Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Germantown School Board President Whines About Results

Heh.

Germantown - The failure of two referendums to build and operate a new elementary school will bring larger class sizes and cuts in programs, effects that likely will cause a drop in enrollment and a subsequent loss in state funding, School Board Vice President Mike Schultz said today.

“The only option this community has given us is to try to figure out more ways to cut services,” he said.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s election show that a $22.5 million referendum to build the school and a $500,000-per-year measure to operate it were defeated by larger margins than a $16.5 million referendum for the new school in April.

Schultz said the School District did a much better job going into Tuesday’s election, compared with the April election, in communicating the problems of overcrowded schools, and was aided by the formation of a citizen committee that pushed the referendums.

“Obviously, the community doesn’t believe our argument or doesn’t support the need,” he said. “For those of us who work with it every day, the need is so compelling; it’s hard to know where they’re coming from.”

Um… Mike?  It’s easy to know where they are coming from.  They are your boss and they said “make do with what you have.”  Grow up and show some actual leadership.  Those of us in the private sector are being told to make do with the same or less than last year.  Instead of punishing the taxpayers by cutting services, why don’t you take a peak at the biggest line item in the budget - employee compensation.

(7) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1846 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. There clearly are other options, including expanding one of the existing schools at a much lower cost or leasing space.  But the Board keeps stubbornly insisting that voters must build a new showcase school or be subject to punishment.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 2144 hrs


  2. I’m still betting they will try a third referendum and I predict it will be defeated again by an even larger margin (please note this is the same prediction I made when they announced that they were trying it again…)

    No whining is correct. They have other options - they just don’t want to use them. This board is the most thick headed I’ve seen in awhile. I’m waiting for spring when we can vote some of these weenies out.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 2357 hrs


  3. Of course they whine and cry, wring their hands, say it’s for “the children” but it’s all BS.  About 2 yrs. ago we had an almost $80 million referendum here in Green Bay.  We were told we needed a new high school, additional classrooms, extensive remodeling, etc. etc. and they put it on the ballot in February.  It went down to defeat by a 2-1 margin.  Dan Nerad, the Superintend was on tv that night almost in tears because it failed to pass.  He warned about all kinds of classes that would be cut, over crowding, and all the other fear stuff they throw out there.  There was a study committee formed after this failed to pass and guess what - they recently released their report and they are not calling for a new high school.  Seems they’ve found more creative ways to address this issue than throwing money after it.  And Dan Nerad has moved on to become Superintendent in Madison.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1045 hrs


  4. “the community doesn’t believe our argument or doesn’t support the need”

    Mike - go with your first instinct. As noted by kneenor above - your penchant is for building buildings - not looking for economical ways to solve challenges.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1617 hrs


  5. This board is the most thick headed I’ve seen in awhile. I’m waiting for spring when we can vote some of these weenies out.

    Bill, The bigger issue is: Who will you vote in to replace those you want out? You have less than 1.5 months to figure that out and get a candidate to run. How about you?

    “Vision without action is just a dream. Action without a vision is a nightmare.” Zen Proverb

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1818 hrs


  6. If I was going to run for office - it wouldn’t be for school board. My brain would probably explode from all the idiocy around me.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 07, 2008 at 1729 hrs


  7. Yea, you are better off just griping instead. My life, too, would be much better without the idiocy around me. Looks to me you are getting the government you deserve.

    Stay nice and cozy behind your keyboard and let the “idiots” run your school dstrict because you are sooooo above it and they are doing the actual work.

    Hmmm, come to think of it maybe the “idiots” have you right where they want you.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 08, 2008 at 1304 hrs


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