Mound Minnesota on Lake Minnetonka Blog.MoundWestonka.com
Westonka Schools question answered
This entry was posted on 11/1/2006 4:00 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
I wrote here on 10/21/06: Erik Stoehr writes again this week and asks the Westonka School Board the question, "Doesn't the company involved in the planning for the proposed construction need to be excluded from implementing the proposal because of a conflict of interest?" I think when everything is considered, it's time for an answer.
I now know that District # 277 has answered the question. The company involved in the planning for the proposed construction will be allowed to participate in the RFP (Request for Proposal) process. I believe the company referred to here is Rozeboom Miller Architects and that they served as the facilitator to Facilities Planning Task Force.
11/1/2006 5:13 PM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
I certainly hope they get to bid and come in at or below the recommendations of the task force. At the same time, I hope Tom Notch, for profit engineer who also sat on the task force, bids as well. Reply to this
11/1/2006 10:58 PM
Erik Stoehr wrote:
I think that's supposed to be a jab at Tom Notch, as though he should be ashamed of his involvement in the free market!
Tom, you should know that the only honorable money to be made is in a governmental monopoly that fights tooth and nail against parental freedom in education, pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to the administrators, and gives peanuts to the para's and bus drivers who actually work with our children every day - that kind of elitist garbage that turns off so many people to participating in any level of government or civic service. It's like graft that they turn away from because they feel like there's nothing that can be done about it.
BTW, do you get the impression that some people don't have to go to work & probably can't remember what an alarm clock sounds like?
11/1/2006 9:13 PM
Erik Stoehr wrote:
I received a response from Barbara Olson, who stated that they really like to answer each question with a "personal answer".
I may have written back asking if she's ever heard of MOVABLE TYPE, or if they had a back room filled with hunchbacked Franciscan monks scribbling on parchment that we didn't know about.
The actual answer that I was able to decipher from her condescending code-language was that the voters of the Mound-Westonka school district shouldn't bother their little heads with such matters, and should leave such matters to people who make $135,000 and $111,000 per year - dollar amounts which show they are way smarter then we are.
I think the attitude I encountered is why former school board members & tax and spend socialists alike are voting against this referendum. Reply to this
11/2/2006 6:24 AM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
No jab intended. I just think that if you are taking issue with for profit volunteers on the task force it should be universal. And that if you open bids up to for profit volunteers it should be universal.
Congratulations on the exemplary academic achievements of your kids in the Mound Westonka School District. Award winning schools serve everyone. They're not free.
Kevin Borg, on a scale of other Metro Superintendents, is paid rock bottom. The school district, like every organization, has their problems. But overall. I am quite proud of the education by kids are receiving, their opportunties for personal growth in organizations like DECA business leadership, foreign language and advanced math.
On a side note, I don't think you can predict how Ned Dow "A Former School Board Member" "not members" will vote.
My alarm went off at 5am. I see an awful lot of YES Westonka Signs in the community. It's going to be interesting. Reply to this
11/2/2006 3:11 PM
Erik Stoehr wrote:
Just because a person writes a public letter stating that they oppose a ballot measure doesn't necessarily mean they will be voting against that ballot measure...?
Is anybody else reminded of this little piece of dialog?
Michael: "So the next day, my father went to see him; only this time with Luca Brasi. An' within an hour, he signed a release, and a certified check for $1000. [Kay: "How'd he do that?"] My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Kay: "What was that?" Michael: "Luca Brasi held a gun to his head and my father assured him that either his brains, or his signature, would be on the contract."
Al Pacino in the 1972 movie "The Godfather". Reply to this
11/2/2006 6:29 AM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
I am very excited to share with the community that Mound Westonka Senior Tina Seurth is newly elected President of the Minnesota DECA Chapter. DECA is a business entrepreneur / marketing club. The Mound High School Chapter is coordinated by Mr. Augeson, High School Coach and Teacher. The chapter currently has 75+ kids and growing. In the past two years, Mound DECA Members have made it all the way to Nationals.
This year a group of DECA Members is kicking off a Whitehawk Spirit Store, including business planning and management. Their goal is to brand Whitehawk Spirit and raise money to support DECA and other activities with Bob Keuhl, Mound Westonka Activities Director. Reply to this
11/3/2006 12:06 AM
Erik Stoehr wrote:
That's fascinating, and just as relevant to the discussion as that; sea turtles (Chelonioidea) are turtles found in all the world's oceans with the exception of the Arctic Ocean, and some species travel between oceans. The Flatback turtle is found solely on the northern coast of Australia. The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the largest, measuring six or seven feet (2 m) in length at maturity, and three to five feet (1 to 1.5 m) in width, weighing up to 1300 pounds (600 kg). Most other species are smaller, being two to four feet in length (0.5 to 1 m) and proportionally less wide. There are seven types of sea turtles: Kemp's Ridley, Flatback, Green, Olive Ridley, Leatherback, Loggerhead, and Hawksbill. Reply to this
11/3/2006 7:53 AM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
Oops. Sorry for that. I'm a novice blogger. I meant to start a new blog to share the great news about Deca with the community.
But thank you for the information on Sea Turtles in Australia. We are scuba diving in the great barrier reef next year and I can hardly wait!! Reply to this
11/3/2006 9:30 PM
Shirley Spraguer wrote:
In another testament to the neutrality of the school district, I received an automated dialer call from the high school reminding me to vote, and how hard the school district is working for me.
There is no question the school district has a credibility issue, given the obfuscation and lack of transparency exhibited during this latest effort to pry my money from my wallet.
The high-handedness with which us plebes have been treated is in addition to the deceits. Although it may be true that it isn't only what you say, but how you say it, the school district has missed the boat on both counts.
The Hill/Citizens for Common Sense fiasco was frankly, an embarassment. I was stunned to realize the depths of dirty politics in our fair environs, and as usual, dismayed at how quickly we (tax-paying, working middle income folks) will vote against our own interest in slavish abandon to sloganeers. Reply to this
11/3/2006 11:46 PM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
I hardly think holding the NO Group accountable for a 29% error margin is a fiasco. I think the dirty politics part of it is that the school district is prohibited by law from expressing opinions, being persuasive, incomplete or inaccurate while any 'no' group or political action committee can claim free speech or opinion.
So if you have issues with the way the school district is restricted from being transparent, I hope you will take Judge Green's advice and join me in the public debate to level the playing field.
This bond or levy is about our kids. You can't put them on hold and press rewind because you want to find a way to keep more of your tax money. They grow up. They only get one childhood. This is their future and its your future too.
If the community can't get behind a school district that holds the excellence rating(s) [note the plural] of Westonka then its more of a reflection of the voters, than it is of the school. Reply to this
The lady who brought 48 rediculous and frivolous charges before a judge and summarily had it all thrown out as being "unconstitutional" wants to point out a "fiasco"!
The whole thing begs the obvious, that the school district and their dirty tricks campaign are providing incorrect information to the public.
In their last proposed referendum they showed what complete amateurs they were and were way off on the square footages.
So we all know who not to trust.
(of course it was probably that the company got the file mixed up with one of the other schools they are running this scam for) Reply to this
11/4/2006 6:19 PM
Erik Stoehr wrote:
Isn't it precious that the only person to attempt to stifle the debate is now asking that we all join in with her in the debate.
I think the judges words may have been more of a warning that further frivolous action clogging up our courts wouldn't be tolerated, and that if you are interested in a public issue engage in the debate!
People note: This is the kind of people who want to take your tax money (shivers run down my spine).
I agree with Jeff that a school shouldn't be judged entirely by the top tier, but also by the less redeeming feature. I hope the kids are severely punished.
There is a reason that kids, teenagers, children, should be limited in what freedoms they are allotted. Contrary to the popular cliché they really can't do everything anyway.
I hope at the very least that all students shown to have been drinking are required to get to school by riding the bus for the rest of the year. Reply to this
I was under the impression that voicing my opinion on the this blog and in the newspaper was, in fact, joining in the public debate. I don't need the judges's advice, or anyone else's advice, to assist me in either formulating my own thoughts, or sharing them. It is contradictory to suggest that I join the debate, when in fact I have.
The school district may be legally obligated to be complete and accurate. However, as a close reader of the information disseminated this year it is apparent that accuracy is questionable, and the school district completely forgo the "persuasive" part of the presentation anyway, as nothing about those proposals made economic or social sense.
Also, to frame the bond issue and levy so flatly as "This bond or levy is about our kids" simplifies the argument to the point of irrelevancy. Therefore, the statements that follow are again, unhelpful in either determining to what extent all parties are affected socially (the primary thrust of your comments) or economically.
Academic excellence does not in and of iteself require new buildings. What is required is a true belief in the value of an education, in and of iself (as opposed as a means to make more money) and a committment to that belief.
It might be a good idea to incorporate classical rhetoric into the curriculum. This would provide a solid tool for our children to be able to determine the validity of arugments presented, no matter what the circumstance.
I am completely in support of what will concretely enhance the education of our children, and if it happens that part of their education includes learning about how money and politics work, that's just fine, as that too is all about being educated and learning to reason for yourself.
I have not been persuaded that the proposals of the district reflect value of education over value of facilities. The vigor of the district's response sugggests there is some truth to that suspicion, as Shakespeare said- "The lady doth protest too much" (or something like that-it's been a few years!)
Given the outcome, it is apparent there were many other people who were doubtful. I am relieved.
I would also suggest a basic course in classical rhetoric. Most fallacious arguments can be broken down pretty easily, once you know what to look for. This would be an excellent tool to provide our children as they prepare to become adults, with private and governmental entities attempting to worm their way into their pocketbooks using bad logic and desperate emotionalism.
Thank you very much to Tom and Cindy Notch, and everyone else who "woke up" and refused to be browbeaten into the poorhouse. Reply to this
11/4/2006 3:07 PM
Jeff Anderson wrote:
Love that everyone is so positive about the changes at the high school - blah, blah, blah - it's cra-. Why is no one talking about the nearly 20 kids were given tests by Breathalyzer for being DRUNK AT SCHOOL. (this was LESS THAN A MONTH AGO) OR the ones actually sent home for being drunk! OR maybe the behavior of other kids that continue to TAPE THEIR CLASSMATES TO POLES. Is this the type of "welcoming" behavior that will grow upon passing a referendum? Reply to this
11/5/2006 9:25 AM
Sheryl Hill wrote:
FYI, the judge found prima facia on four counts. In his final judgement he also wrote, "the complainaint's post hearing information is thorough" and "to say that the respondents' forecasts of future legislative action and growth in tax capacity are gloomy, unrealistic or improbably is not to say that they are demonstrably false."
I didn't particulary 'like' or 'want' the attention that came with the filing. I believe in free speech. I wish the school district had it. The YES! Group does not need a website because the school district has one. But I'll drop a web in for the sake of debate.
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Lake Minnetonka Facts
Lake Minnetonka was formed by melting ice blocks in glacial moraines 15,000 years ago. The Lake is 929.4 feet above sea level at its outlet, Grays Bay dam. Its greatest length is 10.9 miles (Halsteds Bay to Grays Bay). 30 feet is its average depth. April 12 - 17 is the range of its average ice-out dates. - from the Hennepin County Library.
Fact of the Day:
Lake Minnetonka Cities
There are 14 cities on Lake Minnetonka. They are: Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Victoria, Wayzata, and Woodland.
Mound Minnesota's name
"Mound derived its name from the Indian mounds once found within the present day limits. They were not built by the Dakota Indians but were made by prehistoric Indians...." - Melvin Gimmestad, from the book, Historical Backgrounds of Mound, Minnesota.
Tonka Toys
Mound was known as the "Trucking Capital of the World." Tonka Toys was once located in the present day Balboa building near the intersection of Shoreline and Wilshire.
Lois Lane and Hercules
Lois Lane and Hercules both once lived in Mound. Noel Neill appeared in the TV show "Superman". Kevin Sorbo starred as Hercules in the TV show of the same name in the 1990s.
Saint Bonifacius
This city was named for its Catholic church. Saint Boniface was the Apostle of the Germans. Bonifacius in Latin means, of good fate or fortune.
City of Minnetrista
"The City of Minnetrista is located on the western bays of Lake Minnetonka and the agricultural rich plains and idyllic woodlands of southwestern Hennepin County.....The 32 square miles is home to 5,250 residents who enjoy the rural residential and lakeside settings." - from the City's web page.
Busy Corners
The corner of Lake and Central Avenues used to be the center of Mound. Lake Avenue is now called Bartlett Boulevard and Central changed to Commerce Boulevard. Kirby's Bait Shop is located on Busy Corners.
The Island
Island Park is also known as Phelps Island, and once was called North Shore Park. Phelps is the largest island on Lake Minnetonka, and some say it was originally a peninsula. There was a lot of dredging done in Lake Minnetonka's past. It lies East of Cook's Bay and West of Spring Park Bay. Island Park merged with Mound in 1960. It is still called "The Island".
Early Lake Minnetonka
In 1822 Joe Brown, a drummer boy at Fort Snelling and the Commandant's son Will Snelling discover Lake Minnetonka. The two 14 year old boys canoed up Minnehaha Creek and found its source. It appears that relations with the Dakota Sioux at the time required that the Lake remain off limits. It wasn't until the 1850s that its existence becomes general knowledge. In 1852 Simon Stevens and Calvin Tuttle built a dam and sawmill on Minnehaha Creek some distance East of Lake Minnetonka. The next year a hotel is built nearby. In 1854 the Cook House is built in Mound. The 1850s are the beginning of significant settlement around Lake Minnetonka.
