I was unable to attend tonight’s board meeting but a friend provide this recap and has allowed me to share it with everyone.
MSDPT Board Meeting (2/26/07)
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Adams, Walsh, Thompson, and Alexander voted to hire Atty. Reiling at $250/hr and his associate at $175.00/hr. to BEGIN an investigation into Dr. Williams.
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The three other board members voted no to more atty.s and more wasted money. Houchin, Buffie, and Maple stated that they are still clueless as to even what the nature of this investigation is. Three and a half months later and nothing thus far has been produced. - (I say they get Columbo)
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There has been an hourly accounting now from Atty. Bailey. Looks like he has 40 -42/hrs. in this so far. We can anticipate a least an $8500 bill for Bailey’s time alone up to this point.
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Here’s another sobering thought: Three hours travel time back and forth from the new atty.’s office (Lafayette) to PTEC, five hours working, the total for an 8 hour day for the two attys. will cost us $3600.
Any discussion time with Bailey, that includes the three, will cost us an additional $205/hr.
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Can anyone think of better use of our tax dollars? Maybe something aimed at helping our students?
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I think it is time for all Perry residents and employees to get involved.
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Please don’t take the “There’s nothing I can do” approach. These four board members are banking on that and they will continue to keep us in a downward spiral.
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Please reconsider if you have thought “I don’t want to get involved. It’s too political.” This is about way more than Doug Williams. This is about four people misusing their power. Most importantly, this about the future of our schools and our students. I am not exaggerating. Ask anyone who has attended a board meeting.
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Please consider coming to future board meetings and make your presence known. You don’t have to speak for them to get your message. Thunderous applause every time someone speaks out against the destructive actions of the four board members is very effective.
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Please consider emailing the four from your HOME computer and tell them that you do not approve of their frivolous spending and their disregard for their constituents and Perry employees.
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Here are their e-mail addresses:
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Susan Adams - sadams@msdpt.k12.in.us
Nancy Walsh - nwalsh@msdpt.k12.in.us
Barbara Thompson - bjthompson@msdpt.k12.in.us
Rubie Alexander - ralex4806@aol.com
Did anyone else notice Phillip Walsh’s calling the shots tonight? He was again making several hand signs to his beloved about what the gang of 4 should do or just how many speakers they had to endure. I thought Mark Thompson walked off into the sunset; are we now to think that the “new guy in town” is Phillip Walsh? I do know he has yelled at folks to “shut up” at meetings. I also heard that he was seen taking a big orange wooden sign to his trash some time ago. I also know the Walsh children have been involved in this mess. Nancy’s mom sits in front mocking speakers and other board members and laughing when the vote is 4-3 in the gang’s favor. My goodness! This township tragedy has become a “family affair” for the Walshes. I don’t know if this is just sad, or sick!
$250 $175 = $425/Hr x 3 hrs (roundtrip to Lafayette) = $1,275 for travel alone.
The gang of 4 were soooo concerned about a $700 dinner, now that they are in charge, spending thousands for extra attorneys is no big deal. I guess all those available attorneys in the Indianapolis area must all be friends of Dr. Williams.
The Town Hall Forum was approved 6-1 according to the January 8th minutes. Let’s pressure for compliance, I have several questions I would like to have answered!
Seems like we finally have a bill from the board attorney, Mr. Bailey. After last night it appears that his bill is about $8,500.00 for 40 to 42 hours of work. I could be mistaken, but I did not hear anyone discuss what timeframe the $8,500 and 40 to 42 hours covered. Was that a current bill? Were those hours for November and December? What was the closing date of the bill? Did it include the charges for “interviewing” the newly selected attorney? I am glad that some answers have been given, but those answers seem to lead to more and more questions.
As one of the speakers mentioned last night, I wonder what 8 teachers could have done with an extra $1,000 in their class room. What kind of additional material could they purchase to benefit the kids they are teaching on a daily basis? It appears as if the 4 board members seem to be more interested in using education dollars to keep attorneys employed and not as interested in using the education dollars to actually educate our children.
Adding to this:
There has been NO CAP on the spending or the time frame for this investigation.
The information this lawyer is working on is from the “time line” and the other “information” provided by the board president.
I agree with NOT Impressed. It is amazing to me how concerned the board was about a $700 tenderloin dinner and the cost of a coke on an expense report, but they don’t seem to care about a current legal bill of about $8,000 to $10,000.
Common sense should tell everyone that something is just not right! Is their (the 4 board members) philosophy to question the spending of the pennies and not the dollars???
Enough is enough. Are we ready to move organized counter measures? Emailing the perpetrators is a good idea. The PEA letter to the state teacher’s assn. also good. Surely there must be more legal action that can be taken-something with Perry Township gov’t or the county?
This is madness! What on earth motivates these people?
I know that several of you have said in different places that you don’t think you need to attend a board meeting to know what’s going on. I have only this to say to you: You really have to see these 4 board members’ incompetence to believe it! There are no words to describe the curse we have sitting in charge of our schools. Someone or something has obviously hexed our township. And Nancy Walsh says God put her on the board! Duh!
I find it odd that when Buffie begged for more time and discussion before voting to hire more lawyers - Adams refused to consider it. Yet when faced with the prospect of dealing with already paid for(?) architechs and managers to build badly needed school rooms - she felt that this needed more discussion. So much for listening to the experience of Brown and Oldham. Let me guess - they worked with Williams.! These “ladies” take paranoia to new levels. We lost the new high school for next year, guess new class rooms are to be a thing of the future also. Is this how they plan to pay for all the lawyers?
“The role of the School Board member is not to run the schools, but to see that the schools are well run. Boards operate through policy to be effective and efficient, and to avoid appearing to be arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable.”
http://www.west-windsor-plainsboro.k12.nj.us/board_membership.html
That’s all we want.
As a perry resident, I am really taken back by the behavior of 4 “elected” officials. I have read in great length letters from both teachers and parents. I have seen a few “neutral” postings but the postings are about 95% against these 4 board members. They need to know they are elected to represent the township. Personal agendas appear to be their motivating factors. I want to attend the next school board meeting and bring about 10 neighbors that are in support of Doug Williams. How can I find out the date and time of the next meeting? I am tired of reading and ready to get involved and bring others into involvment too.
Curt, glad to see you stepping up and seeing for yourself what these four are doing to our township. The next school board meeting is a week from tomorrow, Monday, March 12, 2007.