tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post2102965777169859412..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Hot News! DeKalb delays closing schoolsCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-8831118363891816692009-11-12T06:10:53.772-05:002009-11-12T06:10:53.772-05:00I and about 6 other parents meet last weekend to t...I and about 6 other parents meet last weekend to talk about taking actions to get Crawford and others like him out of our school system. we are putting together a list of complaints that we are going to take to the US Department of Education in DC. They have a conference in 2010. We are going to charter buses and reserve hotel accomodations for all those who want to participate.<br /><br />We are sick of the process of things. We are sick of being told by the State BOE and the Govern's office that they have no jurisdiction over an entity that they give our taxpayer dollars to.<br /><br />We need to close the loop holes that allow Superintendents like Crawford Lewis to slip things and people in for his persoanl gain.<br /><br />The site will be up in a week. We want specific complaints that we can take to the US. Department of ED in DC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-80433034955222449562009-11-11T20:34:57.690-05:002009-11-11T20:34:57.690-05:00Cere.. Just not any that they want to hear.
Lik...Cere.. Just not any that they want to hear. <br /><br />Like One Fed Up stated.. They are just going to use it against us to get us out or to leave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-1397774384824461322009-11-11T20:17:30.760-05:002009-11-11T20:17:30.760-05:00Oh - Wow! I hope you all really do send in sugges...Oh - Wow! I hope you all really do send in suggestions - I'm certain that teachers and staff can come up with some fantastic money-saving ideas!Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-91731395030722947252009-11-11T19:53:30.040-05:002009-11-11T19:53:30.040-05:00No, I meant the school district. All employs rece...No, I meant the school district. All employs received an email asking how they could save money in the budget. <br /><br />My favorite 2 sentences from the memo, as they make me laugh:<br /><br />As a result, your input as employees is solicited and valued. Please<br />forward any suggestions or ideas you may have regarding the budget.<br /><br />I don't really think that they'll listen, but you never know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-22270337578886840542009-11-11T19:09:37.256-05:002009-11-11T19:09:37.256-05:00I assumed you meant the county, not the school sys...I assumed you meant the county, not the school system, correct, Anon?<br /><br />The county can save money lots of places - ESPECIALLY by not building glitzy arts center for one special area of the county that costs the rest of us dearly for years to come --- but remember - the county only accounts for about 25%-30% of your total property tax bill - the school system takes the rest...Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-47223616602329473802009-11-11T18:39:19.180-05:002009-11-11T18:39:19.180-05:00Like they are going to listen to us. Funny how th...Like they are going to listen to us. Funny how they will not send that email out to parents. <br /><br />I bet that they us what we say against us to make our lives an even more living h*ll.One Fed Up Insiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523706925943880604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-84526571876637574002009-11-11T18:05:10.909-05:002009-11-11T18:05:10.909-05:00Sell the Sanford Arts Center to a private entity.Sell the Sanford Arts Center to a private entity.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51286541723028116572009-11-11T17:50:18.036-05:002009-11-11T17:50:18.036-05:00We received an email today about the county wantin...We received an email today about the county wanting ideas for ways to cut the budget. <br /><br />Any ideas/suggestions? I will add them to my email to the powers that be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-14779223615871248102009-11-11T10:51:38.489-05:002009-11-11T10:51:38.489-05:00That's absolutely correct. I recall a year or...That's absolutely correct. I recall a year or two ago the county reported earning over $5 million in interest on the taxes collected. And - I'm pretty certain that by law, they have to spend it - they aren't allowed to just sit on it and collect interest for very long. Anyone know?Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-21147872766816571042009-11-11T09:27:51.422-05:002009-11-11T09:27:51.422-05:0070% of the 2001 bond was marked specifically for a...70% of the 2001 bond was marked specifically for acquisition. Call your commissioners and ask how mcuh they have left. One has $5 mil, and its 2009.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-60135499332859782792009-11-10T22:15:23.013-05:002009-11-10T22:15:23.013-05:00Well said Celebration. The fake layoffs that were ...Well said Celebration. The fake layoffs that were done in June 2009is nothing compared to the DCSS future layoff in June 2010. Lewis will have to cut his beloved Bldgs A & B staff drastically by 50/60 percent. If not SACS will get involved because you can't bankrupt a school system with overpaying high salaries outside the classroom with poor test scores and fewer students in some schools and overcrowding in others. Close schools now or have the states to step in and do it for you later. Either way would be painful but at least there will be input if DCSS makes the decision versus the state. And guess what....no more raises or paying into teacher's retirement for another year. Teacher's deserve more than they are getting from DCSS and this state.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51400616503111681642009-11-10T21:09:35.105-05:002009-11-10T21:09:35.105-05:00This idea to push off the redistricting and closur...This idea to push off the redistricting and closure plan is going to cause big problems with state funding, I'm afraid. Although, I agree that we need to step back and assess the REAL numbers in order to make solid decisions, the timetable needs to move up. <br /><br />Today's AJC tells us why -<br /><br />"State revenues in Georgia continue to plummet"<br /><br />GA's revenue collections fell another 18% in October compared to last year. Individual income taxes fell from $722.5 million down to $610.57 million. Even worse, corporate tax revenues dropped from $23.55 million down to $4.9 million. Sales and use is down to $397.96 million from $486.74 million. Average drop in total is 15.5%<br /><br />The fiscal year (July 1- Oct 31) will end with overall tax collections down from $5.49 billion in 08 to $4.65 billion in 09.<br /><br />Schools will need to brace themselves for BIG cut backs in August 2010. We should have schools shuttered and consolidated by then - to wait would be a very bad idea.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-58333530101226016992009-11-10T20:48:26.819-05:002009-11-10T20:48:26.819-05:00Anon 2:58 here...
Got it from 2 board members tha...Anon 2:58 here...<br /><br />Got it from 2 board members that she would not be returning any emails, nor could she read them.<br /><br />I know that she is on First Class but apparently she can not do any work for some reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-91544263108868255032009-11-10T19:27:41.220-05:002009-11-10T19:27:41.220-05:00Anon 2:58 ~
Pat Pope was never deleted from First...Anon 2:58 ~<br /><br />Pat Pope was never deleted from First Class. She's listed as Pat A. Pope, not Patricia Pope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-19721956684373589782009-11-10T17:40:17.794-05:002009-11-10T17:40:17.794-05:00True, but Heritage is in Rader's district - an...True, but Heritage is in Rader's district - and this district has not received anywhere near an equitable share of funding for parks - or HOST bonds for that matter. <br /><br />And as far as spending (having) park money on things other than acquisitions - well, we have this -<br /><br /><i>By themselves, two facilities – the Lou Walker “Seniors and Multi-purpose Center” and the new<br />Sanford Performing Arts Center have an annual operating cost of over $2.5 million, dwarfing the<br />County budgets of all other seniors and arts centers in DeKalb combined. This is in addition to<br />over $1 million per year in debt service for loans financing their construction. State nutrition<br />program cuts are being passed through in DeKalb’s budget that hurt needy seniors, while<br />extravagant expenditures persist at the independent Lou Walker Center. Neither the Walker nor Sanford Centers is projected to attract offsetting non-tax revenues and so represent costly<br />burdens on the budget.</i><br /><br />The HOST tax money hasn't been spent equitably either -<br /><i>District # District HOST % of Total<br />1 $ 11,455,000 12%<br />2 $ 5,795,000 6%<br />3 $ 15,786,552 16%<br />4 $ 9,265,000 9%<br />5 $ 32,400,000 33%<br />Ttl District HOST Disbursed $ 74,701,552 75%<br />Total HOST Disbursed* $ 99,028,054 100%<br />* includes Countywide road resurfacing, etc.</i><br /><br />==========<br /><br />So - are we being naive in believing that SPLOST money will be spent any differently?<br /><br />Another interesting thing to note re SPLOST 3 -- we have apparently made over $17 million in INTEREST on the collected bond money, since it has been "so slow to be disbursed." <br /><br />I would challenge the school system to allocate most of that interest to Cross Keys, since they are the ones who have suffered the most due to this "slowness" to disburse.<br /><br />Beyond that - the system apparently "picked up" over $311 million in bond proceeds. <br /><br />http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/administration/operations/files/CIP%20Mid%20Program%20Assessment%20Report%20April%202009.pdfCerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-88728285671546242532009-11-10T16:26:00.309-05:002009-11-10T16:26:00.309-05:00The funds from the bonds are for more than purchas...The funds from the bonds are for more than purchasing greenspace. The bonds are to be used to upgrade and renovate parks, recreation centers, etc., all around the county.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-31368751896373052292009-11-10T16:19:34.545-05:002009-11-10T16:19:34.545-05:00Buy a clue and check how much money commissioners ...<i>Buy a clue and check how much money commissioners have left in the 2001 bond. One commissioner has $5 million for acquisition.</i><br /><br />Proof?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-12942684771937496152009-11-10T16:11:52.121-05:002009-11-10T16:11:52.121-05:00"The county has no money to acquire greenspac..."The county has no money to acquire greenspace."<br /><br />Buy a clue and check how much money commissioners have left in the 2001 bond. One commissioner has $5 million for acquisition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-7454719888983055872009-11-10T14:58:27.903-05:002009-11-10T14:58:27.903-05:00Just to let you know. Pat Pope can not get emails...Just to let you know. Pat Pope can not get emails anymore. They will just go unread.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-41801805541670211772009-11-10T14:48:26.697-05:002009-11-10T14:48:26.697-05:00Greenie that is a great idea. I think someone sho...Greenie that is a great idea. I think someone should suggest it to their board member (be selective). By the end of December, she should certainly be able to have that inventory complete.themommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829171693817032539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-49418155340295074962009-11-10T14:00:18.780-05:002009-11-10T14:00:18.780-05:00Cere said:
"At one time, there was discussio...Cere said: <br />"At one time, there was discussion about reviewing the school system's inventory of property - only to discover that it's apparently not organized in any type of file/account/binder - basically not organized at all. So that hampers the brainstorming."<br />Well, here is a project for Pat Pope - ideal, in fact. an expert on property assessments with nothing to do ... how do we get inventorying property onto her plate?<br />Maybe we should all e-mail Dr. Lewis - or will the suggestions from his concerned constituents send him running in the opposite direction (he wouldn't want to get caught not knowing what he's doing).greeniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14185375641949049796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-9665840630841947772009-11-10T12:34:26.489-05:002009-11-10T12:34:26.489-05:00You know what gives this blog the power is has? T...You know what gives this blog the power is has? The people who come here and post comments. The people who send us info and items via email. The people who expand our knowledge by sharing what they know at our little "meetings". This blog is not "Cere's blog" by any stretch... this blog gets it's strength from a large number of people. In fact, there are two or three who stand ready to take over blog-monitoring when I fly the coop! <br /><br />So, you see, restricting access to an individual won't hamper this blog -- but spending tax dollars wisely, spending time, money and energy focused on children - and their education and well-being, providing equal access to healthy buildings, books, materials, quality teachers and bully-free schools to all children - now those things could make this blog unnecessary. If that happens -- I will host a party!Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-61491715224367300142009-11-10T12:27:49.493-05:002009-11-10T12:27:49.493-05:00Anon - thanks for your concern about my access to ...Anon - thanks for your concern about my access to DCSS - but believe it or not - I actually have none! Haven't had a kid in the system for quite a while now - and have no fears of being ostracized or otherwise impaired. If "little old me" - can create a blog like this and bring together great, caring people who want only to make sure that our children are being educated, then imagine what someone WITH access and a child-focused agenda could do!<br /><br />Communication is key. Our board could be communicating better. Until they do - all we have is this blog.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-81690068920696515422009-11-10T12:20:53.130-05:002009-11-10T12:20:53.130-05:00I think the county absolutely has money for greens...I think the county absolutely has money for greenspace - in fact, we voted to TAX ourselves to pay for it - remember the park bond? The county has millions set aside to purchase land and my zone (Jeff Rader's) has been seriously shorted - just ask Jeff, he'll tell you it's true.<br /><br /> Heritage should definitely be sold to the county as a park - I think the whole thing should go - tear down the school - and make it all a park. That tiny school on a tucked away street is of no value. Consider - Briarcliff ES is almost walkable from Heritage - and it's one of the dangerously low-enrolled schools. Plus - if they do get lots more students in the future, there is a bit of room there for expansion - in fact, they even have a gym already. (Heritage does not.)<br /><br />Go to the county's greenspace suggestion website and suggest that they try to buy Heritage. *(Go to the link below and click "Property Nomination Form"). <br /><a href="http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Greenspace/default.asp" rel="nofollow">DeKalb Greenspace</a><br /><br /><i>Welcome to DeKalb County’s website highlighting the County’s Parks and Greenspace Program. The DeKalb County Parks Bond and Greenspace Program utilizes a multi-million dollar fund established for the preservation of Greenspace. DeKalb County citizens dedicated more than $248 million for Greenspace acquisitions and park developments when they passed a bond referendum in 2001 and again in 2006.</i><br /><br />The only thing standing in their way is Paul Womack. Womack (and McChesney) would also chain himself to the Druid Hills property before selling off any portion of it. <br /><br />Not sure about the old Shallowford ES in Dunwoody, but that is a very valuable piece of land - which could have been converted into a new ES (after having served as Chamblee MS and now is closed) - but instead the system chose to build a brand new ES near Perimeter College (having traded the HS of Tech North for the ES school property).<br /><br />Andy yes, we should sell the Clarkston property to Clarkston. We also own a bunch of other crazy old building - like the "old rock gym" in Stone Mt among others. At one time, there was discussion about reviewing the school system's inventory of property - only to discover that it's apparently not organized in any type of file/account/binder - basically not organized at all. So that hampers the brainstorming.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-67173810851439319072009-11-10T11:34:56.727-05:002009-11-10T11:34:56.727-05:00Certainly not a DCSS employee. And you are right,...Certainly not a DCSS employee. And you are right, projections also figured into the state formula. BUT having so many buildings really did hurt DCSS. I was on the front line of this issue working with my state representatives and DOE employees trying to understand what he h*ll happened. <br /><br />The parcels of land like Heritage are exactly the ones that DCSS shouldn't sell because land is so scarce there. These $1 leases are obscene and DCSS needs to work on them, but Clarkston may not have the money to buy that building -- though I wonder what it is really worth anyway?<br /><br />However, I wonder what will become of the Central Office when DCSS moves to American Way (or whereever they are going)? <br /><br />The capital market has gotten so tight that no one is making loans hardly at all especially on risky projects. <br /><br />If DeKalb County has money for greenspace, that is great. But that isn't what we are hearing.themommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829171693817032539noreply@blogger.com