Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Summary of 12/9/13 Board Meeting -- Tax Levy Increase Held to CPI Despite Flip Flop of Turek and Nelson


Thank you to the person who submitted a summary of last night's Board of Education Meeting as a comment to our post on the Fall Survey Comments.  We agree with everything he/she describes, so we have chosen to publish the comment as a free standing post.  After we listen again to the 4 hour 13 minute long meeting (by podcast) we might supplement this post with some choice quotes made by various participants, but for all of you who are eagerly waiting to find out what took place, please read the following:
"Ms. Vorobiev, Mr. Heneghan, Ms. Garg,and Mr. Yaeger voted last night to keep the tax levy at CPI even though the administration wanted it higher. Turek, Nelson and Clarin voted to have it higher than CPI. Keeping the tax levy at CPI won. Dr. Schuster and team did a bunch of scare tactics about what was going to be cut and how it would affect the children. Yaeger cryptically alluded to two months from now things would be different and we would not need drastic cuts.
Two teachers from the union - the heads - spoke during public comments in favor of raising the tax levy above CPI. Two citizens spoke about living within our means.

Two outsiders from the finance committee made presentations on a bond refunding issue and a IMRF payment (relating to underfunding of pensions for non teacher positions). The board voted in favor of both. After the presentations, Mr. Heneghan pointed out how helpful it was to have a finance committee with outside experts, and we needed one for curriculum since the kids come first. Ms. Garg and Ms. Vorobiev also were in favor. I am not sure if Mr. Clarin was - I do not remember. Then Turek made a going down a rat hole comment and the discussion stopped. But not before Ms. Garg pinned Schuster to a corner and she admitted that the math heads at central - the "experts" - do not agree with D181's new math program.

2.5 additional FTE were hired. 1.0 specialist for English learners at Elm, and 1.5 Differentiation Specialists each for Prospect, the Lane and Monroe. All board members voted yes.

The survey results were read but discussion was held off until the January meeting due to the late hour. They did make a few questionable remarks. 1. It is good we didn't have satisfaction questions because most people said they didn't know what learning for all is, and 2. Why did we spend so much time on school rankings if the public doesn't care about rankings? Turek was confused why people do not find the administration transparent - he doesn't get it. There was little to no mention of the comments.

The web site is getting a revamp during winter break.

Mr. Russell is now Dr. Russell."



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our taxes are high enough already. Thank you to the board members who voted to do what they said they would.

Monroe Parent

Anonymous said...

I told you, Turek is an ultra left winger. He does everything the ultra left wing wants, he advances weird fight the inequality ultra left wing educational plans, campaigns for secret government, adds on layers of adminstration, votes for higher and higher and higher taxes, applauds scare tactics (if you cut my funding, we will have to shut down the Washington Monument type stuff), and sees the children as guinea pigs. Again, not a Democrat or Republican issue, as Turek is so far to the left that even left of center Democrats are far to the right of his radical politics. I would say Nelson is also far far left, except he does not participate enough to have any views.

Marty Turek=ultra left winger.

Anonymous said...

Sorry - one small correction to my summary. 2.5 additional FTE were hired. 1.5 differentiation specialists for Prospect, Lane and Monroe, and 1 specialist for English language learners at Elm.

Anonymous said...

Well now it's totally obvious why Schuster has gotten her way with virtually everything she has asked for, except for the max in tax dollars, as was demonstrated last nigh. If the current board president, Marty Turek, and the former board president, Mike Nelson, flip flop, stumble and bumble their way on an important vote like the tax levy, you can just imagine what goes on behind closed doors when Schuster has them at her sides. Her spin machine was working frantically last night, but thank goodness the other four board members saw through it. Even with levying to the CPI, she will get her hands on more tax money to spend on class coaches, consultants and lawyers to fight off any inquisitive parents. She has wasted enough of our money; Turek and Nelson, and Clarin, by the way, wanted her to have more at her disposal.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Mike Nelson has no intention of keeping his campaign promises. He talked about improving educational programs including gifted education (?), balancing budget without tax increases (??) and referendums and transparency (???):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0CXn1_X1Vw

Marty Turek said he had no agenda. It's all about supporting the administration (at the expense of the tax payers).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R-KaL9AfFo

Video on Myths about Gifted education discovered while viewing previous youtube videos. It's a little corny in the beginning but gets to the point as it goes along. Applies in some way to all students.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDJst-y_ptI

Hope someone steps up and stops our district from becoming a bigger mess.