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Post by blankcheck on Apr 9, 2009 15:15:17 GMT -6
I completely agree - with everyone's statements.
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Post by treehugger on Apr 9, 2009 15:42:35 GMT -6
I think SR, AT, CP and DD have little business experience. I think CV and CB would have a little more. Probably none have experience running a business and none of the newly electeds have any experience with school district numbers, which are very different than running a regular business. So.......this is not looking good.
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Post by rew on Apr 9, 2009 15:57:10 GMT -6
A very wise statement indeed, DW. We already have parents to advocate for their kids, we have teachers and PTSA to advocate for students, we have principals to advocate for our schools and we have administration to advocate for our district...we need a board to advocate for the taxpayer, the community at large.
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Post by doctorwho on Apr 9, 2009 16:11:07 GMT -6
I think SR, AT, CP and DD have little business experience. I think CV and CB would have a little more. Probably none have experience running a business and none of the newly electeds have any experience with school district numbers, which are very different than running a regular business. So.......this is not looking good. CB is a University of Chicago MBA and a VP for a financial firm so he definitely has biz experience and CV has worked for a law firm for a number of years ( although not an attorney) - as well as 4 years SB experience - however the majority will be very light on business/financial acumen it appears. |
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Post by JB on Apr 9, 2009 16:47:43 GMT -6
I think SR, AT, CP and DD have little business experience. I think CV and CB would have a little more. Probably none have experience running a business and none of the newly electeds have any experience with school district numbers, which are very different than running a regular business. So.......this is not looking good. CB is a University of Chicago MBA and a VP for a financial firm so he definitely has biz experience and CV has worked for a law firm for a number of years ( although not an attorney) - as well as 4 years SB experience - however the majority will be very light on business/financial acumen it appears. Since the last election, we are down a Finance MBA (Glawe) and a BS Fin/Econ businessman (Stephens). While I completely support a diverse board, I think we've swung too far away from the business leaders we need to navigate the fiscal issues heading our way. |
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Post by Arch on Apr 9, 2009 16:56:24 GMT -6
I'm telling ya.. $500,000 a cupcake. Problem solved.
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Post by kidsfirst on Apr 9, 2009 17:12:54 GMT -6
CB is a University of Chicago MBA and a VP for a financial firm so he definitely has biz experience and CV has worked for a law firm for a number of years ( although not an attorney) - as well as 4 years SB experience - however the majority will be very light on business/financial acumen it appears. Since the last election, we are down a Finance MBA (Glawe) and a BS Fin/Econ businessman (Stephens). While I completely support a diverse board, I think we've swung too far away from the business leaders we need to navigate the fiscal issues heading our way. For the record I voted for Jerry because of his financial experience with school districts. I wish he had won but he didn't. I have to admit, though, that I was unclear about any of the men's financial abilities. Since many were running on the platform about how good of businessmen they were, I expected to see some facts, but they gave no details about their businesses and I wish they would have. Maybe more people would have voted for them. For all I know, all of their businesses could be filing for bankrupcy right now. So that left some doubt in my mind as to how qualified they really were. Face it, they just spent $32,000 of someone else's money and have nothing to show for it. I don't mean to be nasty but that is a fact. I don't think we are doomed like some seem to think. We need the citizen's group formed. That is going to be where you find the people that will advise the SB. The slate of 4 admitted they were going to do this anyway so even they were not relying on themselves for this important piece of the puzzle. Many people that own their own businesses have experts come in to help them. |
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Post by treehugger on Apr 9, 2009 17:20:43 GMT -6
You laugh Arch, but have you even a PTA Treasurer. All this PTA bashing makes me nuts!!
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Post by rew on Apr 9, 2009 17:44:48 GMT -6
kids first, I will disagree with you a little. I went to one of the forums and heard a lot about DiFuscos business and the skills he would bring to the table. I would say DiFusco went out of his way to spell out very specific ideas about how he would approach cost cutting, AC in the ESs etc.
JH works for the MacArthur Foundation, he discussed how he manages $350M for them. He too was very specific about how he would approach extending Dr Ds contract etc.
I would agree that you can't fit all that stuff on a yard sign.
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Post by Arch on Apr 9, 2009 17:53:31 GMT -6
You laugh Arch, but have you even a PTA Treasurer. All this PTA bashing makes me nuts!! I'm not bashing the PTA. I'm just pointing out the scale of differences. To answer your direct question: No, I have not been a PTA Treasurer. |
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Post by kidsfirst on Apr 9, 2009 18:21:54 GMT -6
kids first, I will disagree with you a little. I went to one of the forums and heard a lot about DiFuscos business and the skills he would bring to the table. I would say DiFusco went out of his way to spell out very specific ideas about how he would approach cost cutting, AC in the ESs etc. JH works for the MacArthur Foundation, he discussed how he manages $350M for them. He too was very specific about how he would approach extending Dr Ds contract etc. I would agree that you can't fit all that stuff on a yard sign. That's good to know rew. Was this at the public forums or meet-and-greets? I unfortunately could not make any of the meet and greets. If this was mentioned at a public forum, I missed it entirely. I did hear some specific ideas about outsourcing, A/C etc. which were great, but I was more interested in how they ran their businesses since this was their platform. Maybe some examples of cost-cutting there would have impressed me. You brag on your resume and I just didn't see any bragging about his business accomplishments. Obviously not enough time in the forums to talk about yourself which is too bad. I did read what some of them published on their websites and again, I didn't see expanded detail except for Jerry. All I saw on Doug's bio was that he coached kids to a Pee Wee little league victory championship. Nothing about his business or its assets. That would have been an excellent place for the average joe to find out about them and how they work from a financial perspective. It's unfortunate that the meet and greets are really a place to find out about the candidates and they are poorly attended. If a semi-informed voter such as myself missed it, then I can imagine the apathetic ones won't care. For all of the mass mailings, I got nothing from this group. I even signed up on their email list, but was not given any additional info from them that told me more about them. Yes, 20 lashes with a wet noodle for my not inquiring myself. But I just don't think I should have to do that. They should be expounding on why they are so great and I just heard them say they are great but not providing the proof. It's a short time to get to know someone. And perhaps the fact that they are businessmen made me be a little extra hard on them. I just didn't see much of a resume on anyone besides Jerry and if I was a CEO, I wouldn't have hired any of them except Jerry. Maybe that is why the PTA ladies have such good luck. People have gotten to know them and are more comfortable voting in someone they know than someone they don't know. |
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Post by sashimi on Apr 9, 2009 18:31:32 GMT -6
I'm telling ya.. $500,000 a cupcake. Problem solved. I think they may have to charge extra for frosting. They may want to also put a "swear jar" and make MM put a dollar in everytime he drops an F bomb in executive session, 2 dollars if he includes an expletive in an email and 5 dollars everytime assaults a parent with a four (or 12) letter word. This actually could avoid the need for an operating referendum after all. |
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Post by notaxnoreferendum on Apr 9, 2009 18:44:00 GMT -6
Again we shall wait and see. However anyone wants to slice it the fact remains they have an approximate 20 to 25 million short fall to finish the high school. Which means one of two things 1) raid the operations fund or 2) referendum to finish school. Compound this by the fact 6 million approximately of the 124 million they will possibly never see because they cannot sell the land and the price keeps going up. Then take a brief moment to add in the fact that property value dropping impact will be felt proportionately greater in 2010 then even more in 2011 and you have a very real BUSINESS problem. This will have everything to do with the skill sets the board does not have. Rew you are correct Jerry’s background is off the charts far and away greater to any current or future board member. DiFusco did at every town hall I went to go through in detail his companies backgrounds and how to generate revenue without having to go at all to the tax payers. The voters have spoken and now we proceed forward. I will say this in a person’s true skill set, we all will see clear as day, when the fiscal hole begins to deepen and the public pressure ratchets up to immense levels. The public is already without jobs and will not stand for an operations referendum to make up the difference of over spending where they raided the operations fund. NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MORE MONEY. They all preached they knew what they were doing now we shall really see. Flaws in skill sets will be exposed 10 fold under this pressure. Observing how this unfolds shall be of interest to many. Will they have the backbone to stand up to Mark? Will they have the backbone as some stated they did to make the administration pay their own health care and dental care? Will they have the backbone to make the administration pay their own TRS retirement that current is paid out of the education fund ultimately by us the taxpayers? Will they have the backbone to ask the top 5% paid administrators to take pay cuts to be equivalent with that of say District 203? Or better take a pay cut equivalent to being at the 50% percentile just as the union is at? Will they? Or will they not dare to challenge and fight for us the taxpayers who elected them? All we shall soon see.
Of course there is the one gorilla in the room which on April 13th shall be in play. Will the sitting board ratify or reject? Ratification and one item off the table for the new board. Reject and the journey will begin that none of these individuals have encountered. I journey that may become very contentious spilling through summer ultimately effecting the fall start to 2009 school year?
Couple thoughts 1) If they fail and cannot generate money to offset the on rushing deficit they will pitch a referendum to the public, even though some promised no more spending. 2) WVHS will be held hostage as leverage for the money they so desperately require. Remember as we just witnessed nothing in this town works like a good threat. WVHS must close we cannot possibly operate three high schools without the funds. Elementary consolidation will also be thrown into this mix as well. 3) The financial advisory committee just reformed will only consist of the members previously on the committee. They will not allow the many from our communities who want to be on it to participate. Why they can continue to hide the financials that way. Remember the promise of fiscal transparency and the spending on line. Now it is put up or sit down and shut up time. 4) Not one will have the backbone to ask for Mark’s resignation as each should. 5) Sadly I fear nothing will be rectified for the young boy and his parents who deserve so much better from district 204. Will any of them have the where with all to actually make this right.
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Post by doctorwho on Apr 9, 2009 19:01:42 GMT -6
Since the last election, we are down a Finance MBA (Glawe) and a BS Fin/Econ businessman (Stephens). While I completely support a diverse board, I think we've swung too far away from the business leaders we need to navigate the fiscal issues heading our way. For the record I voted for Jerry because of his financial experience with school districts. I wish he had won but he didn't. I have to admit, though, that I was unclear about any of the men's financial abilities. Since many were running on the platform about how good of businessmen they were, I expected to see some facts, but they gave no details about their businesses and I wish they would have. Maybe more people would have voted for them. For all I know, all of their businesses could be filing for bankrupcy right now. So that left some doubt in my mind as to how qualified they really were. Face it, they just spent $32,000 of someone else's money and have nothing to show for it. I don't mean to be nasty but that is a fact. I don't think we are doomed like some seem to think. We need the citizen's group formed. That is going to be where you find the people that will advise the SB. The slate of 4 admitted they were going to do this anyway so even they were not relying on themselves for this important piece of the puzzle. Many people that own their own businesses have experts come in to help them. kidsfirst- all I ask that you do is contact Dave Holm and ask him for the financial forecast chart through 2013 - then after you look at it - and confirm the debt we are facing, come back and port your forecast ...It's quite the eye opener as well as being public info once you FOIA it, since God help us anyone would put it up in a meeting and explain it. |
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Post by doctorwho on Apr 9, 2009 19:06:50 GMT -6
You laugh Arch, but have you even a PTA Treasurer. All this PTA bashing makes me nuts!! I have a lot of respect for the PTA - my Mom was a president for 15+ years back in the day -- but I lose respect for those who skirt the intent of the controls of political manipulation. Wearing vote for xx buttons @ PTA affairs is not the spirit of the law- nor the way the IRS wants to look at that type of organization. Then when emails turn nasty - and defaming of people they do not know - and spread gossip and fear - I could care less about whether they are on official letterhead or not - people are who they are. It certainly is not all PTSA folks involved - and should not be construed as such. In fact if I was a part of those not involved- I'd be even more ticked. |
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