|
|
Post by Arch on Mar 13, 2009 6:11:55 GMT -6
Simple Question.
Some FOIA financial documents show the district headed towards an Budgetary Shortfall.
Will you vote to give them more money if an initiative is put on the ballot within the next few years?
|
|
|
|
Post by doctorwho on Mar 13, 2009 6:15:52 GMT -6
Simple Question. Some FOIA financial documents show the district headed towards an Budgetary Shortfall. Will you vote to give them more money if an initiative is put on the ballot within the next few years? ! Not a dime - after throwing tens of millions of dollars to expedite a semi finished high school on an artificial opening schedule Just one example of how they spend our money |
|
|
|
Post by rural on Mar 13, 2009 6:59:40 GMT -6
Really? Even if that operating referendum is proposed by a new board with a quorum of members that were your top votes?
|
|
|
|
Post by Arch on Mar 13, 2009 7:03:16 GMT -6
Really? Even if that operating referendum is proposed by a new board with a quorum of members that were your top votes? 4 new faces and M2 resigning completely (making it 5 new faces), and I'll 'consider' it. Otherwise, Nope... no way. |
|
we4
Junior
Girls Can't Do What?
Posts: 245
|
Post by we4 on Mar 13, 2009 7:03:59 GMT -6
I would need a whole lot of info on why. I would say NO if the sb comes out and say we need money for X with no back up info. If they came out with a very detail financial plan (where I didn't have to jump through hoops to get it), then maybe, but there better be a very good reason for me to vote yes. No more blindly voting yes for things.
|
|
|
|
Post by blankcheck on Mar 13, 2009 7:21:21 GMT -6
NOPE!!!! You see - I am tired of giving them a "blankcheck". New board or not, this school district needs to learn how to live within their means. We are!
People approved this huge amount to build this school. One of the major points I made during all of this was that they would be coming back for more $$$ to operate it. I think my point was this -
"if you do not approve the operating referendum, the new HS will not open". (Scare tactic #1)
Rather than looking at other less expensive options, this is what we are facing. How much do you want your tax bill to go up?
|
|
|
|
Post by doctorwho on Mar 13, 2009 7:24:46 GMT -6
Really? Even if that operating referendum is proposed by a new board with a quorum of members that were your top votes? With the way this SB is frittering away money on expediting in these economic times my first answer is no. If a new board , under new leadership can show me even something resembling fiscal responsibility I will look at but the burden of making a case for this rests upon them. I have voted for every referendum in 20 years and look what it got me and us. I have had to change my spending habits due to the economy - so does this SD. Period . My daughter went to a WVHS with 500 more kids than 2009 WVHS would have even if class of 2012 stayed at the school- yet somehow the doors will explode off the school now if that happens. Did the school shrink or is it yet another 'agenda' item to make sure we open no matter what ? <my kids attended without A/C even though I voted building ref after building ref. > so yeah, after 20 years of being about 'us' - I saw that I was not included in us when it came to listening to issues my area would have, outrageous commute among them. |
|
|
|
Post by twhl on Mar 13, 2009 7:25:55 GMT -6
I would need a whole lot of info on why. I would say NO if the sb comes out and say we need money for X with no back up info. If they came out with a very detail financial plan (where I didn't have to jump through hoops to get it), then maybe, but there better be a very good reason for me to vote yes. No more blindly voting yes for things. Even with proper backup - NOOOOOO. What I found rather irritating is the fact that our District's financials can be obtained through FOIA as stated in the SB meeting. Now that's transparency. Why not just PDF the thing and post it like they do SB announcements, etc. I also got a kick out of the emergency for MV funding and approval. To grant a change order approval for a "not sure how much this is going to cost" but "we had our soil specialist monitor with daily reports" on a firm fixed price bid because the subcontractor and General Contractor didn't do their job is insane but we "had" to pay it because it would have put everything behind schedule and the other subs would have hit us up for schedule slippage. The only time the buyer has to pay for schedule slippage is when they(D204) caused it: 1) too f'ing bad - you quoted it wrong, you should have done the proper analysis before you put the first shovel in the ground. And even if you did you should have included risk in your bid 2) bass ackwards - you don't give someone approval of a change order unless you know the amount. 3) the only time you issue and approve a change order is if the contracting party (D204) changed your scope. It may be because they already had contracts signed for a different location and when they bought the AMES property they didn't have time to mod the contracts 4) interesting spin how artificial turf is now "better" than natural grass and will save us tons of $, but not really as you can see the savings "almost equals but a little short" of being a wash because it has to be replaced. But now we have no choice because we are behind schedule. All these change orders should be in the total to switch to AMES which added to expedite fees, increased transportation costs, will make your head spin. |
|
|
|
Post by blankcheck on Mar 13, 2009 7:38:44 GMT -6
Scare tactic #2
They will uproot everyone, get the new school going (or at least part of it) then Wham! We don't have the $$$$ to operate all the schools in our district. We will have to start making cuts - split shifts, block scheduling, no PE etc.
Has anyone noticed any downsizing at the administrative level??? Not me. I only see more
hiring (Mr. PR Guy).
The problem is that most of the people in our district fall for these scare tactics because they are not informed. Remember the flyer with the crowded HS picture on it? Hello, that was not even our school. It was a big PR spin. Oh - don't think they don't have a PR firm already in the wings figuring out how they will spin this one - they do!
|
|
|
|
Post by treehugger on Mar 13, 2009 7:43:08 GMT -6
Believe me, if they want more money they will give you information out the wazoo. But after the financial sacrifices I have personally had to consider, the answer is no, no way and never, in that order. Show me how many high priced administrators they have added in this district since Dr. D. came into power and I will show you areas to cut waste. With these administrators come salaries, benefits and pensions. And I hope all the future and potential board members are reading these blogs, because if that's what they are signing up for, getting a new referendum passed, maybe they should reconsider. I know I would.
|
|
|
|
Post by southsidesignmaker on Mar 13, 2009 7:43:24 GMT -6
New board members or not, an operational ref is coming. This has been in the works for years and at this point is inevitable, the question is for how much.
|
|
SouthernWolf
Junior
Dean Wermer; when is the parade?
Posts: 139
|
Post by SouthernWolf on Mar 13, 2009 8:27:37 GMT -6
The numbers I saw at last nights meet and greet meeting suggest a ref is coming sooner rather than later. If M2 was off the board (and 4 fresh new faces get voted in. No Cathy P) I would be more inclined to trust the new board with another round of cash....
|
|
|
|
Post by twhl on Mar 13, 2009 9:56:27 GMT -6
The numbers I saw at last nights meet and greet meeting suggest a ref is coming sooner rather than later. If M2 was off the board (and 4 fresh new faces get voted in. No Cathy P) I would be more inclined to trust the new board with another round of cash.... Sorry - no one regardless will get another round of cash. Just because you have new faces doesnt make the prob go away. It will bring it out into the open. What they will have to do is start cutting / slashing. Renegotiate the tranportation contract, Sodexho services, and yes teachers compensation, etc. Ford Autoworkers just agreed to hiring freeze. We have a situation. I finally saw this report everyone is talking about - WOW. We are in trouble - now. Heck if you eliminate Dr D and KB you could save $450k right there! Ahhhhh what a pleasant thought. |
|
|
|
Post by casey on Mar 13, 2009 10:14:53 GMT -6
You know the other thing that would save the district mucho dinero would be requiring the 204 Administrators to pay for some if not all of their healthcare/dental premiums. Currently they pay zip, zilch, zero, nada  ! In today's world, how is that even possible? Does anyone know a single person that has their entire healthcare premium covered? That's unheard of. Believe me, the more you look for it, the more you discover ways for the District to save money. We're going to need the proverbial belt-tightening but it's going to require a whole new SB with a strong business background and strong leadership skills to make necessary changes. We can guarantee that change by voting in the slate group of 4. Everything must be explored from the top down. I personally like twhl's suggestion to eliminate DrD and KB. Bam! That's a great cost-savings method that I would definitely support ;D. |
|
|
|
Post by JB on Mar 13, 2009 10:32:10 GMT -6
I don't think we need 4 new board members - CV has done a decent job keeping an eye out. Now if by 4 new you mean M2's replacement, then I'm with ya.
I'd like to see a Citizens Board really dig into the financials, with quick, unlimited access to details. This is where I think Jerry Huang could help out. Show us where we can cut, how much we can cut, and the implications of making a cut. After we've cut, and if the citizens board recommends it, then I'd entertain a referendum. However, the language I'd require probably couldn't fit on the ballot. No more free passes.
|
|
! In today's world, how is that even possible? Does anyone know a single person that has their entire healthcare premium covered? That's unheard of.