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Post by doctorwho on Apr 7, 2009 23:20:54 GMT -6
very interesting language to lead off the article with www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=284866&src=76If Indian Prairie Unit District voters were planning a revolt against the current board, the uprising was short-lived.With all votes counted, voters overwhelmingly backed incumbents Cathy Piehl and Chris Vickers and newcomers Susan Rasmus and Dawn DeSart. Rasmus led all candidates with 4,260 votes, followed by Piehl, with 4,085; DeSart, with 3,786 and Vickers with 3,751. Thirteen candidates appeared on the ballot for four vacancies. Mark Rising garnered the fifth highest vote total with 3,646. The newly-seated board will quickly have some difficult fiscal decisions to make with the August opening of Metea Valley High School, steeply declining revenues in coming years and the aftermath of an alleged sexual assault of a middle school student, by his classmates. |
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Post by Arch on Apr 7, 2009 23:25:55 GMT -6
I think some will hold the opinion that the board is still revolting.
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Post by southsidemom on Apr 7, 2009 23:47:43 GMT -6
I think some will hold the opinion that the board is still revolting. Definately. Let's see how fiscally responsible the new 2 will be. We have seen Piehl's financial abilities in action already. I will remain open-minded about Rasmus and DeSart until I see reason to be skeptical. Time to tighten up the purse strings!!!! |
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Post by Arch on Apr 7, 2009 23:57:20 GMT -6
According to the top vote getter, sticking with 'the plan' is the fiscally responsible choice.
Let's see how that works out; or if they will be independent like we were told, and actually dive into the numbers themselves and explain how they arrived at that conclusion.
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Post by treehugger on Apr 8, 2009 5:36:30 GMT -6
Revolt? Gee whiz, I thought it was a move toward accountability and transparency. I guess I was wrong.
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Post by Arch on Apr 8, 2009 5:41:13 GMT -6
Revolt? Gee whiz, I thought it was a move toward accountability and transparency. I guess I was wrong. I would love to be wrong, but it already sets the tone for more of the same "You are either with us or against us" mentality... |
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Post by treehugger on Apr 8, 2009 6:00:10 GMT -6
And look to see Mr. Metzger running again in 2011. With these results, that's a given. Two years isn't that far off, but people's memories are very short and damage control will be done, enough to make it happen again. Getting back to this election, what this tells me is that more people wanted more of the same and fewer people wanted change. If more people did want change they should have voted change. That's where the buck stops.
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Post by rew on Apr 8, 2009 6:05:47 GMT -6
The public can still demand his resignation. If peopple showed up for public comment the next four meetings and gave an hour of asking him to step down, wouldn't there come a point where his continued presence is just too distracting?
I don't think the vote was a "more of the same", I do agree that the north was able to convinvce enough voters "their" HS was in jeopardy.
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Post by sashimi on Apr 8, 2009 6:14:28 GMT -6
The election played out exactly like I was afraid it would. Great campaign against the fab 4 and much better turn out in the more established sections of the District that have been loyal to the current board.
You have to give the northern sections of the district a lot of credit in that they participate and vote. Clearly much more apathy in the newer communities in the Southwest corner of the district. We deserve the representation we do not have.
I hear a lot of rhetoric that we won't support a huge operating referendum when it comes up in the next 2 years (or maybe I have just been listening to myself), but based on what we saw last night....the District will support a referendum if the board says we need it to operate MVHS..
Biggest winners last night:
Sue Rasmus...sincere congratulations. Also, just took the title of cutest board member away from Janet Clark.
Dr. D....Contract extension guaranteed.
Mark Metzger...other than the fact that he may have a 6 to 1 vote here and there with CV grapping the 4th golden ticket, smooth riding ahead.
Biggest Losers
Fab 4. A sincere thank you for the hard work and desire to bring change and financial transparency.
-The newer southern subdivisions
We may have been disliked and alienated by the current board and administration, but now, we are simply irrelevant.
I can not say the last 14 months has been fun, but for the first time in my life I could name a board member. Looking forward to trying to forget their names and rejoining the ranks of the apathetic who will be the first to complain for a day or two when their property tax bill continues to skyrocket.
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Post by doctorwho on Apr 8, 2009 6:41:02 GMT -6
According to the top vote getter, sticking with 'the plan' is the fiscally responsible choice. Let's see how that works out; or if they will be independent like we were told, and actually dive into the numbers themselves and explain how they arrived at that conclusion. Sure -- the financial acumen of the new board members is what ? The 2nd largest school district in the state is a large business with severe financial issues facing it...period. It would be like putting me in charge of the nuclear physics program at Fermi lab and saying I'll figure it out. |
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Post by slp on Apr 8, 2009 6:44:12 GMT -6
The high northern voter turnout was due to fear tactics...all of those emails flying around stating that boundaries might change or that MVHS might not go through if the "wrong" people were elected... blah blah blah...
How sad it that! and yet not surprising at all. I too was once put into a frenzie to pass a referendum and get certain SB members elected due to fear tactics. Its a viscious cycle that needs to stop.
Help us all if the north is also convinced come referendum time that MVHS cannot survive without an operating referendum....that will certainly be the game plan...play on people's fears.
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Post by slp on Apr 8, 2009 6:46:52 GMT -6
According to the top vote getter, sticking with 'the plan' is the fiscally responsible choice. Let's see how that works out; or if they will be independent like we were told, and actually dive into the numbers themselves and explain how they arrived at that conclusion. Sure -- the financial acumen of the new board members is what ? The 2nd largest school district in the state is a large business with severe financial issues facing it...period. It would be like putting me in charge of the nuclear physics program at Fermi lab and saying I'll figure it out. That is why I would have like to see Jerry Huang secure a seat. An ideal board is a board with diverse talents and view points. I hope that the new members get assistance (outside of the board) with issues they do not understand and do not rely on the opinion/interpretations of MM. |
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Post by Arch on Apr 8, 2009 6:50:14 GMT -6
Sure -- the financial acumen of the new board members is what ? The 2nd largest school district in the state is a large business with severe financial issues facing it...period. It would be like putting me in charge of the nuclear physics program at Fermi lab and saying I'll figure it out. That is why I would have like to see Jerry Huang secure a seat. An ideal board is a board with diverse talents and view points. I hope that the new members get assistance (outside of the board) with issues they do not understand and do not rely on the opinion/interpretations of MM. Hitting the ground running with the financial knowledge, versus paying to fill in the knowledge gap. The voters made their choices. Perhaps this is why people were also afraid to let go of 'an experienced board member'. Will they re-elect MM as SB President, or will they elect his tap-out AT? I would like to see CB get it, but I think it may tip to AT or M2 (again). |
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Post by doctorwho on Apr 8, 2009 7:10:19 GMT -6
The high northern voter turnout was due to fear tactics...all of those emails flying around stating that boundaries might change or that MVHS might not go through if the "wrong" people were elected... blah blah blah... How sad it that! and yet not surprising at all. I too was once put into a frenzie to pass a referendum and get certain SB members elected due to fear tactics. Its a viscious cycle that needs to stop. Help us all if the north is also convinced come referendum time that MVHS cannot survive without an operating referendum....that will certainly be the game plan...play on people's fears. Have already seen emails there (you'd recognize names) to that effect - if the referendum fails the school would remain incomplete if it had to - expect one for about $20M - maybe more now that they have been 'entitled' |
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Post by rew on Apr 8, 2009 7:12:58 GMT -6
I think you've all given up prematurely on ousting MM. I still think ongoing criticism and a deluge of emails/LTEs/public comment could keep pressure on him. The North no longer needs MM. Maybe they would join in the fight.
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