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Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
Chulateacher, When one starts with all due respect or ends with just kidding.... your thought is as full of BS and venom as it would have been straight up, so just be straight up next time.. So, your a fan of Ed and Mr. Grossman, good for you, open dialog is a wonderful thing and I encourage it rather than belittle it ... Frankly, I do not have any real opinion of Mr. Grossman, having never met the man, just the Ed Connection, perhaps sometime soon.... Frankly I do not see any of the Board or Dr. Brand a "Threat" I am just commenting on how I see the situation. Hopefully, the 7-11 committee can come up with some resolution to the ill concieved "Land Speculation" that the district has engaged in. Our District needs to be conservative and prudent with regards to "deals", prior to purchasing more non-educational facilities, a complete review and resolution of the current situation must occur. As for my background to question the direction of the district; My experiences with the Sweetwatar Union High School District are as a consumer of the services, community representative and a taxpayer, as such I am allowed to criticize what I percieve is Bad Service and poorly managed establishment. The good Dr. Brand is running rough shod through the district only listening to himself speak, showing distain for the public, who happen to pay his expensive salary. What is the return on investment for our community and for the product, our students? The sitting Board do not have the ethics to admit they were caught up in the "Pay for Play" scandel, and now are just admitting to "Know" they were covering up for the issue and copping pleas. This Board currently seems to be full of over reaching, under questioning, rubber stampers, who have never asked anyone but the faithful Ed followers what they think about the direction of the district. Where are the thoughtful keepers of the public trust? Perhaps we have a bit too much "Education Cred" running the district and not enough "Outside" influence? As said before "A wise man knows what he does not know" as such he asks questions and does not always take the word of the "Expert". We often talk of ethnic diversity being a good thing when it comes to society, what about diversity in ideas, backgrounds, experience and education give better solutions to issues, and improves a business, let's be diverse. Just my opnion, any time you or the board would like to discuss the issues in an open forum, you can find me here with the CAVE people. Best BBQ— December 13, 2013 6:40 a.m.
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
Chulateacher, First I do not believe that my "Ed Code" response was an attack on you, just a comment on the absurdity of the whole situation. If you cannot laugh at the irony of your statement, I don't know... As for Bertha, I cannot answer for her and your point is well taken.. however the situation still does not change that at least in my CAVE man opinion, the fox or foxes are still watching the Henhouse.... By the way when you are are calling out someone for throwing stones be sure you are not backing some one who threw first... ie Ed and the boys. It is very easy to catagorize your critics as crarkpots, nay-sayers and CAVE People. I personally, have made many attempts to open up meaningful dialogs with the district and Dr. Brand only to be catagorized as a CAVE person. BBQ— December 13, 2013 5:44 a.m.
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
Chulateacher, I am assuming that when you say "Ed Code" you mean Education Code, not some new system of The Dr. Brand stacking the deck to remain in power and continued mis-direction of our education and Mello-Roos Funds! BBQ— December 12, 2013 2:42 p.m.
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
oldchulares, Ed's choice is obvious, he likes to think himself the sportsman and Mr. Grossman is the ex-athlete. The appointment is to have another Brand Toadie on the review committee. It's also to get Mr. Grossman some name recognition and some Education Cred, proir to next year's election where Mr. Grossman is expected to run for one of the vacated spots. All of these steps appear to be Ed's modus operandi for remaining in control. Let's not be fooled again!!!!! BBQ— December 12, 2013 2:37 p.m.
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
My understanding from Dr. Neylon was two years of subpar Financials the County Office of Education would send in an overseer for the financial aspects of the district. At this time due to the financial stress in San Ysidro, they have a County employee working there now. I have not looked for the official policy, just what I was told. At this point I do not believe Sweetwater has filed a subpar financial evaluation. BBQ— December 12, 2013 10:43 a.m.
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
So as we all now know that the district is in deficit spending to a tune of quote: ***Michel gave the board the bad news for the first interim 2013–2014 budgets: “The district is deficit spending and the deficit is 10.8 million dollars,” said Michel.*** After a good meeting with Dr Alt last Feburary where only 4 citizens showed up it was appearent that since Gandara and Brand's return we've been dipping into reserves to the tune of over $10 Million a year, and thus now no reserves. Why in heavens name are we in negotiations for a $10 to 14 million Adminstration building? I tried to hear Mr. Calhoun's presentation on the Board website and found the quality of the tape unacceptable, where are the minutes and transcripts? Is the powerpoint presentation available? Frankly let's get out of the real estate speculation business before buying noneduc ational facilities!! It is completely messed up that our superintendent and Board are so out of control. I did have a conversation with the San Diego County Office of Education, District 2 Representative, Dr. Lyn Neylon. Unfortunately the Sweetwater District still has at least two years of subpar financial reports before the County Office of Education can step in. (Also look at my comment in the previous string about appointing replacement board members) People it's time to have the power that have control know that,"We're mad as Hell and not going to take it anymore" Let's have a good planning session and fight the good fight in the new year. Best, BBQ— December 11, 2013 6:26 p.m.
Former South Bay schools officials have day in court
To be fair I recieved a return call from Dr. Lyn Neylon this afternoon and had a nice talk with her. The upshot is that the County Office of Education is aware of the goings on at the Sweetwater district, unfortunately there is not much they can do until a couple of things happen, First the convictions come through and there is no longer enough board members to have a quorum, at that point the county board appoints interium Board Members. Please note this only happens if there is no longer a Quorum on the Sweetwater Board. Again if the Indictees juggle the system in a certain way and all do not recieve sentencing at the same time and say 2 are still on the board when the first two are sentanced, they still hold the selection of replacements. We need to inform Judge Espana of this possibility so the penalties fit the crimes. I certainly do not want McCann and two soon to be convicted Board members to select their own replacements. The only othertime the County Board steps in is when a District has two failing audits in a row, at that point they put in an overseer of the district financials, Like currently in San Ysidro. Sweetwater has not had a bad financial review yet, but I think it's comming. Best info, BBQ— December 11, 2013 6 p.m.
Bowls full of money and mushy teams
Don, Your obviating the obvious, the redundent redundencies of this whole diatribe are hardly worth committing to print especially by a commentator of your stature (sp). The enormousity of this issue is most appearent right here in San Diego, two meaningless bowls, that preport to be financial boons for the city and charities!!! I wonder after all of the fixed costs, unreported costs and salaries of the Not-for-profit Board members and employees if there is much left. Hey, "Paid Not-for-profit Staff and Board" is that an oxymoron? Best BBQ— December 11, 2013 2:46 p.m.
Former South Bay schools officials have day in court
Not knowing what exactly the function of the SD County Office of Education and it's responsibility, where does it stand on issues in District 2, the district Sweetwater Union High school District is in? I have attempted to contact the District 2 Board Representative, Lyn Neylon, multiple times, never to recieve **any** response. Again not knowing the function of the esteemed group of elected officials, what do we need them for? Who is watching the Henhouse? BBQ— December 11, 2013 2:05 p.m.
Former South Bay schools officials have day in court
As expected by me at least another group of the South Bay indictees have taken pleas! From today's UT Article; *The most serious charges were admitted by former Southwestern Vice President Nicholas Alioto, former board member Jorge Dominguez and former college administrator John Wilson. They each pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being an accessory to a crime... ....The trio admitted they knew Amigable was trying to bribe them but concealed it and tried to help him avoid detection by not reporting the items on their economic disclosure forms.* This just goes to show us that they have lied and held on to the belief that this would just go away when they made their original pleas of "Not Guilty" Last year. The arrogance of these people to "Know" what was going on and continue to conceal it from the public for nearly a year, all while other indictees continued to work in positions that allowed them to make policy and financial positions, this is inexcusable!!! I consider this additional "aiding and abetting" of hopefully to be convicted felons, hiding the truth behind "Court Procedure" Annother issue, also from the UT article is: *...The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, but the plea agreements entered Friday say that Superior Court Judge Ana Espana will consider alternatives to jail time and will consider reducing the felony charges to misdemeanors*. We need to ensure that SC Judge Espana does not reduce these sentences to misdemeanors, this is to ensure that the punishment keeps these liars and thieves out of public office and hopefully paid public service. As for jail or fines it is less relevant to me that they would accomplish anything useful. These pleas while OK by the criminal justice system have a way of diminishing the charges and the actions of the court so far at least have done nothing to show it is not OK to exploit the people and public trust of the postions held by all elected officials in the San Diego Region. Judge Espana, at a minimum these people must be shown the door and kept away from the elected office, the Felony convictions or even misdemeanors with the stipulation of ineligability to hold public office must be ruled and enforced. As stated above, **These people are criminals** if not of violent crimes at least criminals to the public trust of our government bodies, especially of our much needed education system in the San Diego South Bay. BBQ— December 11, 2013 6:31 a.m.