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

[frawin]

I have to disagree on at least one point.  This issue involves the children of our district, not just the taxpayers.  I ask again, have you actually seen the conditions at West Elk?  Talking to people that have not witnessed the conditions is going to get you negative responses.  Talk to the teachers, to the other people who work there or have reason to know what the conditions are.  The taxpayers of this district, for the most part, are people who are thinking with their pocketbook, not their intelligence.  How much will this issue actually add to your taxes?  The price of a pack of cigarettes or one trip to another state or a couple of bottles of wine?  A hunting trip perhaps?  There are a lot of things that I could and would give up to improve conditions at West Elk.

I do believe that Jane does pay taxes in Elk County.  I don't know about Frank, but I do know that he and his wife are deeply rooted in Elk County.  Actually, their roots are deeper than mine.

Wilma,  I thought about what you said about my roots, interestingly at one time my family owned the land where the West Elk school is. Several of us were born on that farm including me.  My family came to Howard in the 1920s,
Seven of the 15 of us were born on that Farm.
Even more interesting is that Janes husband, Rex's family lived right across the highway from the West Elk complex.

[Ross]

[sixdogsmom]

What in the world does any of that have to do with the price of eggs Frank?

[ddurbin]

Makes as much sense as your and Ross' Happy Thanksgiving posts did in the middle of the Proposed Classroom Additions thread.

[Ross]

Makes as much sense as your and Ross' Happy Thanksgiving posts did in the middle of the Proposed Classroom Additions thread.

.

Not by a longshot.
ROFLMAO ha, ha, ha!

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 say," NO "

[sixdogsmom]

Geeesh! 

[Ross]

Geeesh! 

Yeah, sixdogsmom, how in the world can a person compare what he had to say about well wishes to all, which included him.

I sure hope he learns and understands I have no ill feelings towards anyone about the present debate!
To me it is not personal, it is political. If I should come across the man on broken down on the highway or any other situation, I would stop and offer my assistance.

I sure hope he has the best of Christmas' this year.

I am going to make the best of Christmas that I can, during these rough times our Country is struggeling through. And I will pray for all those that are not as fortunate as I am. My heart goes out to the jobless and the homeless every Christmas, I suppose because I was in that situation my self in 1998.

But this debat about the present situation has not developed any animosity in me for anybody.

[Ross]

So, I guess all these people pushing for a multi-million dollar debt don't know anything!

I asked where the idea originated to build extensions on to West Elk.

(Isn't that just being deceptive? Building a Grade School only re-branding as extensions, isn't that all that all they are doing? Just think about that, please. They also said they expect to get a no vote in April and want to return in November for another shot at the voters. That alone should tell you something is wrong with this whole idea.)

And nary a single answer?

Apparently whoever came up with the idea has no pride in his/her idea and will continue to hide out, don't ya suppose?

No one seems to have the leadership quality of responsibility and transparency!

Why do you suppose that is?

Is it because there is something wrong with what is happening?

How about publishing what this mess has already cost the West Elk taxpayer?

How much has already been paid out to this contractor.

Where is the transparency?

How about some open honest dialog with the School Board Members right here for the taxpaying public?  Or aren't you a government of the people, for the people and by the people?

I think it is pretty safe to say that both veterinarians are Elk Konnected, please correct me if I am wrong. I would like to ask how many other board members are Elk Konnected ?

Answering this question truthfully would be the very first positive step towards transparency, don't you think?

There is only one reason for not answering and that is secrecy, right?

Otherwise for sure any voter in their right mind would automatically vote no on any school bond issue that this board puts before them, in my opinion.

Remember the issues with the Kounty Kommissioners Board, before the last County Commissioners election? History is very important, isn't it?

So, how about it, how about some transparency?
Is there any real leadership involved in all of this?

They don't want to consider alternatives to save taxpayers millions, in my opinion.

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 say," NO " [/quote]

[Ross]

Just so no one misses my conversation with Diane I'm reposting it here:

Ross, by the way, the numbers I gave you about classrooms and number of students were from Maryland, not Delaware.

Who cares, those numbers are as different as apples and oranges. We are Elk County, Kansas in the Center of the US of A and not out on the North Eastern Seaboard or anywhere close to it. Here are the statistics of your Apples and Oranges. Ya just can't compare them as being the same. I have tried real hard to explain this to you! Does this help? Do you comprehend the difference or do you need more edumaction teacher?

Talbot County, Maryland
Population       5.885 million (2012)
Persons per square mile, 2010    594.8   
Population, 2012 estimate    38,098
Median household income, 2007-2011    $63,399   
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2007-2011    $352,200   $319,800


Elk County, Kansas, Population                  81,758.72 Square miles
2.886 million (2012)           
Persons per square mile, 2010    34.9   
Population, 2012 estimate    2,720
Median household income, 2007-2011    $34,246   
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2007-2011    $53,200   

Do you ever really listen to what others have to say?..I mean really listen? You seem so full of yourself, you would never hear another good idea if it was presented to you on a gold platter! Have you, yourself, researched what other similiar sized communities with similar problems have done to take care of their particular issues? Smacking me because of where I live does not mean I don't know anything about kids, education in general, and the give and take on solving educationally associated problems.

You too my dear are so full of yourself, Elk Konnected, belonging to organizations that tell you how to think and the denial of facts that we are not on the North Easter Seaboard.

I am not smacking you because of where you live. I am not smacking you at all. But you are still very thoroughly confused about the difference between Elk County financial and population in comparison to the heavily populated states and their finances on the North Eastern Seaboard. Why don't you apply all those skills you brag about in your own community or state? I'm sure they have plenty of problems you could help them solve. You could even attend their School Board Meetings like i do here!

If things were "fixed " what would you have to bellyache about?

If they were "fixed" you would have nowhere to be able to compare your Apples and Oranges, would you?

Listen to what the kids that go to West Elk have to say. How about asking the teachers who work in the portables how they feel about them? On the one hand you are saying there have been no small town school shootings so the portables are just fine,but on the other hand they are awful things that must be gotten rid of. Can't have those kids exposed to Kansas weather to go into the main building. but you don't want a safe area in a storm shelter either.

You sure are getting better at twisting words , just like a good politician or someone from some organization. Keep practicing, practice makes perfect. But, okay. back on subject okay.

Are the teachers going to pay for the classroom they are hired to work in?
If the teacher is a resident of the School District she has just as much say as I do, or any other voter does, but no more say, than the rest of us --- when she/he cast their ballot. Don't you understand that is how the system works ?

I never have never said there has never been a small town school shooting, I asked (now you pay attention please!). I asked for a link to a small town school shooting, in a town 60 to 80 miles from the nearest Metropolitan Area. Can you provide that information? I really doubt it! And it had nothing what so ever to do with the portable buildings

That statement about the storm protection is just so much bull. If you recall it was the foolishness of the School Board that put the children in portable buildings that cost $500,000 and the same School Board that foolish in my opinion that wants to foolishly put the School District millions of dollars in debt to build a Taj Mahal for How-weird! By the way thanks for sharing that How -- weird thing. I never knew that before you told me. Back to the storm shelter thing apparently there is plenty of warning time and the portable buildings are practically attached to the building and have covered walkways. And apparently the School Board was comfortable with that when they spent $500,000 to install them.

In case you didn't know the school had a serious discussion about hiring their own police officer and apparently decided it was not necessary.

You also don't acknowledge the costs of re-openimg a moth balled school,  or the transportation cost increases once kids are back to further travel distances.

Oh but I have, I believe you should back up to your question to me. Let me quote you:

Do you ever really listen to what others have to say?..I mean really listen?

    I actually think some of the kids here travel further to school than some of yours do. The kids who go to choice schools travel 12,14 or more miles to school, one way.  Plus, you never had to deal with forced desegregation. The kids then were on the busses more than an hour each way. Distance is distance no matter what state it's in.

Again,  Apples and Oranges! You have far more highways for one and there are many, many more factors involved than simply mileage. So get over yourself.

When are you going to pin down what your real problem is?

I could pin my problem down to it being you, but I won't. Because, I enjoy your maladjusted communications. Keep 'em coming. You forgot to spell check your post teacher. I thought, I'd remind you, because you remind everyone else and I thought you would appreciate it in return.
Here is sincerely wishing you a Very Merry Christmas.

Do you by any chance follow national news?
Have you read what Mr. Greenspan has to say about today's Economy?
He is far more intelligent than you and I put together, don't you agree?
Here is the headline for you! This should stand as the loudest warning about creating millions of dollars of debt for the taxpayer.

Greenspan: Economic 'Uncertainty' Greatest I Have Known

Detroit and numerous other and communities have filed bankruptcy because of debt they could not pay. Are we to follow suit? Yes this is Apples and Oranges. But we are know as a poor county not a rich one.

So keep in mind there are other alternatives besides going Millions of Dollars in Debt, and my suggestions should not be the only one !

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 say," NO " [/quote]   

[Ross]

Mike Huckabee

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that schools in the US were performing below those in Vietnam, Lithuania, Russia, and Hungary; that our 15 year olds haven't seen improvement in over a decade compared to other nations. For those who think I embrace Common Core, I don't embrace or even want to tolerate what it's come to mean in too many locations. Yes, it's been hijacked, and I don't support the hijackers or the destination, but I don't blame the airplane for getting hijacked. I just hope we aren't willing to accept mediocrity as a standard. Let's kill the name Common Core and all the nonsense that's been tacked on to it. But let's insist that if we continue to spend the most money in education we demand that the end result is achievement. Every Governor should take the wheel and steer his or her state to adopting strict and rigorous standards. Keep it simple; name it what you will. Don't let anyone corrupt the goals by adding things not part of the goals. Common Core is dead. But common sense shouldn't be.