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Latest plans for ill-fated L Street land deal
I had wishful thinking that the arraignments were today, not Friday.... I tried to contact the south county representative at the County Board of Education on the ability of SUHSD operating without a Board and recieved no return calls, I suspect it is more bury your head in the sand governance we are getting so used to around here. \ If all of this wern't so painful it'd be funny BBQ— April 10, 2013 10:09 a.m.
Latest plans for ill-fated L Street land deal
Eastlaker, The Mello-Roos accounting is one of the main questions posed to Dr. Alt at the district. It is my understanding from Dr.Alt that next week's Townhall meetings will be the current budget much like what we've seen before from previous CFOs, but the following Townhall in three weeks or so will include an audit of the current Mello-Roos account, how monies are borrowed from said funds, etc. I was also told there would be a review of current Properties owned or linked to the district that are unused or under utilized along with the current mortgages and values(?). As I said earlier, Al Alt has been fair in my conversations with him so we'll just have to wait and see what the Board and Dr, Brand approve for him to tell us at the Townhalls. Sent with hopeful optimisim. BBQ— April 10, 2013 9 a.m.
Latest plans for ill-fated L Street land deal
I unfortunately had other committments on Tuesday night and could not attend the Board Meeting, What a shame, I think I would have been easily spun up with the/another lecture about Civility and Respect, however it would have been interesting hearing Arlie Ricasa, say anything coherent. I realize she "has" to respect Dr, Brand as yes, she did hire him, a second time, what does that say about her and the rest of the Board. It does not mean anyone else has to respect him. I see a big (in Stature) man standing (usually sitting) behind what was once, I suspect, a lot of caring individuals, much like the "All and Powerful Oz". I have yet seen him stand up and speak of any issues with regards to the district, it's situation, or it's future. I am a huge advocate for getting a reasonable conversation going between the adminstration/board and the stakeholders of the district, We the citizens of the southern portion of the county. I am waiting to hear the financials at the townhalls next week and see if we will get "UnBranded" and "UnBoarded" information, I do have a OK feeling about Dr. Alt at this point but the future will tell. I am rambling a bit, but my biggest fear is the power vacuum with the indictments, (today) and the possibility of the regional political incest bringing Mayor Cox or some other "Political Celebrity" into a power position at SUHSD. I believe it's about time to clean house so to speak. BBQ— April 10, 2013 6:05 a.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
Oskidoll, Thank you for summing it up so well, I look at this as an opportunity to ask the questions we would like answered. My intentions are to make a single list of the questions and submit them to SUHSD through Dr Alt and also to The Reader either through the Editor, Susan Luzzaro or these comments. I also intend to attend the Town hall meetings either personally or via proxy with the list of questions to ensure they all are addressed properly. What more can we do, but try to open up the proper dialog with the District. This forum is great for venting and getting people involved but really not for solutions, I'd like to start working towards constructive dialog if nothing more to be heard by a wider audience, no offense to The Reader or anyone in the current dialog, but as many of you have said you have been at this for many years and while Gandara is gone there's still little change. Please support this attempt to open some dialog and hopefully two way communication with the district beyond the "USA Today" "Television News" sound bites that we have been getting from the District for many years. Please post your questions in the next 24 hrs or so, I'd like to send them to Dr. Alt, on Monday April 1, 2013. If you wonder if I'm a shill for the district look up my comments, Thanks BBQ— March 30, 2013 4:45 p.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
Thanks for adding to the questions for Dr. Alt, I will be monitoring the comments through the weekend and compiling the list. BBQ— March 29, 2013 5:36 a.m.
Sweetwater Union High School District & Realty Co.
All, I am posting on all of the recient SUHSD Comments, I have been in contact with Dr. Brand and Dr. Alt. They are planning some Financial Townhall meetings for April, I have volunteered to help compile a series of questions you would like answered by Dr. Alt. I will forward and review these with him and probe for meaningful answers as best I can working as a community liason. Read some of my other comments and you will understand my frustration with the district, but without dialog we are stuck where we are. Please send answerable questions ie minimal political inuendo, just to make it easier to get a reasonable answer. The sooner the better, I would like to have a formal list to Dr. Alt on Monday April 1, what better day than that, so please post by midday Sunday March 31, 2013. BBQ— March 28, 2013 8:40 a.m.
Sweetwater school district cuts program and teachers
All, I am posting on all of the recient SUHSD Comments, I have been in contact with Dr. Brand and Dr. Alt. They are planning some Financial Townhall meetings for April, I have volunteered to help compile a series of questions you would like answered by Dr. Alt. I will forward and review these with him and probe for meaningful answers as best I can working as a community liason. Read some of my other comments and you will understand my frustration with the district, but without dialog we are stuck where we are. Please send answerable questions ie minimal political inuendo, just to make it easier to get a reasonable answer. The sooner the better, I would like to have a formal list to Dr. Alt on Monday April 1, what better day than that, so please post by midday Sunday March 31, 2013. BBQ— March 28, 2013 8:38 a.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
All, I am posting on all of the recient SUHSD Comments, I have been in contact with Dr. Brand and Dr. Alt. They are planning some Financial Townhall meetings for April, I have volunteered to help compile a series of questions you would like answered by Dr. Alt. I will forward and review these with him and probe for meaningful answers as best I can working as a community liason. Read some of my other comments and you will understand my frustration with the district, but without dialog we are stuck where we are. Please send answerable questions ie minimal political inuendo, just to make it easier to get a reasonable answer. The sooner the better, I would like to have a formal list to Dr. Alt on Monday April 1, what better day than that, so please post by midday Sunday March 31, 2013. BBQ— March 28, 2013 8:36 a.m.
Before the DA's investigation of Sweetwater school district...
All, I am posting on all of the recient SUHSD Comments, I have been in contact with Dr. Brand and Dr. Alt. They are planning some Financial Townhall meetings for April, I have volunteered to help compile a series of questions you would like answered by Dr. Alt. I will forward and review these with him and probe for meaningful answers as best I can working as a community liason. Read some of my other comments and you will understand my frustration with the district, but without dialog we are stuck where we are. Please send answerable questions ie minimal political inuendo, just to make it easier to get a reasonable answer. The sooner the better, I would like to have a formal list to Dr. Alt on Monday April 1, what better day than that, so please post by midday Sunday March 31, 2013. BBQ— March 28, 2013 8:34 a.m.
Sweetwater school district board seeks to silence opposition
Hey, all, I actually heard back from Dr "Civil" Brand, He sent me an E-mail and he definately knows who I am. I would say his response to me was "civil" but a bit curt. He said that he was "okay" with me working with Dr. Alt on the questions for the financial Townhalls the district was planning. He commented how He/they the adminstration has improved communication through "Education Summit" (?), "Principal Coffees", and "Budget Workshops", I've attended a couple of Budget workshops and Principal coffees, but they were less workshops more "woe as me", although I will push back on citizens for lack of attendence, maybe we can get through this. He also went into his normal you never acknowledge the excellent things SUHSD does like "Compact for Success", award winning fine arts and athletic programs and even a State champion in Decathlon (I assume he means Academic Decathlon). My reply to these wonderful things as I see all of them being school site based programs, with little support from the adminisitration, I backed this up as my Boys were members of League champion sports teams and the 2010 Academic Decathlon Team from Olympian HS, and until we won district in AD, it was the students, school and the Parents that did all of work. I also stated that these programs are realitivly inexpensive for the results but are always fodder for the budget discussion. (Heck, that's what got me started in this mess in the first place the threat of cutting the budget for sports transportation in 2009 by Grandara & Russo) My boys, wife and I have been very active at our school site, setting up booster clubs, applying for 501c3 status, etc. Dr. Brand what you claim as your success, is due to great site staff, students and parents like me. In the end he suggests we don't blame each other, I don't have anything to be blamed for, and I only blame him and the board for not doing their jobs keeping the district under control and communication open and civil. I'll keep working for the future.... BBQ— March 23, 2013 9:24 a.m.