West Elk Audit and Survey

[Ross]

Wilma, that is an absolutely great response.

Why is that a great response?
Don't ya'all read so well?   

I've often said IMHO plenty of times.

[Wilma]

In some cases a question is an opinion.

[Ross]

In some cases a question is an opinion.

If you want interpret it that way feel free to do so, however it is not a correct interpretation. That is your privilege.

[Catwoman]

In some cases a question is an opinion.

And how.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I was told by a school board member to do the survey, but I do have kids in the school system. If this person said that Mr. Reese said this I would have no idea. I have been in several different schools throughout the years, and WE is no different than any other school. Every school around has their share of issues, just so you all know!! Of course this is my opinion!!! LOL

[farmgal67357]

Well, there were some questions on that survey that I couldn't answer or give a score on, but if this survey is being conducted for the purpose of writing a paper and the survey is not made available to the entire West Elk School district, then the survey will be a corrupt survey. If only having a select group answer the survey and that select group are those that would give favorable scores, then it is not a true finding of what is really going on.

But, you know what, I always hated that part of my studies in college because I have always had the opinion that polls and surveys are corrupt and do not represent what is the truth.

I had to put N/A on the bus questions because my kid doesn't ride the bus. I know they sent all the parents of student letters about the survey, and they talked about it at a school board meeting. Don't know if that equals the "entire West Elk school district", though. I do think they tried to notify the people they needed the information from.
Lisa

[Ross]

News Flash
The people running the survey will be at the West Elk School Board Meeting on November 14th to talk to the school board and the public. I have been told the meeting will be starting early at 5:30 pm and that the School Board will go into an immediate Executive Session to speak with half of the group running the survey, while the other half of the group speaks with the public.

Here is your chance to be heard, will you take it?

West Elk has been labeled the most expensive school in the state of Kansas so I have been told. And I don't find that hard to believe by the amounts of money they are spending. It is like a spending spree over there in my opinion. And they just could not afford to keep the Grade Schools open. go figure?

Remember November 14th at 5:30 pm at the West Elk Administration building. If they figure a lot of people will show up they may move it to the school building.

[Patriot]

The people running the survey will be at the West Elk School Board Meeting on November 14th to talk to the school board and the public. I have been told the meeting will be starting early at 5:30 pm and that the School Board will go into an immediate Executive Session to speak whit half ot the group runninig the survey, hwile the other half of the group speaks with the public.

How could anything relating to an anonymous survey ever qualify for an executive session under the Kansas Open Meetings Act?  Sounds like at least a technical violation in the making. 

K.S.A. 75-4319: http://kansasstatutes.lesterama.org/Chapter_75/Article_43/#75-4319

Pay particular attention to the method required for formally entering executive session.  There must be a motion, second & vote.  The motion must contain 3 elements:

(1) the justification for closing the meeting,
(2) the subjects to be discussed during the closed or executive meeting and
(3) the time and place at which the open meeting shall resume.

Such motion, including the required statement, shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting and shall be maintained as a part of the permanent records of the body or agency. Discussion during the closed or executive meeting shall be limited to those subjects stated in the motion.   Authorized subjects are identified by law.

Justification and subject are 2 different things.  Lawful subjects are listed in the statute and are addressed in detail by the attorney general at the following location: http://www.ksag.org/page/open-and-honest-government

Check out the links on that page entitled "A Citizen's Guide to KORA KOMA",  :Frequently Asked Questions about the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA)", and "Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) Guidelines".


Caveat Emptor, citizens, 'let the buyer beware', we are still a nation under the rule of law.  But, I could be wrong.

[Ross]

I wasn't at the meeting when the information was disclosed about the early start of the meeting for the people doing the survey wanting to talk with the school board and the people.

But once again it was reported to me that the superintendent did not want the general public, the taxpayers to know about the meeting.

I happen to trust the person that informed me of what is going on.

In my humble opinion it reeks of Elk Konnected,LLC or a form of Plutocracy? And keep the taxpayers in the dark?

Elk Konnected does have members on the school board and the Superintendent is Konnected isn't he.
The President of the School Board is on the steering Committee isn't he?

But, I'd bet you a donut and a cup of coffee there will be no circle of chairs and no facilitator from Public Squares Communities, LLC out of Wichita County at this meeting. I'm hoping for something far more honest.

And I hope to see a lot of people at the meeting.

[Wilma]

Perhaps you misunderstood what you heard.  Perhaps it is not an executive meeting, but just simply separate meetings of two different groups.  Didn't the survey have different sections for different groups?  Doesn't an executive meeting have to take place within a regular meeting?  Is this a regular scheduled meeting of the school board?  Why should the general population hear what they have to say to management, much of what they would not understand or misunderstand.  And I imagine that management will hear everything that is being told to the general population.