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

[Ross]

Doesn't this sound a lot like a very few people in Elk County?

You know what I mean, don't you?

Like doing away with community city councils and having one centrally unified county government!

Like having one centrally located school campus, no matter what the cost!

Does any of that sound familiar?

How about the School Board President saying, my children won't be able to enjoy the use of a brand new grade school gymnasium? Isn't he just saying, this children won't have that unless you pay the appropriate fees (property taxes)?

So do you vote to pass his Bond Issue, only so his children can enjoy the experience of playing in a brand new gymnasium?

OR, do you say "NO" and vote him out of office next year for lack of critical thinking? Critical Thinking = leaving you personal prejudices out of the equation ---- his children are his personal prejudice that he involved in the equation during a School Board Meeting. He is the also the one that brought up critical thinking at a School Board Meeting by saying he wanted critical thinking taught at West Elk USD-282.

Don't forget, I received a .pdf listing all the School Board Positions and the year they become open.

Five positions will be open next year.

This information is posted for your convenience on my box.com account.

Please follow this link if you are interested: https://app.box.com/s/6h3vni6q1k0oeukhxo9j

[Ross]

The following is taken directly from the School Board Policy Handbook and was hand typed by me, so any typographical errors are mine. This is posted on line on West Elk USD 283 web site at http://www.westelk.us/district-2/board-policies/ .

(If I'm not wrong these used to be known as By-law's years ago.)
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
A by-law (sometimes also spelled bylaw, by law or byelaw) is a rule or law established by an organization or community to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authority. The higher authority, generally a legislature or some other governmental body, establishes the degree of control that the by-laws may exercise.

*************************************************************************************************************

School Board Policy Handbook

Preface

The school belongs to the people who support it and it only purpose is to help the development of the children of the community. The people have a right to be informed concerning the policies, administration, operation, successes and failures of the school.

It is the intention of the West Elk Board of Education to provide means for furnishing full and accurate information together with interpretation and explanation, in terms the public can understand. It is recognized that failure to furnish such information, either by design or neglect, may lead to possible misinformation and misinterpretation of the motives of the board or staff.

***************************************************************************************************************

So, what I would like to know is why doesn't the West Elk School Board follow it's on rules and policies?

Has any School Board member even read their own rules and policies?

Or are they either by design or neglect or by a choice of keeping secret, refusing to provide the information as it becomes available?

I am referring to the documents called handouts during School Board Meetings?
Every document is public information with the exception of disciplinary actions, right?
Right!

They use to have a note on the School Board Meeting Minutes documents attached or attached documents, something along that line, which is no longer used. However any documents handed out at the meeting are public information and should be made available to the public on the West Elk web site right along with this very
School Board Policy and School Board Minutes. So when do our elected officials start following their rules and regulations and laws?


Changing the subject slightly and back to the construction and the bond issue.
If you care to read it on the West Elk web site at

And I quote by copy and paste:

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After  further  discussion,  Whetstone  moved  to  proceed  with  preparing  the  appropriate documents to call for a special election to be held on June 3, 2014, with such election to  be  conducted  by  mail  election.   The  project  shall  include  the  proposed  classroom addition  and  Elementary  Gym  Addition  for  a  cost  of  $4,535,152,  and  including  Piper Jaffray's bonding agent fee of 1% in the amount of $43,351.52 for  a total project cost of  $4,580,503.52  said  project  will  be  paid  for  from  the  issuance  of  General  Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $4,585,000. The bond will be financed for a term of 20 years. Black seconded the motion.

After  more  discussion,  Bellar  called  the  question.   Motion  failed  (2-5)  (Allen,  Bellar, Hare, Hilton & Walker voted no)

After  further  discussion,  Bellar  moved  to  proceed  with  preparing  the  appropriate
documents to call for a special election to be held on June 3, 2014, with such election
to  be  conducted  by  mail  election.   The  project  shall  include  the  proposed  classroom addition for a cost of $2,000,000 and including Piper  Jaffray's bonding agent fee of 1%

Page 2 of 2
in the amount of $20,000 for a total project cost of $2,000,000 said pro ject will be paid
for  from  the  issuance  of  General  Obligation  Bonds  in  an  amount  not  to  exceed
$2,000,000. The bond will be financed for a term of 20 years. Motion died for lack of
second.

Hare  moved  to  proceed  with  preparing  the  appropriate  documents  to  call  for  a  special election  to  be  held  on  June  3,  2014,  with  such  election  to  be  conducted  by  mail election.   The  project  shall  include  the  proposed  classroom  addition  and  Elementary Gym Addition for a cost of $2,970,297, and including Piper  Jaffray's bonding agent fee of 1% in the amount of $29,703  for a total project cost of $3,000,000 said project will be paid for from the issuance of General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.   The  bond  will  be  financed  for  a  term  of  20  years.   Walker seconded  the motion. Motion passed. (6-1) (Bellar voted no)

At 8:56 p.m. Hilton adjourned the meeting.

**********************************************************************************************************************

If you can read the above statements you should be able to ascertain this is not about classrooms, this is about a brand new gymnasium, as the School Board President said, so his children would have the experience of enjoying a brand new gymnasium. To him I say go home and build one in your backyard and put in a crystal chandelier while you are at it. Add bleachers for all your fans.

No, it's not about classrooms and it is not about the 4 portable class rooms that the teachers are apparently wanting if they bond issue passes.  It is actually about being ridiculous and wanting to say, "I got that built".

They were told plenty of times by various people, that they invited to their board meetings, they can not afford it. In case you did not notice they dropped from $7.5 Million down to $4.585 Million and during the same meeting down to $3 Million.
That alone should tell you something.

And don't forget they have talked about raising your property tax 4 mil. And it sounds like a yearly proposition to me? How much more taxation can you handle?

If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road."
—C.S. Lewis

"Throughout history, supposedly enlightened elite's have been able to convince themselves that they are right and everyone else is wrong. The fact that they have always been wrong before does not, somehow, lead them to question those assumptions in the present day, because this is such a convenient belief to have."

I believe the taxpayers and voters of both Elk County and the West Elk School District are finally getting a good vision of the trickery happening with in Elk County.
                                                   
So folks remember you have the power to change things towards your own positive.

Your local vote carries much more power than your national vote.
Please remember you have the POWER of the VOTE.
When this comes about encourage your friends to vote as well.

Be SMART, be SENSIBLE, be FRUGAL, re-open the Moline Grade School and save millions and problems solved.

Be SMART, Be SENSIBLE, Be FRUGAL, Just Tell The Elite " NO "

"A life directed chiefly toward the fulfillment of personal desires will sooner or later always lead to bitter disappointment."
—Albert Einstein ---

[Ross]

These pictures are of the rough draft of the June 3rd School Bond Issue mail-in Ballot.
I was assured that although this is a rough that the final draft will most likely be the very same thing.

This one is a close up of the main body.

[/center


I personally will proudly fill in the oval next to "NO".
I hope most people will.

Please remember this is a rough draft.

[Ross]

[Ross]

Editorials Are Nothing More Than
A Persons Personal Opinion
Just The Same As
This Thread.

Rudy is an outsider to Elk County just like me! His Facebook says he lives in Caney, Montgomery County, Kansas and his hometown is Altamont, Labette County, Kansas.[

Well, anyway this silly assed, very biased, so called local newspaper, we have coming out of Sedan , Kansas and printed in Independence, Kansas, is great for amusement, especially the editorials. What a twisted mind, IMHO !

We can hear from the editor, about what he doesn't like, but yet, I think he always tries to throw in that Elk Konnected positive attitude flair. It just doesn't work in this article, does it? Calling teachers "Heroes", really? More on this later.

I mean look here, I'm not educated, No college diploma's, especially in being an editor and yet I think, I do as well with this thread as the Editor does with his newspaper. At least, I don't twist the words.

So he appears to be slightly up set with the Kansas legislature, and I mean not so slightly upset, anyway that's how I read the editorial. Upset about what? Losing due process? Huh? What is he talking about? Isn't it losing tenure for teachers what he is really talking about? If so, say so! Why is he upset about it? If a teacher is a good teacher and actually doing their job, what do they have to worry about? Tenure is to give (someone) a permanent post, esp. as a teacher or professor. Why are they calling it due process, when what they are really talking about is "Tenure" .

Please, correct me if I am wrong. Tenure practically protects and practically guarantee's a bad teacher from being fired, doesn't it? It provides a don't touch situation, doesn't it.

Let me explain. how I see Tenure. As a federal employee, I saw many employees that goofed off and let other people carry the work load for them. I saw numerous employees show up late for work or sneak out early and what do you think happened to those employees for these actions? Nothing that's what happened! Even though we did not have Tenure, it was near impossible to get rid of such employees. So what teacher really needs Tenure? The one that needs protection for not doing their job, now isn't that right? A good teacher, a good employee of the taxpayers doesn't need that protection do they? A teacher can not be fired without just cause. Cause if you do fire them, without just cause they will most likely sue the School District. Why would you fire a good teacher? Why would a good teacher be worried? Here in Elk County haven't we had  a couple of suspicious resignations? Can't a resignation cover up real problems that might affect that persons becoming employed else where , where children are present? So, who do we protect first, children or adults?

But the editor follows up in his article in closing, by stateing," This is not the way we treat our hero's". Wow really, "HERO'S" ? Ask an Afganistan veteran! How do you get hero's out of teachers? These are employees of the taxpayers of the school district in which they work. And here at West Elk the average teachers salary is $50,000 and the rent and cost of living is not as costly as a major metropolitan area and also less hazardous. That pay may or may not include possible overtime. That is pretty good pay for this area considering the median income for a household in the Elk county in 2010 was $27,267 an for Chautauqua county median household income in 2011: $20,565

Hero's hardly! I mean, I served ten years in the military and nine of those years were during Vietnam. No, I am no hero! To me a hero is a much more deserving position.

The hero is the man that threw himself in harms way, to save lives of others in his surrounding area. He lost both legs and an arm because of his actions. He is a hero.

The man walking down the sidewalk and catches a baby fallling out of the 3rd story window. He's a hero! 

The neighbor that pulls his neighbor and their family out of their burning house is a hero.

Just being a teacher does not make you a hero.
Just being an electrician does not make you a hero.
Just being an plumber does not make you a hero.
Just being an newspaper editor does not make you a hero.
It simply means you are employeed in an occupation of your choice and hopefully enjoy.

I really didn't read any of that Elk Konnected positive attitude in the editorial.
I didn't read a single word about the providing of more state money coming to the coffers of the various School Districts, did you? I didn't read a single word of possible property tax relief due to more money coming from the state, did you?
Where is the positive in this editorial?

His remark the "Kansas State Legislature has a limited roll in the classroom.: Believe me he is right, that is the teachers job and supervised by the School Principle and School Superintendent who answers, supposedly to the School Board. And all are responsible to Kansas State Laws and the Kansas State Department of Education.

So when the legislature voted to accept a bill and make it law they were doing what they are suppose to do --- make laws. They are not in the class room. Why does the editor put such a terrible twist on the law instead of speaking plain english. Don't we get enough of that twisting out of Washington, D.C. ?

HOUSE BILL No. 2774:
http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2774_00_0000.pdf

Vote "NO" on the June 3rd School Bond Issue
so as not to do further damage to
the Elk County economics
PLEASE.

[Ross]

So the editor of our so called local paper isn't happy with the Kansas State Legislature writing State Laws about our States School System. He said they don't belong in the class room. Well, they are not in the class room, but I guess he doesn't comprehend that or he is unable to express himself correctly.

I am wondering how he feels about the Federal Program called Common Core! I personally think they are really wanting to totally control the class room. I believe I have shown that by the posts shown at :http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,15765.0.html

And here is another means of controlling and manipulating the school system and the children:

Kids who didn't
take the Common Core test
were denied ice cream!

April 11, 2014

Just where does our local West Elk USD-282 School board of Education stand on Common Core?
Have they even discussed Common Core?
What do they know about Common Core?
Do they feel they have no say in the matter of Common Core?

Or has the West Elk USD-282 School Board of Education decided it is none of their business?
Or has the West Elk USD-282 School Board of Education decided they have no voice in the matter of Common Core?
Or has the West Elk USD-282 School Board of Education just been to busy trying to build a Taj Mahal of a school to even pay any attention to the Federal Governments Program of Common Core Control?

Is this the type of School Board of Education your children deserve?

Do you need a bigger better building for less kids or better education?
Do you need higher property taxes and less taxes?

If the bond issue is passed they intend to raise your property taxes, yet another 4 mil over and above the bond issue, is that what you want?

Then they will most likely have to continue to raise your property taxes every year to pay for all the new maintenance that will be needed.

My guess for the reason of the mail in ballot is that the majority of people will ignore it or throw it away or that the ballots will not be delivered.

Remember over 200 of their survey's they mailed out were returned as undeliverable? Remember that?
That would mean 200 voters ballots would possibly be returned as undeliverable.

Now what might that mean?

What do you think might happen?

How about perhaps all the voters in Howard get their ballots and vote for the bond issue?
On the last bond election Howard had 75 or 80% vote for the bond.

If were were to loose 300 to 400 rural votes isn't it possible the issue would pass?

Well, let's try to stay ahead  of that game. Lets try to find out when those ballots are suppose to be mailed out and make sure everyone gets their ballot.

The bond issue really should fail, after all the School Board survey failed, didn't it?
The bond issue really should fail, even the School Board of Education expects it to fail and have already discussed running the bond issue again in November.

TAX, TAX, TAX, TAX That appears the goal of the West Elk USD-283 School Board of Education wants to do. 

Don't they realize the higher they raise taxes in local economy the more damage they do to the Elk County  Economy.

[Ross]

[Ross]

Okay folks, I have been shooting my mouth off about educating school kids and raising the teaching standards.

What do I know? Not much!

But how much does a person with a masters degree know about  K-12 education?
But how much does a person with a PHD know about teaching in the class room of K-12 education?
But how much does a person elected to the school board know about teaching in the class room of K-12 education?

Heck, West Elk School Board Members had not even walked through West Elk until just about 6 month s ago. How much do you think they know about the class room curricula?

What am I willing to learn?      Everything I can!

I just stumbled onto an advertisement for a book about Education in the US of A.
It is sold at Amazon. com and is titled
Indoctrination: How 'Useful Idiots' Are Using Our Schools to Subvert American Exceptionalism Paperback
by Kyle Olson (Author)

I went to Amazon and took a look at the books forward.
Some I already knew about some is shocking.

I feel I have a need to know what exactly is in this book and what I might learn from it, be it good or bad. It is impossible to make an intelligent decision about the book with out reading it      .

I'd like to invite you to take a look at the book. it is at the link at the bottom of this page. You can not read a whole lot, but if you click on the picture of the book it will permit a limited reading.

Just a suggestion! And I believe a possible interesting read.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1467060577
/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1WY49YJC3MT7HN2TNF67&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846

[Ross]

I am not quite ready to discuss last nights West Elk School Board meeting just yet.

I wish to discuss a few things first. So here we go, okay!

Kansas County population decline by County.
Take a look at this, Elk County comes in second place in percentage of population loss:
http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/population/2pop12b.pdfe
I don't suppose the lack of jobs and high property taxes might have anything to do with it? Do we want even higher property taxes? The School Board apparently thinks we do, especially they way they spend the taxpayer dollars. Do they have a money printing press we don't know about?

We have West Elk USD 282 with 300 students in building able to accommodate 600 students with 4 additional portable buildings and each building has 2 class room that cost the School District property taxpayers an additional ½ million dollars just recently.  And the School Board wants $4 million more indebtedness to double the size of the building for a declining student body. Where is the sense in this?

Let's look at the West Elk USD 282 School Board and their meeting, okay!
School Board Meetings should be characterized by ''dignity, order and decorum'' with a mind to provide information openly to the public and not be a picnic. Where is the couth?

Is this a professional setting?
Do they look like professionals slouching like that?
If you think that is bad you should see them in action!

Now let's take a look at the School Board Meeting place of Elk Valley USD 283!

Which one shows a bit of professionalism? 
Which one shows ''dignity, order and decorum'' with a mind to provide information openly to the public Which one.?

And there is also the School Boards own rules, their own Board Policies, recently corrected and posted at: http://www.westelk.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BOARD-POLICY-HANDBOOK-2013.pdf

The following Copied and pasted directly from BOARD-POLICY-HANDBOOK.

http://www.westelk.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BOARD-POLICY-HANDBOOK-2013.pdf

The Board recognizes that it has several important purposes and duties.
Basically, they are as follows:

To conduct its operations and meetings in a manner that is consistent with
State laws and the principles of sound organizational procedure.


To recognize its responsibility to the people of the district by making all
meetings open to the public.


MEETINGS

OPEN MEETINGS
Normally, all meetings of the Board will be open to the public, and the order of
business will provide an opportunity for the public to address the Board.

VISITORS
GUIDELINES FOR VISITORS ATTENDING BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS
In order to bring about visitor participation so that school patrons and other
visitors may fully enjoy the meeting without disturbing the work of the Board, the following guidelines have been approved.

Visitors are encouraged to ask about the policies of the Board
and of the school system.

RULES OF ORDER, QUORUM, VOTING, MINUTES
RULES OF ORDER

Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Board unless
otherwise provided for.

Does the West Elk USD 282 School Board have knowledge and the ability to utilize Robert's Rules of Order?

Does the West Elk USD 282 School Board have knowledge and the ability to show  ''dignity, order and decorum'' with a mind to provide information openly to the public Which one.?

I don't think so, especially in that little bitty room in the superintendents office.
I don't think so lacking the ability to speak up.
I don't think so with their backs to the public.
I don't think so with multiple conversations going on across the table.
I don't think so with private conversations during an open meeting.
I don't think so as long as they feel that rules are only for everyone else.


If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road."
—C.S.

There are those that oppose OPPOSITION even when they know they are wrong! That will make up problems that don't exist or create a problem to prove themselves right. All the while they still remain wrong! Are they not wrong in opposing OPPOSITION?

Property taxes up almost everywhere, but population down in most Kansas counties

http://kansasmeadowlark.com/blog/2009/01/28/property-taxes-up-almost-everywhere/

On my next post I will discuss last nights West Elk USD 282 School Board Meeting, that is what little I could hear and understand. What a wreck it was? Remember this is just my personal opinion.

[Ross]

I simply corrected a posted picture in the previous post
Thanks for you patience, I fumbled the ball
but corrected as soon as I discovered it.