the word expert far too loosely simply to meet your own ends and to misdirect.  And, I believe your goal is a new Gymnasium over everything else. I believe the School Board is using the Grade School Class Rooms only for the purpose of obtaining a larger sports complex. Let's not forget the present school building was designed and built to handle 600 students and we only have 300 enrolled.)

The Physical Education Teacher is allowed the floor. Ad he says, there are too many problems with using the Assembly of God Church as a gymnasium that could become a nightmare.

It would take 5 to 7 minutes to go back and forth to the Church which would leave 8 minutes for Phys Ed and this does not meet with the State requirements. He also stated that there could be even more problems with getting handicapped children back and forth and also take more time.

It would be better to keep the kids in our present gymnasium and place the safety net across the center of the gymnasium floor. Much Safer and Better he says.

(I believe the Physical Education Teacher makes excellent points and only has the children's  best interest at heart on this one.)

The School Principle says use County Recreational money. I whispered to her that the County Recreational money is allocated to the communities. Where upon she responds Howard Recreational Money then.

(I guess she doesn't realize that their are state laws attached to that money. And my bet is that District School Districts are not included in the use of that money. The School District is a separate taxing entity and no other taxing entity is responsible for it's financing. I thought they understood that when they thought about going after County money for transportation money from, explicitly the Wind Farm money. Understand please the Wind Farm money is Pay in Lieu of Taxes and is not just free money floating around in space. It is county money! Now we are talking Apples and Oranges for sure. Would this be what they are referring to FLUFF money? I just don't understand FLUFF money!)

The School Principle also said, she is concerned about separation of Church and State.

The School Board President said I guess the public is okay with children getting hurt.

(How asinine, how rude of him to use children in such a crude fashion, just because he wants a new gymnasium for his children. To me some of these folks are just plain incorrigible.)

The School Board President says to the School Board, I don't know what you want? What do you guys want?
(See no communications, no real conversations, no real discussions on this matter!)

The School Board President says, My children won't get any enjoyment out of a new gym. My kids will probably graduate before a new gym is built.

(Sounds like it really is about him building a new gymnasium for his kids, doesn't it? Mr. School Board President what happened to all that Critical Thinking you want to teach at West Elk. One of the main principals of Critical is to put aside all prejudices. Your children is one of those prejudices in wanting a new gymnasium.)

(Mr. School Board President while School Board Member Bellar was trying to make a motion at this time what was that mouthing thing clear down the table to School Board Member Whetstone with no verbal sound. What was that private message during an Open Public Meeting? Whatever it was it was at the height of rudeness. Have you no shame! This sort of stuff, should out of protocol, never happen at an Open Public School Board Meeting. As President of the Board and in the leadership position you should not permit it let alone participate in it. Where is the couth, Where is the refinement, Where is the Leadership.)

School Board Member Bellar made a motion to have a 2 million dollar bond issue to build only the Grade School class rooms. The motion died.

Another motion was made to change the resolution to reflect a 4 million dollar bond issue.

(Doesn't this reflect that the Gymnasium is the most important part of this whole issue? It really isn't about the need for class rooms is it? I'd refer you back to the School Board President's remarks about his children and the gymnasium!)

(A student just approached the School Principal and she told him to get a copy of the agenda and bring it to her. When he did, she signed it and returned it to the student and he left the meeting. I assume he was required to attend a School Board meeting. I'd hope he learned this is the improper way to hold a School Board Meeting.)

School Board President says there may be money left over from the bond issue and we can use that money.

Technician Report:

KITE Kansas Assessment is not working right . I keep hearingthey will get it fixed. School Superintendent said they have been saying that for 6 months.
(I had to google that and KITE stands for Kansas Interactive Testing Engine.  More information at http://www.cete.ku.edu/kansas-assessment-program .)

Principal Report:
I posted basketball video on   a School Web site.

4th Graders are making bracelets to sell and make money.

That's all for now folks. I apologize for taking so long to post this.

Make of it what you will!

[Ross]

Color and emphasis is mine.

Well lookie here! They didn't waste a single moment!
Front page of todays rag- The Prairie Star.

West Elk board
Notifies local patrons
Of a school bond proposal

Taxpayers and patrons of USD282- West Elk are being notified with a legal notice in today's Prairie Star that a bond election will be sought to make certain improvements to the campus in Howard.

(Mr. Editor West Elk is not in Howard, can't you report the facts as they really are.
Also for your information West Elk is no more a Howard School than it is a Moline School. It is a District School in Elk County.)

Details of the proposed project will be spelled out in forth coming editions of the Prairie Star. The purpose of the legal notice is to notify taxpayers that the school board has intentions to move forward with the bond proposal in the amount of $4 million.

There is more to read in the paper, I just wanted to let you know they wasted no time at all because of the Architect saying that is had to be done now.

Page 11 says:

Public Notice
Published in the Prairie Star
March 12, 2014
NOTICE
PUBLICATION OF INTENT
TO FILE AN APPLICATION
FOR PERMISSION TO
VOTE AND ISSUE SCHOOL
BONDS IN EXCESS OF
THE DISTRICT'S GENERAL
BOND DEBIT LIMITATIONS

(There is more in the news paper)

I just wanted to point out that they are ASKING the State Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas for PERMISSION to vote general obligation BONDS in EXCESS of the Districts general BOND DEBT LIMITATIONS.

[Ross]

Whoopsie Doo !              CRISIS ALERT !                   CRISIS ALERT !             CRISIS ALERT !                   CRISIS ALERT !             CRISIS ALERT !                   CRISIS ALERT !   
     

HAS THE WEST ELK SCHOOL BOARD
CREATED  A MAJOR
CRISIS
FOR THEMSELVES ?

At the last School Board Meeting they couldn't get a consensus on what this construction they have been working on as School Board Member Black said for the last two years.
Yes, folks two years. (Isn't that when we voted on a new Grade School Bond and they received a resounding "NO" from the voters? Isn't that when and the way it happened?)

Back to the crisis with no solid plan on what or how to build "if" they should get a bond issue approved by the state and the biggest "IF" it passes they have to have a plan first don't they before they start building. I'm thinking the crisis is that they have to have a plan before the election and have that plan approved by the Architect to come in under the $4 million the School Board is asking for.

Oops sorry I may have got the cart before the horse, you know like the School Board does on everything.

The CRISIS accentuated: I received a phone call shortly after nine a.m. this morning from the West Elk Administration. They informed me I would be receiving a notice in the mail of a Special School Board Meeting Friday, but that I should ignore it because, they can't get a quorum. That means a minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct business. They need a minimum of four members. Couldn't they have discussed a Special School Board Meeting at the last regular School Board Meeting? No thinking or even short term planning on the part of this School Board is there? Special School Board Meetings called in this fashion should be for pretty urgent school business, other wise plan the Special School Board Meetings during Regular School Board Meetings. Have some kind of rules, some kind of protocol. The Special School Board Meetings should not be held on a whim. Common Sense folks, Common Sense.

I wish they had to show who is calling for a Special School Board Meeting, really I think that information should be documented and placed on the notification. Why? Because it is School Board Business being done at taxpayer expense.

Why am I calling this Bond Issue a crisis, they have been working on this thing and I mean thing, in my opinion, from before day one of closing our grade school and they have wasted an ungodly amount of money in the process. They are just as bad or worse than the Federal Government, in wasting money, in my opinion.

This last School Board Meeting they were pressured into hiring an Architect and they hired the one that apologized for the problems he and the School Board  had a year ago. Good Job? ? ? He told them they had to have paper work into KSDE by the middle of March, right now.

This pressured them into voting to change the School Bond Resolution down from either $7.5 million or $6 million to $4 million so the Architect could get paper work done for legal publication in the newspaper and more importantly to get the legal publication and other paper work into KSDE. The School Board has to ask the State Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas for permission to vote general obligation BONDS in excess of the Districts general of the Districts general Bond Debt Limitations.

They have choose to waste more money to go ahead, even while realizing the Bond will not pass.

Where are the School Boards by-laws, okay now a days they call them School Board Policy. What rules do they adhere to?

I just looked once again on the West Elk web site and no School Board Policy posted there. I was told by the West Elk Administration they would be posted after Christmas break. Hey, Administration it's after Christmas break. Take a look for your self folks, it is just an empty page: http://www.westelk.us/district-2/board-policies/ .

May the CRISIS be with you!
Call OB1 KANOBE for crisis intervention.

Very dumb behavior in my opinion.

[Ross]

New Official Elk County Web Site

http://elkcountyks.org/departments.html