School Board members’ response: Running fewer schools results in savings that are applied to repaying bonds
November 22, 2012 at 6:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
Duluth is nearing the end of a facilities project that reduced the number of Independent School District 709 regular school buildings in operation from 18 to 13.
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Finally, admitting to moving money from the general fund. But sneakily say not “arbitrarily” moving it. Wasson and Judy denied they were moving that money back when Gary Glass was on the board.
Prove it is $5.3 non-teacher savings. That is NOT what was put out there in the beginning. More than half of the purported savings was coming from staff reductions.
Playing fast and loose with the facts.
Wouldn’t be in this mess if they had not wasted resources: Central standing empty with that middle school a couple miles away. But had to have their shiny new schools.
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So if they are saving all this money why are schools ovecrowded, less teachers and a huge increase in tax rates
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You fooled the taxpayers once, Ann. Don’t expect it to happen again.
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scruples101….what you say SHOULD be true! BUT, you forget we live in Duluth….the Board Members KNOW they can get by with these kinds of things….BECAUSE, the voters KEEP re-electing them to the Board! These meetings supposedly being scheduled over the winter….watch, we will all find out they will MOSTLY or ALL be set for the afternoons, or at sometime that MOST folks cannot attend!
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Like anyone believes anything that comes from Wasson’s mouth anymore. Show me the numbers of those savings and while you are at it, show me the language in the jci contract that seems to be so highly protected. I want to see past and present utility costs, transportation costs and all these supposed savings. Where can a taxpayer get a look at those figures? My school portion of my property taxes just went up another 90.00 this year and they want me to vote for another levy? Wasson: Get off the board, take the rest with you and give others in the community a chance to re-establish trust and a look at the books.
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Elizabeth B……I agree 100%! I want to see these SUPPOSED SAVINGS….transportation expenses…..utility costs….the whole 9 yards! Most of the SUPPOSED savings are from NON-TEACHER expenses….I wanna see! They had laid-off many teachers, janitors, and others…..so they say the “savings” are coming from bldgs….LOL!!! REPEAT……we want to SEE the financials…..ALL of them! I bet you can tell how far that will go…..still “pie-in-the-sky” rhetoric!
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And yet due to budget cuts, there was a plea for art supplies for Denfeld in yesterday’s (11/22) Eh? column:
“The Denfeld High School art department needs supplies more than I need the back of my neck shaved (now that’s bad). Art often is one of the first casualties of budget cuts, and the Hunters’ creative side could use some assistance … Students can drop off mom, dad or guardians’ donations in Denfeld’s main office. A cadet or office personnel will put it in the Parent Involvement mailbox.”
So if I understand this correctly, they have money to build buildings and they have “savings” — which are being applied to pay back the bonds — because they now have fewer buildings. However, they don’t have money for things like teachers/staff, smaller class sizes, or art supplies, because operating costs are rising faster than revenues and school districts have little control over revenues?
Then what about the 11.9 percent increase in school property taxes they’re resigned to approving in December?
Their explanations just don’t add up; must be some kind of new math.
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Carol…I saw that article yesterday about Denfeld. Its a crime that we built extra swimming pool lanes and glass atrium’s yet we need to pass the hat so our students can have art supplies. Someone should organize a class action lawsuit against those responsible for the mess we are in.
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And another thing….the board just voted in an 11 percent increase to the levy. If we are paying all that money in….I hope some of that trickles down to the students for smaller class sizes and supplies.
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john ( R )…..The School Board said in the article about the 11.9% tax increase….that the extra tax money will go towards NON-TEACHER expenses…..in other words…towards the repayment of the Red Plan….and NONE for the class-room! These people keep holding their hands out for more money….knowing full well that the class-room is hurting! These folks have GOT to go….c’mon voters and tax-payers……have we all lost ALL of our common sense? It sure appears so….the Board Members just keep getting elected….just like the City of Duluth officials….and others! Grow a backbone….you know what has got to be done….DO IT……starting next elections!
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where do they think that we can keep paying my purse is empty and that is not a joke
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Carol…..I recall in the article about the 11.9% tax increase….that the School Board said at that time…..the increased revenue from this 11.9% tax increase was for….NON-CLASSROOM! Doesn’t that beat all? Unless I mis-understood what the article said….they are going to use that money ( as well )…..for the RED PLAN! This just boggles the mind…..that the intended use for this tax hike….goes for BLDG re-payment…..INSTEAD of for the CLASSROOM! ONLY the Duluth School Board can seem to get away with this…..lunacy!
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So if I understand what Ann and Bill are saying. It goes like this, if we sell all the schools we just built and build one new huge building we can save even more. Less operating costs and no more deficits. Think about it, smart boards instead of art supplies, more lanes in the swimming pools, more houses to knock over or just buy and let sit vacant. They can contact Johnson Controls and give them a no bid contract to come with a plan that will maximize the cost and give them a huge percentage of the total spending. Maybe they can give Dixon a huge consulting fee to convince themselves it’s a great idea. He won’t have to convince the taxpayers they don’t get to vote anyway. Come On taxpayers get on board, after all, it’s for kids don’t you know.
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All this begs the question…why wasn’t an analysis made comparing remodeling and upgrading existing buildings versus building new. Certainly many of the buildings currently on the sale block could have been retrofitted at substantially less money. And why wasn’t the decision made to convert Denfeld, Central and East to 7-12 eliminating the need for junior high or middle school buildings? Too bad taxpayers, you are on the hook for 20 years because you keep re-electing the same old faces. Change will have to start with you first before changes in the district operations change. Sad, but true.
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skidoolum – In those initial meetings there was supposed to be an clean slate – the opportunity to discuss all grade configurations such as 7-12 but those that attended found the decisions had already been made and the district was unwilling to compromise on their vision – so much for listening to the public’s ideas and concerns. Also wish to note that people on the Board such as Bill Westholm are new – not on the Board when these bad decisions were made – unfortunately, he was clearly a supporter of the Red Plan and somehow he still got on the Board even after it was obvious the Red Plan was failing us as predicted. – Not knocking Bill – I don’t know him and know that people thought he was a good principal but clearly he wasn’t what the Board needed if we were looking for someone willing to dig deeper and question some of the Red Plan issues.
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You should visit Harry Welty’s website http://www.lincolndemocrat.com and see what the Timberjay newspaper is doing to JCI and their school board for botching up schools, buildings and finances in that district. Duluth simply lacked a newspaper that could have looked under all the rocks to find abuses all around. Check it out and you will see that little people and preserverance pay off.
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I don’t comment on anything I am not well acquainted with. What I do know is that I have never seen a comment stream in the DNT that was so overwhelmingly ‘thumbs up’, and opinions that were so well stated as in this line of comments. I will do my research, and you guys try and harness this energy…..
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wish we would get a 11 percent raise on our wages
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Johnson Control and Mr Dixon should be in prison! I wonder if the people knew the little behind the scene costs such as Mrs Dixon having an office in the Admin. bldg and collecting the red plan money for doing nothing? coincidence? After Dixon left his wifes “office” was totally empty the next day! How about the $500 holiday fruit baskets sent out to the heads of JC? Enormous bonuses for Dixon and J.C.? If kids sitting on window sills and radiators is giving them a better education then Duluth got its monies worth for sure!
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I agree and appreciate all the recent comments. Anyone interested in running for school board next fall? If we intend to repair the damage we must have strong leaders, not just more of the same. Please give it some thought and talk to your family and friends.
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Just like Wasson to put her name on someone else’s letter – another perfect example of a wealthy, non-working East end mom who has nothing better to do than make our owrld better.
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No need to bash those of us that have made the choice/sacrifice to stay home and take care of our families. I can’t stand Ann Wasson and her smug little mug any more than you can, but as a “non-working East end mom” I am a little offended by your tone.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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The state currently is providing about 80% of the school’s funding, including all Special Ed funding.
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beemom, you missed on the “wealthy” word. Sorry if I offended you but it is what it is. Bet I offended Ann Wasson too.
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The 11% tax increase nothing compared to what’s coming..I’ve heard through the grapevine another huge levy proposal is in the works within the next year!
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William…..We all have to remember that we have another 15 years of the Red Plan to go…… as we all know…….there will be more increases JUST FOR the RED PLAN…..then they will want to do this again……and we cannot forget the additional increases for operational ( classroom ) expenses! Then, on top of that….the County, the City portions of property taxes are going up as well…..income taxes are going up as well…..soon! Watch your wallets, and be prepared!
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It really makes me sick. So much money and yet how has it helped the kids in this community? Fancy buildings don’t educate kids. For all the fluff they bought with our money – without our approval – the classrooms are in the worst shape they have ever been in – Oh we have air conditioning units and smart boards in every room but other supplies? The teachers are stretched so thin, and programs being cut. Very frustrating. I appreciate Art on the Board but he’s just one person. What, really, are the rest of them doing to try to protect the classrooms? Meanwhile we have brand new pools, atriums that are expensive to heat, copper siding, duplicate stadiums with turf that would make pro athletes happy, and of course incredible views and our taxes are going up, up, up.
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Other than Art, no one is doing anything on the board but collecting their paychecks. Do you realize they are each receiving $7,000/year. Many do not show up for meetings and the ones that do are doing crossword puzzles or day dreaming. There is no discussion on any issues.
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You also have the ex gardener who is still on the board and never explained his reason for quitting his day job. The only solution the board ever comes up with are more taxes. But we are paying way more in taxes and the quality of the program is going down. Larger class sizes and they are asking for handouts for art supplies. I don’t understand….in 2010 and 2011 they raised the levy by about 5 percent each year. This year they bumped it up almost 12 percent. That’s 22 percent in 3 years……It’s like a bottomless pit.
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Unfortunately we don’t have a newspaper like the Timberjay up north. They actually do some investigative reporting – Duluth News Tribune prints what the School District and Board report – Almost every article I challenge the News Tribune to dig into comments that these forums raise but it never happens. Is it possible that the reporters and editors don’t even read the comments on their own stories? Duluth News Tribune – please do investigative reporting on costs associated prior to and post Red Plan on utility usage, transportation costs and maintenance of the buildings. Ann Wasson and Bill Westholm can write articles all they want but what the public sees is incredible waste on buildings, heartbreaking shortages in the classroom and our taxes going up at an alarming rate with more increases every year ahead. Trying to get into the information in the District’s books is like asking for top secret information – good luck. But somehow the Timberjay newspaper has been able to do it up North. – Kudos to them – meanwhile all of us in Duluth seem to tolerate the Board’s lack of accountability to the public.
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The DNT is too busy running stories on UMD students doing blackface and trying to head up a manhunt to find out who hung Obama from the billboard. You have to consider the source….Kids pulling stupid pranks vs. educated people who should know better and are running our schools into the ground. Which is the bigger story? I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist and should be ignored. The sad state of our schools affects all races. Minority students are hurt when they fall behind in school. Is this not a story?
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Elizabeth B……I agree, as I have mentioned the same thing about the DNT digging into this foe several years now! The Timberjay has done a good job about digging into this on their end! It is a crying shame that they have to hire attorney’s to take JCI to court to view documents that the public has EVERY right to view. ( it is public money, so the files should be open to the public….for a lot of scrutiny ). I am guessing that the DNT will NOT dig into this for only 2 reasons…..1 reason being that ISD 709 has spent a tidy some with the DNT for advertising to promote LEVIES ( hence the DNT does not like to bite the hand that feeds it ). #2 reason is that the DNT does NOT want to get tied up in court battles with JCI and ISD 709….hence, spending resources for atty’s etc! BUT, the overriding factor that trump’s the reasons NOT to challenge JCI….is, for the overall good of the DNT’S readership….and the overall good of the student’s….parents…..voters…..and of course the taxpayers! It really is a shame, that an investigation into this….will NEVER happen ….here in Duluth! Everyone here in the ISD 709 district…..surely, deserves BETTER than this kind of treatment……especially, since the overall education that the kids receive….is continually declining in Duluth…..and that the money given to ISD 709 has increased so much……NO BANG FOR THE BUCK……as usual……in Duluth! C’mon folks….grow a spine!
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All good reasons, Vern, but the overriding reason is that once the News Tribune stakes out a position on any given topic, they will never ever ever amend that position. They jumped aboard the Red Plan bandwagon at the start and there’s not a chance in hell they’ll ever publish a story that doesn’t sing the praises of JCI, the Red Plan and the school board. Ever. Count on it. It’s an arrogance that’s wholly undeserved given the quality of product they put out.
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Attached is Johnson Controls response to the Timberjay’s victory in the Court of Appeals. JCI is appealing to the Minnesota Supreme Court. From the 2142 Public Relations arm, the Cook News-Herald. Monica Zimmer is Global Public Relations Director-Building Efficiency, Johnson Controls, Milwaukee.
Johnson Controls takes ‘Helmberger v. Johnson Controls and Architectural Resources’ to Supreme Court
by Monica Zimmer
November 15, 2012 – Johnson Controls asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to consider a case under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
We are seeking Supreme Court review because we believe the lower court’s decision will unduly burden businesses that contract with government agencies, increase costs to taxpayers, and harm Minnesota’s business climate.
In 2010, as part of a project to build and renovate schools, the St. Louis County School District awarded a contract to Johnson Controls for construction management and design services. The project is nearing completion and we believe the School District is satisfied with the results.
A local newspaper publisher, who has direct ties to a charter school business to compete with the District, demanded a copy of Johnson Controls’ confidential subcontract with Architectural Resources, a northern Minnesota firm.
It should be noted that Johnson Controls has supplied Helmberger with much data and Helmberger has not paid the $3,900 in costs that were incurred in searching for this data in 2010. The information was provided in December of 2010.
When a business agrees to contract with a government agency, it knows that its contracts and much of the work product it furnishes to the agency are public data. In fact, nearly 4,000 pages of information developed by Johnson Controls as part of the St. Louis County Schools project have been provided to local residents and news reporters. Much of the design, engineering, construction and financial data have been released – many have been provided multiple times.
However, there needs to be a balance between the right to public data and allowing businesses to keep confidential and proprietary data private. Disclosing private contracts and confidential business practices places companies such as Johnson Controls in an unfair situation. Competitors can use this information to gain an economic advantage simply because a company has chosen to participate in a public project.
Both companies, Johnson Controls and Architectural Resources, declined to release their confidential agreement. An Administrative Law Judge agreed with them, ruling that the publisher had no right to review a private document that was never provided to the District. With a broad reading of a statute that has never been interpreted by the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals reversed the Administrative Law Judge.
We believe the Minnesota Supreme Court needs to review this case to decide where the line needs to be drawn. Johnson Controls respects Minnesota’s Data Practices Law, but we also believe that businesses should not be discouraged from participating in public contracts. The Supreme Court is the best place to decide how to balance these competing interests.
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skidoolund……JCI seems to grow more arrogant with each passing day…..don’t they?
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Bottom line is the current ISD 709 School Board has lost all credibility. And I’ll be damned if I’ll voluntarily give them any more of my money.
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