School Board Attorney to make $295,000 + + +

[Synergy]

Lewholt wrote:

<quoted text>
Thats what my wife said. We didn't protest ours and I think the miliage rate went up. I think. I just pay like an idiot. How comes once in a while you talk to me like a normal person but most other times you say hateful things?

Last question is a fair one. I enjoy posting with you when you are not being inflammatory and caustic. We are not on the same page politically and sometimes I take your sarcasm personally. After a Democrat victory, you start numerous threads with extremely sarcastic oneliners or you dig up old threads and blast off something really sarcastic. Sometimes it's funny, but most of the time it's not anymore because you say the same things over and over. I respect the way you pour over politics and sometimes share your knowledge in a civilized way, but most of the time your delivery is horrendous, imo. I had rather converse with you in a normal manner like normal people. You just make it a little difficult and then I fire back and we're off to the races. Perhaps if we backed off from the sarcasm a bit and accepted victories with a little more humbleness, all of us on this board might accomplish more productive dialog. I'll be interested in your reply to this post.

[Scott]

Over the Hill wrote:

What about the buses. In my day the buses were three to a seat and they were full. Today, I see buses leaving my grandaughters school only half full. Fill them up even if the trip is longer. The children will survive a FREE bus ride home even if it is a little longer and more crowded. Fill those buses up and cut down on the gas, maintenance etc... If the parents don't like it they can come and pick the little darlings up each day.

I've actually heard there are a dozen bus drivers hanging around the bus shed playing cards while being paid as back-up bus drivers. Are that many necessary? How much more money would that save?

[Scott]

Janet wrote:

The whole issue with having to have the standards posted and having to refer to them if any "official" person steps into the classroom is really ridiculous. It does NOT make a better teacher, simply takes away preparation time for lesson planning. It does nothing to increase children's learning. It is a dictum from Central Office that principals are afraid not to follow to the letter. Then they all try to one-up each other to see just how much extra work they can put their teachers through.

Agreed 100%. Thanks Janet! DouglasvilleNOW is trying to compile all this sort of information so that it can be brought to the attention of the new superintendent when that time comes. Hopefully that individual will be strong enough to act rather than just push pencils around on behalf of our school attorney and School Board Chairman.

[Synergy]

Having the standards posted may be a SACS requirement. From what I understand, that association will nail you if you don't follow the rules to the letter. Just sayin'.

[Over the Hill]

Synergy wrote:

Having the standards posted may be a SACS requirement. From what I understand, that association will nail you if you don't follow the rules to the letter. Just sayin'.

That is a good point Synenergy. I had not thought about the fact that some of this stuff come come down from SACS or the federal government.

Why in the world would that many backup drivers need to be sitting around. I also agree with the previous post about using the classroom aides as substitute teachers. That would save money too.

[Keith Thornton]

Joe13872 wrote:

<quoted text> You know I really thought Jeff Morris would stand up for the right thing, but I guess he just fell in with the rest of back rubbers.

It's a case of voters voting for the most popular guy instead of what the guy stands for.(who you know) I ran the last time against Jeff and lost the primary. He coached for all of those years and knew a lot of people. I came from Cobb County a few years ago and am new to the County. I have thought about running again in 2010, I'm not a government employee and would attempt to run the BOE as a business.

[Scott]

Keith Thornton wrote:

<quoted text>
It's a case of voters voting for the most popular guy instead of what the guy stands for.(who you know) I ran the last time against Jeff and lost the primary. He coached for all of those years and knew a lot of people. I came from Cobb County a few years ago and am new to the County. I have thought about running again in 2010, I'm not a government employee and would attempt to run the BOE as a business.

Keith- We should get together. Jeff seems like a nice enough guy, but how you vote and the company you keep defines your priorities. Jeff has fallen on the wrong side of that coin a few too many times. We need independent thinkers who take time to analyze the issues and arrive at their own conclusions, not those who are easily influenced by being petted by the perceived powerful/cool crowd. That stuff should have ended before people graduated from high school and has no place on our school board. I'll reach out to you.

[Scott]

Synergy wrote:

Having the standards posted may be a SACS requirement. From what I understand, that association will nail you if you don't follow the rules to the letter. Just sayin'.

I wince at the mention of SACS. I sincerely hope we can clean up what's gone on with our school board without intervention from SACS. Douglas County doesn't need the ill publicity and I believe we have enough intellectual thinkers here to reset the selfish and self serving way money and personnel matters have been handled the past 10 years under Ed Murray and Ken Bernard. Since their hand picked lapboy, Jimmy Bartlett is out in 2010, that will be a major step in the right direction.

[Lewholt]

wess12 wrote:

<quoted text>
I appealed mine....didnt work:(
I would like to know if anyone has ever appealed theirs at it been reduced?? I could NEVER sale my house at what they value it at. I could never sale my rental property at what they value it at.

They did in Dekalb but then raised the rate!

[Lewholt]

Synergy wrote:

<quoted text>
Last question is a fair one. I enjoy posting with you when you are not being inflammatory and caustic. We are not on the same page politically and sometimes I take your sarcasm personally. After a Democrat victory, you start numerous threads with extremely sarcastic oneliners or you dig up old threads and blast off something really sarcastic. Sometimes it's funny, but most of the time it's not anymore because you say the same things over and over. I respect the way you pour over politics and sometimes share your knowledge in a civilized way, but most of the time your delivery is horrendous, imo. I had rather converse with you in a normal manner like normal people. You just make it a little difficult and then I fire back and we're off to the races. Perhaps if we backed off from the sarcasm a bit and accepted victories with a little more humbleness, all of us on this board might accomplish more productive dialog. I'll be interested in your reply to this post.

I'm on my 2nd martini and would rather talk about your thongs.

[Lewholt]

Just sayin'. Lol

[Keith Thornton]

Scott wrote:

<quoted text>
I wince at the mention of SACS. I sincerely hope we can clean up what's gone on with our school board without intervention from SACS. Douglas County doesn't need the ill publicity and I believe we have enough intellectual thinkers here to reset the selfish and self serving way money and personnel matters have been handled the past 10 years under Ed Murray and Ken Bernard. Since their hand picked lapboy, Jimmy Bartlett is out in 2010, that will be a major step in the right direction.

I just have seen so much money wasted. I believe that there is plenty of money coming in to run the system. Last time I had to keep filing open records request to get financial info and I could tell they were being watered down. Very vague.

People don't realize that the quality of education in the county has a direct effect on the value of your homes. I believe that there are plenty of challenges in the system with bad parents and such. None of them are impossible though.

Last time I financed my own run. I cannot do that again, the economy has taken a bite out of me.

[Oh Really]

Scott wrote:

<quoted text>
Keith- We should get together. Jeff seems like a nice enough guy, but how you vote and the company you keep defines your priorities. Jeff has fallen on the wrong side of that coin a few too many times. We need independent thinkers who take time to analyze the issues and arrive at their own conclusions, not those who are easily influenced by being petted by the perceived powerful/cool crowd. That stuff should have ended before people graduated from high school and has no place on our school board. I'll reach out to you.

Actually, I heard from Jeff that Mike wouldn't make it through the next election because of how he has oppossed Big K's contract.

[Scott]

Oh Really wrote:

<quoted text>
Actually, I heard from Jeff that Mike wouldn't make it through the next election because of how he has oppossed Big K's contract.

I love your honesty. Its so sincere and transparent. We haven't had that for a long time.

You are saying Jeff Morris (District 5) believes, that the decision as to who should oversee our school system should be based on who advocates for Ken Bernard to get paid $300,000 as part time attorney and make $1.2 million from bonds issued by the school system.

That explains why he voted FOR Ken Bernard's part time salary that is 3x any other comparably sized school system's attorney salary. After 433 posts on the subject, we finally get to the bottom of how decisions are made in Douglas County! Thank you!

I'd love to hear whether the students, teachers, tax payers of Douglas County consider that the core responsibility of our elected school board.

[Synergy]

Lewholt wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm on my 2nd martini and would rather talk about your thongs.

Well, I must say, you CAN be a typical male. lol

[Lessons Learned]

So how do we "nominate" someone for this position? What is the process? Is there anyone within the district who is qualified to serve? If so please stand up!

[Lewholt]

Synergy wrote:

<quoted text>
Well, I must say, you CAN be a typical male. lol

Its my cross.

[Keith Thornton]

Scott wrote:

<quoted text>
I love your honesty. Its so sincere and transparent. We haven't had that for a long time.
You are saying Jeff Morris (District 5) believes, that the decision as to who should oversee our school system should be based on who advocates for Ken Bernard to get paid $300,000 as part time attorney and make $1.2 million from bonds issued by the school system.
That explains why he voted FOR Ken Bernard's part time salary that is 3x any other comparably sized school system's attorney salary. After 433 posts on the subject, we finally get to the bottom of how decisions are made in Douglas County! Thank you!
I'd love to hear whether the students, teachers, tax payers of Douglas County consider that the core responsibility of our elected school board.

Maybe we can get together in sometime in the near future. If I run I need help. Last time it was a solo attempt. Learned a lot. I do have a lot of friends that can/will help but need someone to help organize fundraisers and such. Do you remember my positions in the last election? I always try to do what is right, not always politically correct, call it like I see it and a tightwad. I have been full time in the construction industry since 99 and survived (so far) because of my conservationism. Never owned a new truck for example.

[Ha Ha Ha]

Keith Thornton wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe we can get together in sometime in the near future. If I run I need help. Last time it was a solo attempt. Learned a lot. I do have a lot of friends that can/will help but need someone to help organize fundraisers and such. Do you remember my positions in the last election? I always try to do what is right, not always politically correct, call it like I see it and a tightwad. I have been full time in the construction industry since 99 and survived (so far) because of my conservationism. Never owned a new truck for example.

You Topix idiots are a joke. You actually think you're going to have an impact on anything. You're a bunch of jealous crybabies who can't get over the fact that your life sucks and it's nobody's fault but your own.

Keith, "Never owned a new truck", Thornton - you're a moron. You came in dead last in the July 2008 primary. Jeff Morris got 5 votes to your 1. He spanked you like the 2 year old crybaby you are.

Ya'll keep busting on how much money Kenny is making. Do you think you're bothering him. He laughs at you losers.

[Granny Grump]

Instead of all this bickering. We need to be focusing like a hawk on how to come up with ways to save money, without further destroying the education of this counties children. The levels of bueracrats at the central office needs to be trimmed for one. I would love to know what some of those people do. For a county BOE that had a supposed hiring freeze, there sure were alot of positions announced. They laid off teachers and staff, cut programs, yet we hire "instructional coaches" and build new schools. That is just stupid. No wonder we are in this mess. They need to back to the basics of education. I personally will be making some phone calls if they lay off teachers this year and I see more central offfice positions announced this coming summer. Folks, a freeze should mean a freeze, not just a cooling off. Make do with the employees you have until the economy recovers, even if it means those you have have to take on a few more responsibilities. Other state agencies are doing exactly that. For example, I worked in a state agency in the 70's and the custodian retired , we did not replace him. We did our own trash dumping and cleaning for a year or more. Everybody in the educational system needs to suck it up and chip in and stop whining. This thing is not over by a long shot, and it will require more sacrifices by all. Especially, if they are going to save jobs, and maintain educational quality. Sorry if this sounds like ranting, but I see so much waste and whining.