Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Nancy]

Ross, why are you so negative? The school board members are not all from Howard. The Moline and Severy grade schools were both closed. Yes it is sad to see any school closed but it does not mean it is all about Howard.

[Ross]

Ross, why are you so negative? The school board members are not all from Howard. The Moline and Severy grade schools were both closed. Yes it is sad to see any school closed but it does not mean it is all about Howard.

I don't recollect ever saying that the School Board Members are from Howard. Because I know they are not.

Why am I so negative, fair question?

Because someone has set up a no win situation that has already cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of wasted dollars on architects and $500,000.00 dollars on portable class rooms and now wants to waste $4,000,000.00 on replacing the portable class rooms with brick and mortar, with the main purpose of building a grade school gymnasium.

All that waste and they are including money from the state that has not yet materialized!

They are doing all this while there sets a perfectly good School Building in Moline with a Gymnasium and brick and mortar class rooms. That building should never have been closed. The school board for some reason unknown to us chose to close it even the vote on the last ballot showed that 75% of the voters said no. That is a very loud and positive "NO".

If you have read my post I do believe I have explained clearly how it is all  about Howard.
Just take a trip back to http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,16097.new.html#new to find the remarks.

Thank you for asking about my negativity. You see a negative can be a very positive thing. It is all a perception. I find your attitude very negative and I don't mean that in an ugly sense. I simply mean that you won't open your eyes to the fact that an unnecessary debt for the taxpayers is a very bad thing.

You also appear to have negative out look that s new bigger building will do something for education! Buildings do not educate, sorry about that!

None of this negative or positive talk accomplishes anything. Talk about what is needed and what is affordable with the least debt  would be much more constructive, don't you think.

I will be moving a copy of this back to the other thread.

Thanks for your time communicating you opinion and challenging my negativity.

[Patriot]

...
Because someone has set up a no win situation that has already cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of wasted dollars on architects and $500,000.00 dollars on portable class rooms and now wants to waste $4,000,000.00 on replacing the portable class rooms with brick and mortar, with the main purpose of building a grade school gymnasium....

Lawrdy!  Just think what kind of educational outcomes that kind of money might have produced if used for books, supplies and teacher incentives!  Buildings (especially gymnasiums) don't educate youth... teachers, motivated students and great curricula do.

And nobody yet has shown what USD 282 really does with the outlandish per student money the receive & spend every year.... among the highest in the state!  A higher than average non-teaching staff level?  Nice wages for administrative staff?  Sprinklers for the ball fields. One wonders if we are educating our kids for life in the real world or running a training camp for potential future athletes.

And, for the record... if a situation or condition is 'negative', ignoring or suppressing it does not make the real problem go away.  Airing it out openly, factually and honestly often does.

[Ross]

You have already said cost is no problem and that we are talking about need!
You said, we are not talking "afford",
so why does it matter, what it cost you per $100 value?
However, I believe there was an attempt at selling this farce by $ value in the newspaper.
But it said, if this or that and no $ amounts truly set in stone.
I no longer have that newspaper, so I can't answer your question.
But, I just wanted to ask if you have changed your mind of "affordability"?

We are not talking about "afford".  We are talking about what is "needed".  What do you do when you "need" something?  Do you wait until you can "afford" it or do you go ahead and "do it".  If I had waited until I could "afford" it, I wouldn't have  replaced my blown out air conditioner a couple of years ago and I still wouldn't have it replaced.

But, I must ask, are you now trying to change the subject away from "need"
and change it to "want" based on affordability and the cost per $100 dollar value? Just asking !

It is not the cost per $100 that counts; you might possibly make that cost look even better by asking the cost per $10 value?

It is the waste of taxpayers money for something that is not needed.
As well as $4,000,000.00 debt and interest payments that is not needed.

The School Board had an architect tell them during a board meeting, that they had luxurious class rooms and they could easily turn two class rooms into three. Do they listen to the experts? "NO"!

Did they listen to the voters at the last Bond Issue? "NO"!

The excuse they gave for shutting the Moline Grade School was lame at best and a waste of taxpayers' money. And it was all based on a centrally located campus!

How familiar are we with the term Centrally Located in Elk County?
Here is a reminder and the reason new threads are started frequently or threads switch back and forth about taxing of Elk County Citizens. They sure wish this thread I am quoting would go away, in my opinion.
Why? Because it is a great or not so great source of information.

Centralized community facility w/ transportation=Ig and sm meeting rms, commercial kitchen,


Centrally located county fairgrounds with 1 fair - I (Big Idea's)
Courthouse Improvements - 2 (Idea's)

Centralized community facility w/ transportation-Ig and sm meeting rms, commercial kitchen, fitness center, indoor pool

Centrally located county fairgrounds with 1 fair - 1 (Big Idea's)

Unified Gov't (w/in the county) to save money and become more unified (do away with city gov't, councils­
(cont.) all centrally located-one managing body) (Big Ideas's)

And what town that likes to refer to West Elk USD-282 likes to refer to the school as Howard West Elk?
And what town is most centrally located in Elk County?
What voters approved the last Bond Issue by 75 or 80% ? Howard, right ?
What parts of Elk County voted by 75 or 80% to disapprove the Bond Issue?
All the rest of the West Elk USD-282 School District except for Howard?

Can you please explain to me how this is not all about Howard?

Common Sense Suggest
to simply just
say "NO" to
$4,000,000.00
DEBT!

[Ross]

Just to show you the incomprehensible cornfusion and lack of comprehension and rudeness out of Delaware and why it is a figment of my imagination, please read the following concerning the discussion of Common Core.

Lets see..no Gov't schooling= lower classes who stay ignorant, can't find work in today's high tech world, so we the taxpayers, have to pay for them with food stamps,.welfare and all the free stuff.Which is better? Either way the public pays. HA!

Speaking of staying ignorant, your government schooling is a very good example. 

It was the Republicans who created the scheme for universal free education after the Civil War.  The tyrants, along with mob rule voting, have been in charge of education in the USA since then.  They're teaching what they want their citizens and immigrants to learn.  After the Civil War, the Southern States were required to create a State Board of Education for the particular Southern State to be re-admitted to the Union.  That was the beginning of State Boards and the concept spread into the northern states soon thereafter.  Ross has mentioned that the Kansas BOE was founded in 1873 so now you should know that the republicans/socialists got their way in education over the entire USA shortly after the Civil War which the north defeated the America as established by our founding fathers.

The Republicans have been stealing the liberty of Americans since 1861 and as the Democrats have more fully accepted re-construction, neither party defends liberty anymore.  Both parties are pro-government and worship the Fed's power just like you Diane.

AH yes....room temperature IQ speaks again.  Do you collect points for everyone you try to insult? Good grief, you have slammed everyone.Repubs, Demos, Moderates, Independents,educators...Who died and left the office of professional griper to you? HA! .... And you don't even live and vote in ELK COUNTY? WHOOOOO!  Why in the world would anyone who is concerned about Elk County politics listen to you? That bond issue won't affect you one way or another! At least I support Elk County projects when I can.
  I'm very pro education but not at all costs. I'm also a very frugal person who wants good value for every penny I spend.Fluff and icing in education means nothing to me. Things that will help kids get ready for the adult world they will live in? Yes! That includes art and music, drama and sports too. If just a job is what is wanted, go to an industrial training school.

Who's IQ is room temperature?
I hope you are looking in a mirror!

It does not take a lot of comprehension to read the title/subject of this thread.

And I quote, "Re: Common Core Education And More About Federal Government Control"

That has nothing to do with the present ballot in Elk County!

Common Core is a national affliction?

I do believe Diane that you owe redcliffsw an extreme apology.

How shameful!

But, I doubt he would stoop so low as to accept it.

[Diane Amberg]

I'll apologize to Red when climate change drowns Delaware! He accuses me of "worshiping'' government? There is only one person I worship and it ain't Gov't!
Red is disgusting and I get tired of his smarmy comments to me. Ross, by the way, you keep talking about the % of voters that turned down the last referendum...out of how many registered voters? A big % of a very small number of "potential" voters doesn't mean much, except that many people don't care what the results are. I will repeat, what in your background allows you to decide what a Taj Mahal school is? Or how rooms are used? Room needs are much different now from when West Elk was built. There need to be classes for computer training, computers in rooms, even in elementary school and they take up space. Kids often change classes for reading and math.Since the exchange usually is equal, they have to have some place to sit when they do.(I don't know if your kids change or not.) When kids are doing group learning or projects, they need space to work.They don't all sit glued to their desks all day like you probably remember. Some schools do immersion classes in another language, even in elementary.Ya have to have space to do it! Personal and small group tutoring has to go somewhere also.
If you spend and have spent so much time in your son's school, surely you know that. Plus, you are stuck with the state's building regulations. Somewhere there must be some middle ground. I hope cooler heads will find it.

[Ross]

Diane, I see you want to jump from thread to thread, that's nice!
Because no one will miss a post, I will carry this back to the  Topic: West Elk district holding mail election for $4 million bond. Okay, okay.

Ross, by the way, you keep talking about the % of voters that turned down the last referendum...out of how many registered voters? A big % of a very small number of "potential" voters doesn't mean much, except that many people don't care what the results are.

AH yes....room temperature IQ speaks again.

It makes no difference how many voters, vote? What maters are what percentage votes for or against the Bond Issue! Sorry to have to inform you of what really matters.

But alas, I feel you are sending an altogether different message!
The School Board and the Superintendent and the Site Committee have all said they would get out to the public? Aren't you indicating they will try to get people registered to vote, that haven't registered? Register more people that may vote "NO"! That is if they can find any that are not registered!

Perhaps now you can comprehend why, I am trying to encourage people to discuss this situation and not necessarily take my word for anything.

Well lets just review what you said to redcliffsw shall we? "you don't even live and vote in ELK COUNTY" and "That bond issue won't affect you one way or another". Diane please stand in front of your mirror and repeat these statements, please! Thank you!
See here is the actual post:
[ quote author=Diane Amberg link=topic=15765.msg219752#msg219752 date=1401122520 ]

And you don't even live and vote in ELK COUNTY? WHOOOOO!  Why in the world would anyone who is concerned about Elk County politics listen to you? That bond issue won't affect you one way or another! At least I support Elk County projects when I can.

Now realize this, this is not an Elk County project!
And consider this is a voter responsibility!
West Elk USD-282 registered voters!
When did you register, Diane?

I will repeat, what in your background allows you to decide what a Taj Mahal school is?

Apparently, you do not comprehend the meaning of "figure of speech" as it relates to the use of the words "Taj Mahal"! Basic English, basic "Figure of Speech."
Like your remark to redcliff:

AH yes....room temperature IQ speaks again.

Or how rooms are used? Room needs are much different now from when West Elk was built. There need to be classes for computer training, computers in rooms, even in elementary school and they take up space. Kids often change classes for reading and math.Since the exchange usually is equal, they have to have some place to sit when they do.(I don't know if your kids change or not.) When kids are doing group learning or projects, they need space to work.They don't all sit glued to their desks all day like you probably remember. Some schools do immersion classes in another language, even in elementary.Ya have to have space to do it! Personal and small group tutoring has to go somewhere also.
If you spend and have spent so much time in your son's school, surely you know that. Plus, you are stuck with the state's building regulations. Some where there must be some middle ground. I hope cooler heads will find it.
[/quote]

The Board Hired a retired Professor out of Missouri to help them organize themselves and to do a community studies, the follow through --- nothing! What would have a much wiser use of that money would have been a much more productive use of taxpayer money would have been an Efficiency Expert, in my opinion. After all wouldn't you want an efficiently ran school for your child and your property tax.

Of course Diane classrooms and children take up room, that's a no brainer. But when you have a building designed to handle 600 students and only have 300 enrolled you don't need more room. The School Superintendent has said 600 several times at open School Board Meetings, contrary to the rumor going around that it was designed for 340 students. (LOL)

Anyway Diane here is a list just for you!

•   I live here!
•   I vote here!
•   I have attended West Elk School District Board Meetings and have observed the attitudes around the table. Not to good! There are no real conversations, President unless you consider the whining of the Board President saying his children won't have a new gymnasium to play in.
•   This School Board has no idea, in my opinion, what their actual job is!
•   This School Board told the state that they saved $150,000.00 shutting down two grade schools! (which points out that the board cannot be trusted to answer to the voters and cannot be trusted to do what the voters want!)
•   This School Board then spent $500,000.00 to replace the classrooms that were disposed of , with eight classrooms in four portable buildings.
•   The West Elk School has been operating just fine for the last 5 years and there has been no population explosion in the District.
•   The School Board has consistently ignored suggestions from experts in construction, and maintenance and surveys they commissioned and paid for with taxpayer dollars.
•   If they get the money for the Bond Issue passed, they have said, they plan to dispose of the eyesores, the eight classroom in 4 portable buildings thus reducing the classroom capacity back to the amount that they presently have. That's $500,000.00 wasted!
•   What they really need is an efficiency expert to perform an unbiased study and I am certain the School would be just fine.
•   The only addition will be a second gymnasium which is not necessary for educating the children, but for fulfilling someone's ego, nothing more!
•   One of the architects that studied the building and drew up floor plans (an expert) said at a School Board meeting, the school had luxurious classrooms and that 2 class rooms could be made into 3 classrooms!
•   The School Board has even discussed moveable walls for dividing classrooms!
•   This School Board shut down, two grade schools after the voters and taxpayer said "NO"! And they planned the election now, knowing it will fail, with the idea to return in November.
•   A new gymnasium is not a need for classroom education!

Thank You Diane, in the Words of your Konnection, for engaging me. (LOL)

Oh by the way Diane in all your infinite wisdom you have failed to tell us how many School Board Members are associated with Elk Konnected.  Or is it you just don't know?

[Diane Amberg]

Please explain how holding a vote now, which you say you know for sure will fail, makes any sense if it has to come up again in November? Why not just wait until November? Or are you suggesting the board is throwing money to the ballot printer, and the postal service? HMMM. Away,ya bore me.

[Ross]

Please explain how holding a vote now, which you say you know for sure will fail, makes any sense if it has to come up again in November?

You don't attend West Elk School Board Meetings do you?

You also do not read very well either do you or is it you just like twisting words?

I never said, I am sure it will fail. Those are your words!

The School Board feels it will fail, they expressed that at is at several meetings. Of course stuff like that does not make the Minutes, just like the President of the Board whining that his kids would grow up and graduate without the privilege of playing in a brand new gymnasium.

Why not just wait until November?

I thought you were the political expert?
It is the School Board's plan not mine, they said it not me!
My assumption ----  would be to wear the voters down.

Or are you suggesting the board is throwing money to the ballot printer, and the postal service? HMMM.

I have suggested nothing of the kind.
But you just did, Diane.
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

Away,ya bore me.

Don't you mean all your college degrees can not keep of with this unedumacted redneck,  due to a comprehension problem you tend to show frequently?

My sincerest apologies!

It is always a pleasure to communicate with you.

[Diane Amberg]

Better check your spelling again. So you are saying the referendum might succeed? If so, why the personal  Ross campaign? Don't ya think most people have made up their minds by now? On a personal note ...Why is it just you? Why are you not part of a committee?  A number of the things you have written about over and over are never confirmed or commented on by anyone else?
You who also jumps topics when it suits you ? As far as my comments to Red, that's for me to deal with. He blindly worships a couple of radical paid bloggers who depend on people like him who believe anything they say. His attitudes scare me