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The Good Egg Gazette is my online forum for the folks of Stuart, Iowa. Here you can respond to comments about the issues Stuart is facing (i.e. the West Central Valley new school debate, the Stuart City Council, new developments in town and near I-80, Hawkeyes vs. Cyclones, etc.) or anything else that's on your mind. Please be respectful, but say what's on your mind! And don't forget...it's still ok to post anonymously.
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Who’s leaving? You?
My family left in 2006 and will never be back, despite we do have family living in Stuart. That is what happens to towns dying.
later. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
People leave the state of iowa period. It’s been that way for some time now. I don’t swallow the bs that new buildings are going to bring in more people or provide for higher scores by students. It’s a tired excuse that has no documentation to back it up.
To March 9, 1:41. You may think that the quality of buildings has no impact on student achievement, but you would be wrong. I can provide research that supports this. So go ahead and vote no. You should find another reason though.
I agree 4:36
Why is the committee promoting this bond calling people and telling them to vote YES
Why is the committee promoting this bond calling people and telling them to vote YES - YES and NO on the dexter elementary site?
Karla Miller is sending out letters to recent WCV graduates. They did not send a copy of the official ballot just what they thought it would look like. I have seen an official ballot. People are going to be confused on how to vote. If YES people are calling they need to change their tactics and say they are calling to “urge” people to vote. Otherwise this is never going to pass! Karla Miller and Todd B are two of a kind! They need to stay out of it if they want this to pass! People like them are only doing a favor to the NO people.
Hello people, Nate went on vacation. I’m pretty sure that’s what this post is about. Could someone possibly post something other than comments about the bond issue??
thanks rose
What bond issue??
Nate, where did you go? I want a souvenir!
The Millers just sent out a reminder asking past graduates to get an absentee ballot if needed and vote.
There was no swaying of how to vote.
The sample was a sample of the absentee ballot form not the actual ballot on how to vote.
It was a good thing they did. It was only a reminder to recent graduates as alot of them are away at college and won’t be here the day of the election.
mountains out of mole hills. afraid of the recent grads voting?
I know of some recent grads who are not voting the way the YES committee is requesting. They have already requested their absentee ballots.
Well I know my grandpa’s brothers cousins sisters kids younger daughters friends aren’t voting the way YES committee is requesting also.
For those of you who think Sharon Sloss is in favor of a district wide elemntary in Dexter; I will say you are WRONG!!! She is doing whatever it takes to insure the west side elementary is in Stuart!
Like they teach you; It is as simple as voting YES for ABC!!!!!!!!!!
No one from the group supporting this bond is in favor of a district wide elementary in Dexter. They are telling people to vote NO on item C. We are voting NO-NO-YES.
Dexter and Redfield people are telling people to vote No No Yes
So, what is the difference?
They who are telling that from Redfield and Dexter were not on the committee that thought up this joke for a ballot.
What good does it do to vote no no yes. A and B have to pass for C to even have a chance
No point in voting no, no, yes because you can’t have the district wide elementary without approving the high school. Duh.
You proved my point 2:25. The YES group is trying to get everyone to vote YES on A&B but telling people to vote NO on C. I will be voting YES to C and NO to A&B..duh to you too!
I proved your point of not having a point? Okay then. Nice to know.
Rambo makes a great presentation to the public. I wish the actual ballot was presented so not to cause all the confusion. Remember it is simple if you want a high school and the elemntary in Stuart vote A&B. If you want the district wide elementary in Dexter then you have to vote Yes for A B C. Otherwise you are wasting your vote.
Just voting for option C will not get an elementary in Dexter. It takes yes to A B and C!
6:04pm I don’t consider it a waste of my time to vote NO on A&B and YES to C. Also, if the supporters of this bond believe they have the support of Menlo, think again! Rambo’s trick was trying to split the NO votes but it’s not going to work.
You might as well call the “yes,yes,no committee” by their real name, “The Gang of Three” because that is who really controls the group. I can see exactly what they are trying to pull on the voters. 17M, I can’t afford it! There is no warranty of just how much sales tax money will be used if any. Count on paying $4.05 per $1000 valuation of your property for the next 20 years.
Big deal! My house assessed at over 100k, i already pay over 1700 a year property taxes. If I were paying 4.05(never to exceed),after the math I’d be paying an estimated 190 more a year = to my house payment goes up 16 bucks a month. I don’t even have kids and I’ll willingly pay it!
QUIT BEING SO DAMN SELFISH!!!
the gang of three comes out! it’s time for the hate group of 4 or HG4 to be recognized! Just like old times again, calling each other names! Nothing like a bond issue to bring out the worst in people.
i will vote for pedro
Just who in the hell is the gang of three, anyway? You creeps are dilusional if you think three idividuals could possibly control this thing. Get a new tune to dance to. Your old one is really dumb to say the least. Do you know how really stupid you all sound? So stupid, that you don’t even realize what you sound like to outsiders who just read this stuff for entertainment. Even people who aren’t from there know that your vote won’t count if you vote no, no yes. Maybe that’s what shouldn’t happen…your vote won’t count. If you want to smell like mayberry, you’re doing a really good job. It is hilarious just how really stupid you are to deny the kids in your community a chance for an improved learning envirionment. Have a nice day.
Yeah, the east siders may be sheep and follow the hate group but the west siders can think for themselves. They aren’t led by a “gang of three.” I’m so sick of this excuse.
You want to talk about sheep? I think the entire town of Stuart counts as sheep. Not a one of them with any practical knowledge or experience. If times ever get bad you guys are screwed. Don’t turn to us for help because you will get turned away.
NO NO YES…That’s all I need to say.
Any one go to the meeting on the west side Tuesday night? I did. A few tried to put words in Rambo’s mouth and said that the transportation for a district wide would eat this district up. Rambo was quick to point out that it will be much cheaper to maintain 3 nearly new/new buildings than it will with the remolded Stuart elementary. No matter what it is going to be an old building with old wiring, plumbing, painted windows, mold, leaky roof on and on. Why would our board even consider putting money ino that rat trap. If its really all about the kids the end result will be a district wide in Dexter.
Ya its all about the town of Stuart. At Christmas when they do the charity for the needy and they need funds for this they go to the Redfield legion and ask to serve breakfast for the money they will receive. No fault of their own it had to be postponed because of weather but the legion went ahead and gave them the money before they actually earned it. When it was rescheduled for them to work only 3 showed up to help with this. Don’t come back to Redfield with your hands out again. You have proven what you are made of and what it is all about. It’s been nice knowing you. HA!!
Stuart has been the main support for almost anything the kids do.
Even the Dexter Legion Chili Cookoff is mostly supported by Stuart Businesses and not Dexter businesses or Redfield Businesses.
Based on valuations of homes.. does anyone knwo or ask to know how much more revenue is generated by Dallas County than Adair/Guthrie County.. seems to me valuations are up in Dallas, thus more fund would come from there to the schools fund?
Todd’s youngest got turned down by the Redfield Legion for his Eagle Scout fundraiser two years ago. I am glad they turned him down the way Todd has always bad mouthed Redfield over the years. Because of situations like that & people always looking for handouts the legion finally put a limit on the amount they hand out.
6:22 Yes I’m sure, actually I can gurantee, more money comes from Dallas County, Stuart seems to forget that though.
7:16 I agree 100% 7:16, I felt the same way.
Money might come from Dallas county, but Redfield and Dexter generate NONE of it. It’s all West Des Moines and Waukee. So, true to form Redfield and Dexter are mooching off of others in order to make themselves look better. Too bad we all know the truth. I mean it’s pretty bad when the kids who live there call it Deadfield.
So we are mooching off Des Moines, you Stuart and Menlo fools are mooching off of us. What is the difference?
Speaking of the Redfield Legion, I remember for a couple years (but not this year) the WCV High School Cheerleaders went to the Redfield Legion and worked… FOR FREE!!! At the time the cheerleaders and coach heard that the legion (whom help out ALOT) had put a limit on the amount of $ they would donate because every sports team and organization was going to them for money cause the school wouldn’t. So anyhow, the cheerleaders went to the Redfield Legion and worked a breakfast just as a thank you for all the the legion does for the school. Too bad that coach is now gone and other teams don’t step up and give back to the legion the way they have given to us!
The Redfield legion helped out $$ for warm ups two years ago for the boys basketball team and never received a thank you.
As far as Redfield and Dexter not generating any sales tax money in Dallas County; the last time I looked at the map people travel east toward Jordan Creek not west toward Stuart to spend their money. Look at all the plans for the area between Waukee and Adel. Redfield will be a suburb of Des Moines a lot sooner than Stuart!!!!!
Who gives a crap…. I believe this vote is about our school, and right now.
As much as I have looked into this current bond issue I believe that If it doesn’t pass it time to dissolve. Sorry to say, but time is up.
i agree bring on concurrent acttion! the previous board of idiots had it right. wcv going down down down
Regarding $.. and mooching. The SILO is only a component of revenue and can only be used for a specific purpose. What I want to know is based on property tax.. where does the money generate from?
You will pay the 17 million on this bond.
There is no warranty of just how much sales tax money will be used if any. Count on paying $4.05 per $1000 valuation of your property for the next 20 years.
What’s the interest on 17 million dollars for 20 years? You will be paying for that too!
Are you all forgetting all the money that comes from McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, the 4 motels in Suart, Casey’s, Kum and Go, Dollar General, just to name a few. You go into almost any of these businesses and they are always busy.
3:25 They are peanuts compared to what is generated by Jordan Creek in DALLAS COUNTY!!!
I think the point is that Stuart generates money through many businesses. What does Redfield and Dexter have that generates any money besides the Rusty Duck and the Dexfield Diner? Even those two restaurants don’t make the money Stuart ones do. Therefore, Redfield and Dexter are relying on Jordan Creek for all their money. That’s why they are moochers.
I reviewed the building plans in the flyer I received today. I was told these were not the actual building spaces but only something similar. How can they come up with an estimate of cost and not know exactly what they propose to build?
I do wish that the school board had been sincere in their intent of funding for this referendum on the ballot.
The wording on the ballot never mentions using any sales tax money for this bond. General Obligation Bonds in the amount of 16.95 Million Dollars means that the school board has access to that amount for the next 20 years from our property tax. If it truly was there intent to use the sales tax money that should have be printed on the ballot. Before you vote, remember you are saying YES to a $4.05 per $1000 valuation on your property for the next 20 years!
March 16, 10:23 p.m.
I totally agree with your statements. THey are putting out information that is not factual. THese are not the plans for our proposed building but yet they want you to vote yes for something like this. And YES they do NOT state anything on the ballott about using the 1 cent sales tax. I am voting NO and will give them 1 more chance to get it right. If this were about the children as they say it would have been worded differently but as we all know it all about Stuart and their wants. Its not about the NEEDS of this district it’s about the WANTS of STUART once again.
It says on part B “approval of this proposition shall not limit the source of payment of the bonds and interest”. That is where your sales tax money comes in. The ballot also states bonds not in excess of the $4.05 and also talks of a $2.70. The plans are not finalized, but it is a very similar building. All of this would depend upon a final walk through of the plans. No one is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. It is just like building a house. You come up with a plan, but it changes before your begin building. I’m voting yes and yes for sure, but what concerns me is the district wide in Dexter. Waukee caps an elementary far below what would be in this building. I wonder if the education of the children will suffer when they are in such a huge building.
The information being presented to the public is factual.
Some of us are calling our School Board members liars and then offering no evidence. Do we not have an obligation to be truthful with our own words before casting a stone at others?
If you had attended any of the information sessions, you would have learned that question B includes wording to authorize the use of sales tax revenue to pay down the bond debt. Your taxpaying board representatives who were elected by the people of this district have no interest in seeing property taxes be higher than is necessary to provide quality education for our kids.
The school board has given the public no reason not to trust them, and we should be very happy with their unified efforts to solve the district’s facility problems. And the beauty of our representative republic is that the voters can decide to replace members of the governing body if they see fit. Over the 20 year repayment of this bond debt, the voters will keep the board honest with the use of the sales tax. We the voters will ensure the sales tax will be used as intended.
Our school representatives have set goals to improve our facilities and are giving the public the option to decide on the location of the elementary in question C. Our middle school is now a very nice facility, and the Dexter building has seen many improvements. The board has put the next phase of the project on the table and have employed the services of a very experienced consultant to bring tax management and cost savings to the public vote.
The information meetings were a chance for the public to get their questions answered. We cannot blame the school board for our inability to either come to the meetings or ask the questions that would have helped us understand the facts.
The truth of the matter is that we have real facility problems that are impacting our ability to provide quality education. From inadequate teaching space and high maintenance costs on our oldest buildings, to our inability to attract teachers to replace those retiring, our district is in a real tough situation. Its not a matter of wanting this bond referendum to pass, it is absolutely essential that it does.
I beg the people of this district to do what is right and necessary for our kids and communities.
Please vote YES, YES, YES
or
Please vote YES, YES, NO
Thanks!
Please vote YES, YES, NO
Please check with the Waukee school district before you put misleading info on here. I personally know that the most recently built and/or new elem. facilities to be built with there currently passed bond is for 750 students per building. Ours will be in the 400 range(sorry I don’t have precise numbers)much less however and very manageable if you have the person willing to step up to the plate and do the job they are paid to do. We most likely will not have one of that size for some time, or if ever in our lifetime. The 3 buildings will be cheaper in the long run, i.e. - utilities(water & sewer,electric,gas,phone), building upkeep(3 roofs, not four), one less yard to mow, snow to push, and the list goes on….. There are staff savings such as library, janitor, food service, secretaries, plus staff that is shared that are paid mileage would be a big savings. The current IRS mileage rate as of Jan 1 was .505 cents per mile. There is a surplus even when the transportation cost is there as well. There is a difference also between a 1973-74 building versus a predominately 1961 building, with a 1989 shop wing. The layouts for Dexter is very friendly to our students educational needs. Take a close look at the west site, no or small on site parking, no established playground, landlocked to say the least, a chopped up design as well. There would still be a dungeon like section at the west side elementary, plus for the last 5-6 weeks a staff janitor has been repairing cracks and painting over in the “good” basement area and for what reason, something to hide? Mold by chance? Is it structuarly sound - not sure? Look at the crack clearly visible in the northeast corner of the luchroom. Plus at the meetings Mr. Rambo was asked when construction will begin and when each site would be finished and ready for students, H.S. fall 2010 - Dexter elem. fall 2010 - Stuart elem. - fall 2012, something very interesting! There is much to gain when this bond passes, it will be a huge weight off our shoulders but mainly our students. We will heal and make WCV a better school district than many of us ever thought imaginable. We can be a model for all of us to admire and be very proud of what we can have. Mr. Rambo will be the one of several persons to say “thank you” on 3-26 as well as our board for bringing our current school districts needs to the next much needed step forward. Our students will prosper, it’s certain, suffer? Not a chance!
no no yes still gets you nothing… nothing solved… nothing fixed… nothing done. no voice heard. We need these facilities today! We need to do this for the children of the district. Our tax dollars are needed.
The Dexter gym is not big enough and we really need the Gym at Stuart plus it will cost alot less to remodel Stuart for an elementary than to add new on to Dexter.
Plus
BUSSING!!
Why would we bus over 59% of the elementary kids that reside in Stuart to Dexter when they can stay right in Stuart. with the high gas prices, we could save alot just in that alone.
Don’t forget Menlo either. They are a part of this district and don’t really want their kids bussed any further than necessary.
That complaint (bussing) was clearly handled at last Tuesday’s night meeting. The music room has a stage for performances to enhance the gym. He (Rambo) answered every comment/question against the DWE. The letter in last week’s paper was insightful, and showed heart. Rambo has stated that the 1961 east wing has only 15+/-then we’ll be asking for a athletic complex, auditorium, and possibly more. Where will the priorities be then, higher costs in 5-10 years? Will the elementary kids building be “neglected” again? One elementary site now will assure us of the athletic site , auditorium in the years ahead at the H.S. Will the proposed lake project between DeSoto and Redfield happen. The map only given to person(s) invited to those meetings has hundreds of building lots only a half mile east of Redfield on the south side of Hwy 6. There is resistance to this, Lake Panorama was a tough sell, had its rough times early on. Look at it now! WCV could benefit at some time if it does happen. Those developers always seem to get what they want one way or the other. Lake front property in Iowa is expensive and is scarce to say the least almost anywhere you look.
The lake between Redfield and DeSoto won’t happen because there are Indian burial grounds in that area they want to flood.
Doesn’t matter anyway, the way things are going now, soon there will be no WCV SChool district , We will be busing our kids to Panora or Guthrie Center…How cool is that???
the last board had it right. bob cory nate deanna jeff wally harry - concurrent action split us up better for everyone
The district wide would be difficult with the small multipurpose room which was already pointed out. The other big concern is where are the kids going to eat lunch? The cafeteria entry section of the building isn’t being enlarged for more seating. The lunch in Dexter already begins at 11:30 and ends at 1:00. How are the kids all going to get fed? The playground will be gone with a new building so where will they play? Is new equipment going to be considered a part of the renovations? What is there is probably too old to move, and what is new is very small for 250 students. I don’t get what the benefits are. Obviously you’ll need two pe teachers to have pe will they share the gym? I’m confused how this will all work out. We need to think of those things too. Obviously a new kitchen isn’t in the works nor is a larger multipurpose room/ gym. I’m just worried, and none of those questions were answered. I want a new HS, and right now that is my main concern.
Concurrent action? It isn’t going to happen. Did you hear the news about the latest small school closing? The reality is that we are together. I hope the state comes in and says you are building a new school. End of story.
I attended that meeting on Tues and he said more than likely the current HS will be kept open for offices if the district wide passes. So they will still be paying to keep up 4 buildings. Learned alot at the meeting, very glad I attended.
12:11 If you had attended the meeting $5.9 will be spent on a Stuart remodel/addition for an elementary. The same $5.9 million would go toward the Dexter addition remodel if option C passes. Option C also would provide an additional $900,000 for the Dexter project. In the grand scheme of things $900,000 is not that much more money!
4:41 There is room for a playground north of the Dexter building. New playground equipment installed last fall could easily be moved. Part of the money is for a kitchen remodel. There are already two PE teachers that cover Dexter and Stuart. The schedule could be worked out. Call Dr. Arnold if you have more questions.
andy the village idiot shows up! good to hear from your dumbass
If you folks dont get it together and stop bitching about the tax $$ and all the folks that say they cant afford it, wait til this fails and Stuart becomes a ghost town. This town has a HUGE chance to become something with this new school. It is only a 1/2 hr from Des Moines. If u thinkg think voting no will save u, you are WRONG. You are voting to save not 1 town BUT 3, and all the good that can come from the area. This fails and the area fails…This is coming froming an outsider, and your tax is so low right now and seeing what u complain about, and what u can gain from the school way out ways not getting it.. just wish u couldn all get past this petty issues that devide you.
Voting NO NO YES!
Actually “?? on March 17, 2008 10:29 pm,” there are four towns in the district. Why is Menlo always being forgotten?
I agree with ?? we’ve got to get our acts together and pass this. If we don’t we are going to lose more kids to open enrollment and our property values will go down because no one is going to want to move here with a high school like ours. This is a great compromise for a new high school and to make improvements on a building for an elementary.
By the way 8:38 there is no kitchen remodel in the plan. That question was asked at the first meeting and Rambo said there are no plans for a working kitchen.
2 PE teachers? Too many kids out for recess? Overcrowded building? I don’t get it.
I would point out that Panorama has roughly the same enrollment as WCV. They have PK-5 in one building, one elementary PE teacher, one lunchroom (which doubles as a commons area). They stagger lunch times, and recess times, so all of the kids are not out all at the same time. There are ways to make it work, if you WANT to.
Somebody said Menlo classes are too big. One advantage of a district-wide elementary is the ability to balance the number of teachers and class sizes. If you have 66 kids in a grade, you can do 3 sections of 22; if you have 76, you can go to 4 sections of 19. That way you don’t have 2 classes of 24 in one building and 2 classes of 14 in another.
22-24 kids are too many in a class. If you have four sections, that means you have to have four rooms available for each grade level. Will the district-wide accomodate that need?
I bet it wouldn’t be an issue if they have to have 4 sections for 1 class in the Stuart elementary!! Deal with it.
Oh they point out in the blueprints that there are 4 classrooms per grade level. Is that a reality? No I’m sure there will be cuts because why pay 4 teachers if you could squeeze 22 kids into 3 sections as you pointed out up there. 22 is a very large class especially for the lower elementary.
Panora is not as spread out as our district is. It is a long ways from S. of Menlo to NE or Redfield.
Panorama can make it work better than we can because of this reason
Excuses Excuses!!!! This too will fail!
If you morons think that because you live in Dallas county, you are the “cash cow” for this school district, look again. Look at money generated by the individual towns on sales tax revenue. Your property taxes can be cut in half don’t you get it? Your properties are lower in average than the properties in Stuart, check the records. If there ever was a shot in the arm for ALL of us, it would be to pass the bond NOW. Looks like tough times ahead, and all we need is four communities with the repuation that they would rather fight and dry up than educate their kids.
The government is about to change how the so called “cash cow” counties distribute the money to rural schools. Don’t toot your horn too loudly, dallas co residents. What we do now will stand no matter what changes in the future with regard to the government funding. Things might not be the same another year. Certainly, not the option to actually vote for the district wide elem. in Dexter. They have made that clear. If all the elem goes to Dexter, and the middle school goes to Redfield, there are only 4 grades to Stuart. Doesn’t that make you drool? even a little bit? what would you say to the “stuart wants everything” rant that you all have? what would you dream up then?
Cost more to bus all the kids then the property tax to build new facilities….
Rather have my taxes going to a school building instead of a bus’s gas tank
I’ve heard from a lot of people voting for Proposition C and I think it will pass. I think District Wide Elementary is the best for the kids as it gets them all together from day one.
I haven’t been convinced about the high school in the past, but its hard to say no this time with part of the building falling in. Not to mention we finally have someone willing to do somthing about the high taxes.
I don’t want to see what happens if the kids don’t have good school buildings. And I’m not going to waste my Yes vote on prop C by voting No on A and B because nothing happens if they don’t pass.
I want the District Wide Elementary built on the Dexter building (its in the best interest of the kids). I’m voting Yes, Yes, Yes and will be glad when we are done fighting about this whole mess.
I’m voting NO NO YES !
9:15
In other words, you’re voting:
NO: I don’t want district wide
NO: I don’t want district wide
Yes: I do want district wide
You might as well stay home, cause you’re not really voting for anything. You’re canceling out your own vote.
Stick with the people who do want a district wide elementary in Dexter. I’m voting YES, YES, YES!
I’m voting YES YES NO. People have a point about the bussing. 60% of the kids in our district are going to be bussed and it’s not just a couple of years. It’s going to be for 8-9 years. The amount of money that is going to eat up is going to be hard for the district to cover. It just does not make sense to do that. Most of the kids in this district is in Stuart/Menlo area. Common sense says keep them in that town and use the money for educational needs like books, computers, etc.
sending Stuart elementary kids on a bus to Dexter is the same number of miles as sending them to Menlo. so, why is busing all the sudden a major concern?
Option C is a ploy to get previous NO voters to vote YES. A simple majority of 50% on Option C will insure that the elememtary will be located in Stuart. We will be voting NO NO YES!
Bussing is an issue because the district can save money if they didn’t have to bus 60%+ kids out of the town they live in. Bussing is NOT being financially responsible. Since the cost of everything is on the rise, I would think people would want to save some money. Not waste it away.
Save money and don’t built a new HS east of Stuart. I’m voting NO NO YES.
That’s just dumb 12:43.
I would like to know what those people voting “no-no-yes” hope to get accomplished?
If enough people vote that way, then there won’t be a new high school AND there won’t be a district-wide elementary in Dexter. Nothing will happen, plain and simple.
What would you then want to happen next?
Divorce
We are voting yes on C to make a point Broman, maybe that is a little bit over your head but try to follow along. Everyone is well aware that nothing will happen, it is the principal of the matter.
A new elementary shouldn’t have to be contingent on your Stuart getting its new high school. It’s just an attempt by Stuart to try to give the other towns something they might want so they will be more inclined to vote yes, yes, and yes.
It shouldn’t be a double standard and right now it is. Why not make it a requirement that all three have to be voted yes on to get a new high school? That Stuart can’t get a new high school unless the elementary portion passes. Can you tell me that since you seem to have all the answers?
Same crap, different year with you and Stuart.
It amuses me when some bloggers accuse me of not being very smart (”maybe that is a little bit over your head but try to follow along”), but then stating that I must be smart (”Can you tell me that since you seem to have all the answers?).
I know that your disdain comes from the fact that you disagree with my viewpoints, but your acid comments won’t help your case. However, THANK YOU for taking the time to answer the question that I posed.
So, you want the bond to fail, but at the same time state that you want a district-wide elementary. Ok.
What do you propose next? The formation of a new committee to come up with a different plan? Do you prefer that the elementary building issue be taken care of first and then later deal with a new high school? In the meantime, what do you suggest we do with the situation at the high school? How should this bond issue be presented? How should we vote? Should the new HS and district-wide elem. be put on the same proposition and then have the other propositions dealing with raising the property tax and PPEL funds to cover the costs?
You may protest, but I have never claimed to have the answer for everything, so that is why I am asking you.
By the way, when you point your finger at Stuart and me and refer to us as “crap”, remember there are three other fingers pointing back at you.
Despite your accusations, I will not stop from exercising my right to express my viewpoints and to point out weaknesses in the other side’s arguments. Am I always right? Heavens, no, so don’t accuse me of that.
The world is changing Broman. You better hold on tight because people.
You won’t get any answers Todd. All these people know how to do is call people names and slow progress of the school district untill it dies. Sounds like a form of cancer.
So I say this to the CANCER group, vote NO,NO,YES and prove your ignorance. Just stay home and beat your children because thier education will suck and they will be good for nothing.
Is common sense dead?????
No Broman, you didn’t answer my question. Why should option C be contigent on options A and B being passed? Why not all three have to happen to make it pass? I never said I wanted option C, but why is it contingent on A and B where A and B aren’t contingent on C?
You apprently don’t seem to have an answer for that question but yet want to know why people will vote no to A and B and yes to C. I told you the reason, why don’t you answer my question?
Oh and by the way Broman, would you support a H.S. in Dexter, Redfield, or Menlo (Answer specifically to all 3)?
6:01/6:03- I will defer your question to the group that came up with the ballot. Ask them.
Now, regarding your question to the location of the HS:
1) Dexter- No, because is not centrally located; it is smaller than Stuart.
2) Redfield- No, because it is too far to one side of the district; it is smaller than Stuart.
3) Menlo- No, because it is too far to one side of the district; it is smaller than Stuart.
4) Stuart- Yes, because it is closer to the center of the district, it is larger, it has the businesses, it is situated right along I-80 AND the District owns 40 acres on the town’s east side for the new high school.
In my travels as a sports official, I have visited with many coaches from area schools about our school situation AND NOT ONE OF THEM said that the new high school should be in Dexter, Redfield or Menlo, but in Stuart.
As one coach put it, “it makes more sense to have it in Stuart.”
By the way, you didn’t answer the questions I posed at 4:39.
5:02- would you clarify your statement, please?
ok, here we go again. just close the district down. who cares anyway. consolidation was all about the teachers, their union, and increased salaries for them. not about curriculum, just higher salaries. look at what the principles( spelling ? ) make. the last board really was right. concurrent action
Well I’m glad you clarified your position. You do not support a high school in any town but Stuart, yet it is for the children.
I just want everyone to see this, many times it has been said that it is for the CHILDREN but yet BROMAN will not support a high school elsewhere, only in Stuart. So tell me is it for the children? Obviously you want it for Stuart and Stuart alone, just like the rest of Stuart. I’m glad you and your true colors are coming out. For the children, what a joke you just showed everyone what you really are.
SO BROMAN DO YOU CONCEDE IT ISN’T FOR THE CHILDREN SINCE YOU ONLY SUPPORT A NEW BUILDING IN STUART??? There is a question. I love your reasoning, every other town is smaller.
And what do coaches have to do with anything? As far as I’m concerned sports shouldn’t even be involved in school and should be community based. I can’t believe you even brought up sports what a joke. How many people from the school has sports helped out after HS? How about your boys?
Who cares about the land in Stuart? They could sell that and get money for the new school.
Your post right there is going to push a lot of buttons, I think you will be brining a whole group of voters over to the no side right there. For the CHILDREN what a joke.
I hope everybody sees your post above, I mean everybody.
“Anonymous on March 20, 2008 5:02 pm
The world is changing Broman. You better hold on tight because people.”
This is an example of the education and intelligence of the “vote NO, NO, YES” group. Their concept of common sense is incomplete, just as this statement is.
Yeah Toddy the 40 acres is another reason east siders will keep voting NO. The excuse that we have the land and have to hurry up and get something built is a crock. If the 40 acres had been sold years ago and you and others wouldn’t have tried throwing Redfield out of the district by using concurrent action people might actually feel differently and might even consider voting Yes for all three options this time. Some wounds will never heal. I hope they decide to move your classroom to a portable building! Serve you right! As far as not having a high school in Redfield in hind sight maybe the Redfield building wasn’t as in bad of shape as once thought. Just keep it up Todd and this bond issue will fail also.
march 20 8:10 sounds like shirley
Who cares about coaches! Take a look at the number of coaches and assistant coaches the district has on their payroll. What a joke. The district can afford coaches but the elemntary teachers have to limit their purchases and have to end up purchasing materials out of their own pocket! Are we concerned about education or athletics?
why are we even considering another bond issue? I am really tired of tod and everyone. why isn’t tod are superintendant, he has all the answers.
Actually it WOULD be for the children because Stuart is the center of the district both geographically and population-wise. It is the only town with a full time paramedic, four police officers, several doctors, and a fire department where most of it’s people are in town constantly. It’s also the only town that is covered by two county sheriff departments and the only town with a quick and direct route to a hospital (the interstate if you were wondering). Stuart can handle the crowds that come for events with all the restaurants and gas stations. STUART is the only one that makes sense for a high school.
As for speaking to coaches from other schools, sometimes it can’t be helped. I have a friend that’s a teacher in a small school about 2 hours SE of Des Moines and she has “heard the mess about [our] school.” I was shocked that our situation had traveled that far. She has said some of the same things those coaches said though - the high school should be at the district center. Why does it seem clear to people from other schools around the state but not to the people from ours?
Oh we have to have all those high paid coaches. They are much more important that the teachers. After all if we pay all the coaches well than that means our sporst program does well. If our sports program does well than all the students get to go to college for free. If all of them go to college for free they will be much better educated. Also if they do well in college sports, which of course they all will, then all of them can go play sports for pro teams. Isn’t obvious why sports are important? I think it is pretty clear.
Isn’t Dexter close to the interstate and actually closer to Methodist or Mercy Medical Centers in Des Moines?
Please show me the map with Stuart being the geographical center of the district. It better be the exact and I mean exact center point. Pretty sure the point falls between Dexter and Stuart and I’m pretty sure it is closer to Dexter.
Red Maple area would be perfect!
Never has been for the children. Just for Stuart and people like Todd and his big ego!
Looks like whatever I post, some anonymous blogger will try to use it against me. Guess that comes with not being afraid to use my name. Surprising how many people continue to misspell my first name even though it is spelled correctly above my blogs.
No, I do not concede that by wanting the HS in Stuart is not for the children. A new building will benefit the kids regardless where the building is put, but to me, it makes better sense to put the HS in Stuart. Because it is a larger town, with more businesses, right along I-80 and closer the district’s geographical center are not good enough reasons?
What’s your beef with my quoting what other school’s coaches had to say about our situation? What if I stated that I was a supply pastor and worked at area churches and the parishioners said the same thing?
What if I was a salesman and my clients in area towns said the same thing?
Just because I use my experiences as a sports official doesn’t lessen the importance of what other people (who happen to be coaches) say.
What’s your angle about whether sports helped anyone after HS? What does that have to do with the location of the HS? It appears to me that you were not involved with athletics, which is OK with me, but don’t go trashing sports. By the way, my oldest son played 4 years of college football and my youngest has already put in 2 years of college football. I haven’t heard either of them say that sports have been a waste of their time.
Now, back to the subject at hand. You call me a “joke”…why? Just because I am not afraid to speak my mind and not hide behind the “anonymous tag”? You make me feel that I have the power to sway the masses resulting in a surge of “no voters.” You need to take a reality pill.
So, instead of chastising me, let’s stick to the issues. All you have been doing to is moving away from the subject by trashing me. Have I been calling bloggers a “joke” and denigrating them?
Now, some past history…I did not campaign for concurrent action (yes, you read that right!), because I felt that it would be unfair to my students who lived in Redfield. I did not complain when the school board decided to devote sales tax monies towards the new Redfield addition and the Dexter remodeling. I didn’t complain that the middle school was in Redfield. My wife and I made the trips over there to support our sons in their sports and fine arts activities.
So, to all of you who claim that I don’t think on behalf of the kids…you are so full of it!
Now, I look forward to you making your case without trashing my family, myself, my occupation or teaching ability, etc.
So move the new HS two to three miles and everything is just fine?
Just like we heard that if the Dexter building gets remodeled and we spend $4 million in Redfield to fix the MS problems, the district will start to heal and we’ll be able to fix the problems of the HS and west elementary?
Tell me this, oh wise people of the blog, why is Stuart not the logical place for the HS? Even if you think there might be a better spot for it, why can’t it even be considered in the top two or three choices? Why does it not even register in the minds of some that a new HS located in Stuart is at least a viable option?
I hear people calling Stuart greedy, but those same people are telling us that a WCV district with zero kids going to school in the towns of Menlo and Stuart is the best solution. MS in Redfield, District Wide Elementary in Dexter, and a HS in or near Dexter. That means no schools for Menlo or Stuart. The biggest town in the district and all the kids get bussed? What a great solution for education and financial soundness of the district.
Tell me how this makes any sense?
I think its funny that no one will come to reality on where and how this school district should move forward. All I see is a bunch of bickering and whining about how it isn’t fair to the other towns. Well lets just dissolve this district and see how far your schools go…
I dont think any people asked for the stupid ballot option for a district wide elementary in Dexter. The only reason that got put on there by the powers that be is some hope that it will help appease the other towns and make them vote yes to the first two options. Hmm logic anyone?
Put the HS anywhere but Stuart and you will get your new HS, unless of Stuart decided not to support it. But Stuart would support it in any location, because it for the children right?
I don’t see how Broman or anyone from Stuart can argue with the fact that after it being defeated 6 times allready with the locaiton in Stuart that maybe it is time to try something else. There seems to be a common theme on the last 6 times wouldn’t you say Tod? Wouldn’t you say that maybe that shows that some new options need to happen?
Maybe this time it will pass, who knows, but if it does it will only be due to confusing ballots or the hope for a elementary in Dexter. But no one has addressed what happens to the surplus teachers if that happens.
Oh Andy, you were then and you are now.
To Anonymous March 20,2008 @ 8:34pm
“Isn’t Dexter closer to Mercy or Methodist in Des Moines?”
Yes geographically it is, but in Stuart we don’t have to wait for a transporting ambulance to come the county seat or a town 35-40 minutes away(Perry or West Des Moines) So Stuart has 2 units available with a conditional paramedic level of care 24-7. I ask you Which you you rather have? I choose Stuart. I have a scanner and when there is no ambulance available, Dallas County Dispatch calls Perry or West Des Moines to come to Dexter instead of calling Stuart. That is protocall because WDM and Perry are in Dallas county. Response time is many times critical in the outcome of an emergency situaition. They could have called Stuart(4 miles away) ,but NO they call Perry or WDM. Lives are in jeapordy. Yes Dexter has excellent First Responders, but the fact remains that they must wait to be transferred to the hospital. In emergencies, minutes count! Think about it!
When was the last time an ambulance was called for a “life threatening emergency”?
There is a very good reason why people are voting NO NO Yes. The bond promoters thought by having the different options on the ballot that they would convince former NO voters to vote YES. At the same time bond promoters are instructing people to vote NO on option C. This scenario is not going to work because people have become aware of this tactic. Our family is voting NO NO YES this Tuesday.
You persuaded me Todd, I will be voting NO NO YES.
Watch out Guthrie and Panora…Guess our property taxes will be paying for schools in those towns next since thats where the County wide schools will be…And those towns are much farther from Des Moines… Plus all the jobs that will be lost from WCV.. All that because Redfiled and Dexter residents dont want Stuart to have the High School. Afraid to pay a few extra dollars on taxes yet dont mind paying the bill for your cable and hi-speed internet every month… And how much money has been put into the Menlo building lately??? What a shame to see such a great school district go down in flames…because of things that happened 30- 40 years ago..Build a bridge and get over it…
Tod, what can you tell us about several nearby school districts that now will refuse to play basketball at Menlo starting next fall? Did the IHSAA get involved?
I understand the no, no, yes vote. You’re making a political statement and think we’re being fooled into something. However, I must say that this is no longer the time for making political statements.
The arguments in the past have been about taxes, cost management, not taking care of all building needs, communication with the public, and trust in the school board.
The board has seen several new members over the past few years. What has this new board done? They’ve addressed the facility needs of the east elementary and middle school. Now they’re addressing the needs of the west elementary and high school. In planning for the long-term needs of the district, the board has unanimously recognized the need for a new high school. They’ve also worked on finding solutions for the west elementary.
As the only financing of these projects is with a bond referendum, the board made the decision to go to the public for the funding. Understanding the challenges of the past, the board hired a tax and cost management consultant to facilitate the planning and communications with the help of people from across the district.
The tax management and facilities planning committee met several times and put together a plan that made sense and would be most acceptable to the voters. The plan calls for the use of sales tax to significantly reduce property taxes over the life of the bond. The group also agreed on the need for a new high school and also a need for the ballot to give a choice on the solution for the west elementary.
The school board reviewed the committee’s recommendation and decided both elementary options were workable solutions, and it made sense for a majority vote to decide the location.
The arguments of the past are gone. All of the school buildings have either seen needed improvements or will with the passage of the bond vote. Property taxes will be much less with this plan. The consultant has demonstrated to the board his plans for quality and efficient buildings at lower cost. Communication with the public has been give and take, and there were six informational meetings in each of the towns along with documentation of the plans and intentions of the board distributed to the households of the district. And from their actions and openness with the public, this new board has restored the trust with the people.
On March 25th, the district is at a real crossroads. Do we help this board put the last piece of the puzzle into solving our critical facility needs so that the district can heal and move forward educationally, or do we continue making political statements that are now based solely on grudges or misinformation?
If you want to ignore the progress of the school board and district, and you continue to see the whole world working against you, by all means, don’t let anyone stop you from voting no, no, yes.
I’ve recognized the wonderful accomplishments, and the good people across the district, and the great things to come if we work together.
I’m voting to support the efforts of our school board members. I’m voting for the needs of the students and teachers. I’m voting for the needs of families and communities. I’m voting to heal the district and move forward.
What are you voting for?
i have always favored the high school in stuart
You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig but it’s not going to pass. I’m voting NO NO YES!
Let’s hope for the sake of everyone that your pig mentality is not representative of the majority.
I believe the heart of WCV is better than that. People realize the progress that’s been made and the differences this time around. There’s hope for the future.
Go Wildcats!
8:03 a.m.- I haven’t heard anything official about other schools not wanting to play basketball games in Menlo. However, when I was working at a wrestling tournament, the superintendent at Guthrie Center commented about how they (GC) were going to ask other schools to consider not playing in Menlo because of it being too small (seating wise) and of the times that condensation builds up on the floor making conditions dangerous.
I am guessing that the IHSAA was not involved.
Our A.D., Ed Jennings, would know more about that.
8:21- very eloquent.
Well spoken 8:21. Thank you!
i am voting for concurrent action
Since it’s supposed to be “all about Stuart,” I want to know why the DEXTER COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD says “Vote March 25 - Dexter’s Future - We need all voting.”
Shouldn’t it say “Our Kids Future” if Dexter was for the students & not for themselves? Hypocrites.
Stuart should have a sign stating, “Our Business Depends on YOUR vote March 25″.
Redfield and Dexter should have signs stating, “Who cares about Stuart amd Menlo put all WCV schools in our 2 towns”
i am voting for concurrent action. bring back the old board
this entire bond issue is about us vs. them. stuart vs. redfield, dexter vs. stuart, menlo vs. everybody. the only people who have come together are the kids. this bond issue will fail just like the rest of them. proposition c will pass with flying colors. just look at the names on the flyers sent around town all women from the stuart area and all saying vote no to prop. c. we are not together, the last board had it right, once this fails it is time to admit our mistake and seperate the district for the good of everyone.
Didn’t it make you proud that these women from Stuart are calling and mailing out flyers encouraging people to vote NO on Option C? They claim to care about “the children” but it’s so perceptible that they have an agenda to divide the district. Now that I’m aware of this tactic I have no choice but to vote NO NO YES.
Hello. Tod, I complement you for having the courage to post your name. The same extends to you Andy Forcht. As I read through these posts a couple of questions come to mind. If both of you would please respond I would sincerely appreciate it. Thank you, concerned and tired of all all the fighting, stuart citizen.
1. If this election should fail what do we do next?
2. Is concurrent action a reasonable cource for this board to follow? and why
3. Why cannot the people of our district come together as one united group?
4. Do the voters in Redfield and Dexter have any justification in voting NO NO YES?
5. Is consolidation a success for WCV? and why
Thank you gentlemen for your courage and time. A truly sincere stuart citizen.
CONCURRENT ACTION!
In my opinion(take it or leave it)~
If the bond fails a 7th time how much longer can the kids in the district be packed and crammed into the library, lunchroom, etc of the high school? Mr Rambo stated in the meeting that 150K was added to the bond to tear down the old portion of the HS so without the bond passing the old still stands. So to answer your first two questions the board will be faced with the question, Do we risk the education and saftey of the students for another year? What is the quickest way to move forward with the district? Its going to come down to how much time is left before the state steps in and locks the doors.
Reading the blogs and opinions of the many anons(most are the same person, besides the point) it seems to me as there is too many chiefs and not enough indians. Everyone has thier own perspective; they don’t want higher taxes, don’t like the fact that Stuart bought land when we weren’t consolidated, they hate a certain few in the opposte towns, they don’t want to see the school leave thier town, yada, yada yada… but none can propose a better resoltion to the problem. They’d rather keep rejecting it than approach the bond with an open mind and look at it from both sides.
To justify the NO,NO,YES vote they might as well stay home, but for a political statement as thats all it is, no one will notice when they see the numbers. Because if you are for the bond propostion A and B should ultimately be an identical nuber with propostion C being the one to vary. I would bet the farm that A and B won’t be a matching number anyways because too many people don’t read the ballot, understand it, or care because they just do what others tell them to. So voting NO NO YES is like wiping before ya poop, it just doesn’t make sense.
Consolidation is a success for the kids. I attended 3 years in redfield for Jr High and never knew of any problems or heard of any for that matter. All my classmates seemed to get along well. Those were the years of 96 thru 98 which was actually the first years of the district when it was just plain ol’ West Central. So for the kids it works great, but the parents just see it as a hassle on them having to deal with other towns and trying to coincide with something “different” to them.
So to the people of West Central Valley just think about it. Approach the bond open minded and think about what benefits the students. These are my opinions and obervations read it or not. Also to the few or one, feel free to go ahead and call me names and do it so under an anon name so no one will know who you truley are. Usually the ones doing the name calling are more afraid of what others might call them and throw attention to someone else.
Happy Easter!
thank you Andy. good work.
Well said Andrew
Something seriously bad will happen to one of our kids before anything is done. I hate to say it.
I am a former student of Mr. B’s and I just want to say that he is one of the better teachers at WCV. I have not always agreed with him, but I will always respect him.
happy easter everyone. to anyone else, has consolidation been a success for WCV? yes or no and why. thank you
Happy Easter everyone! I will post my answers to the above questions in CAPS.
1. If this election should fail what do we do next?
TRY AGAIN. AM I A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT? NO, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THE KIDS. THE “NO-NO-YES” VOTERS HAVEN’T SAID WHAT THEY WANT DONE DIFFERENTLY EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THEY DON’T WANT TO BE BLACKMAILED INTO APPROVING A NEW HS IN ORDER TO GET A DISTRICT WIDE ELEM. IN DEXTER.
MAYBE A NEW COMMITTEE HAS TO FORMED AGAIN TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE WEST WING HAS TO BE TORN DOWN, SO THE DISTRICT WILL HAVE TO FIND THE FUNDS TO GET THAT DONE.
2. Is concurrent action a reasonable cource for this board to follow? and why
IN MY OPINION, NO. WHY? BECAUSE I TRULY THINK THAT THE KIDS WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY IT. THE UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHERE THEY WILL BE GOING TO SCHOOL LOOMS LARGE.
I QUESTION WHETHER DEXFIELD WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE RESURRECTED BY THE DEPT. OF ED. WILL THEY HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY OFF THE DEBT INCURRED BY THE NEW BUILDING/RENOVATIONS? THEIR LOW STUDENT ENROLLMENT WOULD NOT PROVIDE MUCH FUNDING FROM THE STATE (I TRULY DOUBT THAT A MAJORITY OF THE OPEN-ENROLLEES OUT WOULD RETURN). WHAT KIND OF CURRICULA WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? WOULD THE 2 TOWNS TRY TO JOIN EARLHAM OR ADM? WHAT KIND OF CONDITIONS WOULD EARLHAM/ADM IMPOSE ON REDFIELD/DEXTER IN ORDER TO JOIN?
WHAT ABOUT STUART/MENLO? THERE WOULD STILL BE THE AGING MENLO BLDG. AND THE WEST WING THAT HAS TO BE TORN DOWN. THEIR CURRICULA WOULD TAKE A HIT LEAVING FEWER CHOICES FOR THE STUDENTS.
EVERY PRE-K THROUGH 12 TEACHER WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB IF THE DISTRICT DISSOLVES. THEN WONDER WHICH “NEW” DISTRICT WOULD HIRE THEM BACK IF AT ALL.
HOW TO DIVIDE UP THE EQUIPMENT, BOOKS, SUPPLIES, ETC. WOULD BE MIND BOGGLING. PLUS, THE COST OF REPLACING NEEDED EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, ETC.
3. Why cannot the people of our district come together as one united group?
IT DATES BACK TO THE BLOOD RIVALRY BETWEEN S-M AND DEXFIELD. AS IT HAS BEEN SO ACCURATELY STATED BY OTHERS, THE KIDS ADAPTED MARVELOUSLY BUT THE PARENTS HAVEN’T. IT BOTHERS ME THAT DURING HOMECOMING STUDENTS WOULD WEAR OLD S-M OR DEXFIELD CLOTHING. THIS PROVES TO ME THAT THE PARENTS OF THESE STUDENTS ARE USING THEIR KIDS TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
I JUST WISH THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS AND CITIZENS WHO DON’T HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL WOULD USE COMMON SENSE FOR ONCE. DON’T LET EMOTIONS CLOUD THEIR JUDGMENT.
4. Do the voters in Redfield and Dexter have any justification in voting NO NO YES?
I WAS TOLD BY ONE BLOGGER THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE A STATEMENT BY VOTING THAT WAY. WHAT THEY WILL DO IS MAKE THINGS MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE TROUBLING CONDITIONS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
WHO IS TO SAY THAT THE INTEREST RATES WILL BE AS LOW THE NEXT TIME A BOND ELECTION COMES AROUND? YES, THE RATES COULD EVEN BE LOWER, BUT A FAILED VOTE MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 6 MONTHS TO VOTE ON ANOTHER MEASURE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS THIS TUESDAY’S.
THE MAJORITY OF THE NO-NO-YES VOTERS DON’T HAVE TO WORK IN THE HS OR THE MENLO BLDG. SO IF THE VOTE FAILS IT’S NO SKIN OFF OF THEIR BACK. IT WILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT NEW TEACHERS AND FAMILIES TO THIS DISTRICT IF THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACILITIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
5. Is consolidation a success for WCV? and why
YES, IT IS. MY WIFE AND I CAMPAIGNED HARD BACK IN 1999 AND 2000 TO GET THE CONSOLIDATION VOTE APPROVED BY THE STUART AND MENLO VOTERS BECAUSE WE SAW THE ADVANTAGES OF COMBINING THE TWO DISTRICTS. OUR SONS BENEFITTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATION BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE IN TERMS OF CURRICULA AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
BY COMBINING THE TWO DISTRICTS, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR FINANCES IN TERMS OF SPENDING POWER, TAX VALUATION, ETC.
THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION AND THE PARENTS/CITIZENS THAT BELIEVE IN WCV HAVE MADE THIS DISTRICT STRONG.
Andy, you did a great job posting your thoughts and opinions at 4:57.
Thank you, 2:22 a.m., for your nice compliment.
Yeah Broman, Children’s welfare but yet you won’at support a HS anywhere in Stuart.
You are full of crap and a waste of oxygen.
Yeah Broman, Children’s welfare but yet you won’t support a HS anywhere BUT Stuart.
You are full of crap and a waste of oxygen.
Explain to me 4:33/4:34 WHY I should support a HS in any of the other 3 towns? I have given my reasons before why I feel that the HS should be in Stuart.You say that I am full of crap (TWICE) now prove to me and the other readers that you are not full of crap either.
Tell me WHY the HS should NOT be in Stuart. You try to talk tough by calling me names, now prove to me you know what you are talking about.
Thank you Tod for responding. Very good work.
The kids in the Menlo building have been in that situtation for years and their was not the urgent rush to condem that school nor is there any money in the bond to demolish that building if not being used. I guess we will just leave that eye sore fore the people of Menlo to look at forever. Take their votes and moneybut give them nothing in return. No wonder a bond has never passed like everyone already knows its all about STUART!!! We better call for a new Stinker count.
Don’t say it is for the children Todd. If it was truly for the children Todd you wouldn’t give a crap where it is at.
The Mar. 20th Stuart Herald has an article from a ( concerned WCV citizens ) It say’s things that just don’t seem right to me.
The Facilities Cost Management Group has said the Stuart and Dexter elementary Sites are equal from a educational and space requirement standpoint.
They have worked with the school board to set it up that way, I trust their expertise.The Facilities Cost Management Group has said the existing multi-purpose room at Dexter is not as large as they would like, but is adequate.
The existing Dexter library would be enlarged as part of the remodeling plan.
The bussing of elementary students to Dexter would be less than the bussing that’s going on right now.
*The parking ( is ) planned for. *
*The playground ( is ) planned for.*
There is more than enough room at the Dexter site.
It seems to me that if we get a new high school building with a gym twice the size of anything we’ve had before, large school program’s would probably be held their.
Proposition C will cost our district $910.000 more in a 17 million dollar bond issue, a small price to pay for a Finished School System.
*Vote yes on C*
,One concerned WCV citizen.
To anonymous @7:54 AM on March 20th,
About bussing; Think about what you are saying. I live in Stuart and my kids were bussed all but 4 years. They went to Menlo Pre-K through 5th grade. I remember that they rode the bus. Then they rode the buss for the next 3 years too. I live in town. When you live in the country you expect that you’ll have to ride the bus to school. I also believe that it is the same distance from Stuart to Menlo as it is From Stuart to Dexter. The only difference is that we will also be putting the Menlo kids on the bus.
7:51, neither would you.
How much will it cost the property owner to pay for this bond for the next 20 years? No one, not even the informational meeting has satisfied my inquiry on this important question.
The language used to authorize the school board to levy taxes against my property for this bond states that the property owner will be assessed from $2.70 - $4.05 per $1000 valuation of your property. You will more then likely be paying the $4.05 per $1000 valuation.
There is NO guarantee that ANY sales tax will be used to pay off the bond. Can anyone give me a guarantee?
No one can give you this guarantee! They tell us we can sue them if they don’t do as they say but checking with a lawyer just what law have they broken? They did not honor their INTENT to use the sales tax!! This is a joke for a bond!
I have very little trust for the administration or school board. Their actions in the past bond referendums just prove that they are not to be trusted! Sales tax is a pie in the sky. The language on the ballot protects the school board from any future lawsuits. Go by the legalese that was posted by law. The property owner will be assessed anywhere from $2.70 - $4.05 per $1,000 valuation for a period of 20 years. It does not mention anything which would guarantee using sales tax!
thank you again shirley
The guarantee is with the people of the district. WE elect the board members. Our board members serve 3 year terms. If the board keeps property taxes higher instead of using the sales tax, WE can vote them out of office. WE can elect new board members to properly manage the sales tax.
With that said, I do trust our board members. They are all good people, and guess what, they all have to pay property taxes just like the rest of us. They don’t want to pay higher taxes either!
The way I see it, if we don’t pass this bond vote and support the efforts of our board and teachers, we’ll be GUARANTEED a spot at the top of the list of school districts for the State to step-in and start shipping our kids to other school districts.
Quit whining about guarantees and go support the good people on the board. They’ve put a lot of volunteer time into the education of our kids. You’ve run out of arguments to fight the bond vote, so now you’ve turned to attacking the board members.
Show your Wildcat Pride voters!
Vote YES!
Better days are on the way!
Heather stay off this blog!!
Completion dates are:
H.S. fall 2010
DWE @ Dexter fall 2010
west elem. fall 2012
Will our Menlo building be safe that long?
Will the try to hide structural problems that were “secretly” being addressed for 6 weeks in the “good” basement of the Stuart building be detrimental in 5-10+/- years?
We do not need to put any agendas in front of the patrons. It must pass and I know it will. If by chance it doesn’t, our best days might be out of our reaches.
Does anyone have any substantial evidence that the state, or more commonly reffered to as the Dept. of Ed., is even discussing our school district. I doubt that they are. They have bigger problems to deal with. If you do, then by all means please post what you know. I just get tired of people posting “the state will come in”. I mean really, the sky is falling only works so many times.
Will I think the state does need to get involved soon!! The Menlo building today had NO water when they finally did the stools were OVERFLOWING!! WHat a mess this is really really SAD. I hope everybody thinks of ALL the kmids when they VOTE TUESDAY
Stools overflowing? Sounds like another case of poor maintenance. If they can not keep up with these everyday items, how in the world would they take care of new buildings.
NO NO NO tomorrow!
Our janitors do everything they can and they can only do what they are told to do. If it werent for them the stuart school would have fallen down a long time ago They hold our school together literally!
I was not putting any blame on the janitors. I know they do an excellant job. I also realize they have to receive permission from the administration. These are the people I put at fault. Remember the big fuss about fixing the stall door in the boys bathroom? That was one of the reasons they said we needed a new HS last time.
If this doesn’t pass, I hope someone starts a petition to dissolve this district or at least one to take to the Board of Ed to beg them to do something.
I do wish Todd was the one retiring from the WCV staff, but then he would have more time on his hands to post his crap blog messages or write his ridiculous sports column for the paper.
Phone call @ 7 P.M.
What did your caller ID show?
It seems like a person/group hired someone to bust the bond!
I’ve decided to vote NO NO NO!
Yes Yes No also no heat in the Menlo building on Monday. What do you do when your car gets old? Trade it in or just keep pouring money into it and hope it makes another trip…Same prinipal with the school buildings. No brainer.
Bond Buster is still at work. Illegally hacking into the City of Menlo phone line and calling people with a bunch of BS saying the school was being paid for with higher property taxes and to vote NO NO NO
I hope the people get caught and serve time for their illegal activity.
The case is under investigation. I would be shaking in my boots if I was one of the ones responsible.
Maybe Karla Miller and Nate need to be under investigation for illegal access to mailing lists, oh wait, maybe they are.
To March 24, 5:24 p.m. & March 25, 5:21 a.m.
I live in an older house. Through the years my stools have over flowed & my furnace has quit running. You know what I did? I called a plumber to fix the stool problem and a furnace technician to fix my furnace. Then when my furnace was too old to fix, I replaced it - I didn’t tear down the whole house and build new a new one. And guess what - my home has plenty of good years left. In fact it will probably outlast me.
someone call ron pual
should be paul
Hey 9:37?
Why did you replace your furnace?
What do you mean it was too old to fix?
I’m sure you could have kept pouring money into replacement parts and paying the furnace technician to fix it. Why did you take out the whole furnace and replace it with a new one? Even it you could only get it to work 80% of the time, isn’t that good enough? Or maybe it would only heat the house to 55 degrees on the cold days. You could have lived with it right?
No? Instead you made the decision to REPLACE the furnace because a cost/benefit analysis told you and your furnace technician that buying new was the most cost effective for the desired heating results.
Your school board has done the same analysis of the buildings.
Its time for new construction in WCV!
Vote YES today!
Hey 11:28?
I know if my furnace technician would have told me to tear down my home and build new just because my furnace wasn’t working, I would have told him to jump in the lake. Which is what you’re suggesting we do when things break down in our schools. Here’s a news flash for you - even new construction has problems with furnaces & plumbing. If we follow your advice, the first time the stools overflow or the furnace quits running in our new school (should the bond pass) then we need to tear it down and build new.
Right. we are talking schools here where you have 100’s of kids thru the doors daily compared to a house. Most people take pride in their own stuff then in public buildings
Hey 11:45?
If it were just a matter of a furnace breaking or a toilet overflowing, I could understand your point. But when we have constant problems with mechanics, plumbing, and structure, on top of educational deficiencies of a non-modern building, it tells us we have problems that need to be dealt with.
Apparently you think buildings have an infinite useful life. If not, what must happen for a school board to make the decision to build new? Should the school board spend money to fix the west wing of the high school?
And you still haven’t answered the question about why you got rid of your furnace?
get back to work heather
Its the principal of the thing. What about the teachers that have to work here? Ever wondered why they leave after a year or two? Not just about the kids. But as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. Nothing last forever.
March 24, 8:39 p.m.—does this mean I’m not on your Christmas card list?
What is going on now ? Phone system hacking, people in Menlo and Redfield getting automated phone calls with phony caller ID numbers/names ? At least the women from Stuart and Menlo had the guts to put their names on the letter sent out. The talkers say the state will send the kids to A-C, Earlham, etc., don’t you think those parents are already sending their kids there anyway ? Open your eyes, do you know how much the WCV district loses on open enrollment ?
Any results rumors yet ?
You aren’t on anyone’s Christmas list Todd, that is for sure.
Roll out the red carpet
I beg to differ, 7:52. Sounds like sour grapes.
Thank you everyone who supported this issue. Especially to Nate for sticking his neck to publicly support this.
The kids and the teachers won!
Thank you so very much!
Work together now!!! If you don’t what a same! Thank God we moved to TEXAS!!!! This is why we should of never spent 6 years in Stuart!!
We face unmounting increase in growth, three times that of Waukee, and we have 3 new schools building in 2 huge school districts around. Not your problems in our neck of the woods. Your have mentalities to deal with. And closed minds at that! But not all are closed!! Keep fighting but you have a long hard journey to deal with.