Credibility ?
Their actions of the last year lead us to wonder how they are spending our property tax dollars.
Their continued "credibility gap" seems to be widening.
For instance, here are some recent actions and issues about SSD that make you wonder:
• Hostile takeover and strong-arming the Shoreline Historical Museum into giving up their treasured community asset, the Landmarked Ronald School
• Voters were assured during the last Bond Election that an Agreement in Principle would guarantee the future of the Shoreline Historical Museum in the Ronald School. But the SSD called off the agreement after they had the Bond and Levy passed. The voters were tricked into supporting something that had no foundation in reality.
• Big raises for administrators - Both Superintendent Sue Walker ($8k) and Deputy Marcia Harris ($10K) and others received sizable raises from the School Board (remember Belle, California)
• Contract negotiations with SESPA Union , job cuts and budget cutting proposals that will affect students performance http://sespaunion.blogspot.com/2010/06/shoreline-district-banking-instead-of.html
• Reserve funds being squirreled away instead of invested in students
• Now the Bond Sale for the $150 Million for HS rebuilds is about to happen.
Would YOU buy 'em?
LFP Levy goes down BIG TIME in last week's Primary.
Now Shoreline's Levy Lid Lift is coming up next.
Here are some questions to ponder:
• Who wants to vote for that next tax hike with this credibility gap taking place with our property tax dollars?
• What community asset will be sacrificed next because of Shoreline School District's
underhanded actions? Cedarbrook? Aldercrest? Sunset School?
• When will the City of Shoreline realize that the character of our city is dependent upon these assets which make our community unique? Will the City take some responsibility? How will the possible loss of our Shoreline Historical Museum affect our economic viability as a community?
• Do you believe what Shoreline School District says about anything?
• When will the voters in Shoreline and LFP say "enough is enough" SSD?
Shoreline Historical Museum and Gardens
now at risk!
Posts
But aren't the school district and the city two different things? How can you wrap the two together? Isn't that like saying, "Ronald Water charges too much for my water so vote no on the Fire District levy." Or even better, "Safeway never has a checker available when I shop so I strongly encourage everyone to stop shopping at Fred Meyer."
ReplyDeleteThe city could have been much more involved in the processes that would effect a city asset. The city admitted that having School District and City Council meetings on the same evening contributed to the lack of communication. Certainly more efforts could have been and should be made to coordinate communication between entities, especially when major assets/properties are at stake and involve both. Some serious catching up on responsibility and communication needs to happen right now.
ReplyDeleteI think you are grasping at straws. The SD and the Museum are wholly responsible for what is happening with the Museum. You are in the middle of "if Mom says no I'll ask Grandma" kind of an attitude and then getting mad at Grandma because she lives in New Hampshire and can't take you to the game. The SD never intendended to help out the Museum and the Museum always took a passive approach to it's existence. No one there has even made an effort to track paying patrons in the past few years - a very basic performance measure.
ReplyDeletePut your anger where it should be, not a convenient scape goat.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment and thanks to JEDH for yours too.
I realize that the SSD and City are separate, but let's be real. Everyone in Shoreline knows that the SSD is the biggest sacred cow around here. Everyone is afraid to offend them. Everyone knows that schools are like mothers milk around here and the City has been tippitoeing around them for years.
The City has a direct interest in saving the Museum. It is part of not only our heritage, but a potential economic engine as a part of our Town Center. The City took direct action in 2009 on a Height Variance. Cindy Ryu and I fought to protect it from SSD plans, but the rest of the Council caved. Now the City has one more chance to protect the Museum and the Landmarked Ronald School.
Will they step up to the plate? They have to try to pass their Levy Lid Lift after the voters were duped by the SSD last winter and now LFP voters said "No way" to theirs.
I see a connection, don't you?
What do you suggest the City do? What would you like to see, exactly.
ReplyDeleteSpeak out, at the very least!
ReplyDeleteor how about "partner" with the Museum.
or how about, condemn the property and take it away from the SSD,
or how about, buy the building for them (make a counter offer),
or how about offer to "negotiate" a better outcome,
The Museum is already in the City's "Vision" and presented as important to the Town Center. There are plenty of rationales for being bold instead of watching a slow train wreck that they could have stopped!!!!!!
Well, they can't condemn the property. This is the USA - that's a bad road to start going down.
ReplyDeleteThey did negotiate, but the SD wasn't really interested, honestly. They did it but they knew they wouldn't have to uphold their end.
You know YOU own the school district. Make them accountable.
So, now what EXACTLY do want from the city?
They COULD condemn it if they really wanted to. The City is condemning property up and down Aurora Ave as we speak.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thunk that the SSD would have done this even one year ago. They are doing the unthinkable, because they can, and because other powerful interests are standing on the sidelines and letting them.
They are all wagging their fingers at the Museum, when they are the victims. Not saying that the Museum is playing this smart either.
They should be fighting like banshees to stop SSD from this hostile takeover.
But, the City COULD stand up to the District. They are all afraid to be seen as "anti-education" or some such ridiculous label. They should be standing up for what is right.
If a thief was in City Hall and getting ready to steal some "public art"
or getting ready to deface the City Hall with spray paint, the offender would be taken to the pokey and prosecuted.
So why is this outrageous theft of the public asset being officially sanctioned?
The City has the power to DO SOMETHING if they had the courage to
do the right thing.
Okay, I give. You don't get it and you're not going to.
ReplyDeleteI "get it" more than just about anyone. We SHOULD hold the District accountable. We should hold the School Board member accountable. That is why we went to them yesterday to tell them that we will.
ReplyDeleteThey should all be thrown out of office. The investors should NOT buy their Bonds, because they are tainted.
We will continue to speak out about this despicable action being taken by our government with our money and in our name.
Just sayin' that the District is getting away with this because others who could do something have been sitting on their hands.
Interesting discussion....for me it boils down to the fact the School Board/Shoreline School District have failed to to make any attempt to preserve the museum even thought both LFP and Shoreline City Councils are on record acknowledging the important cultural and economic value of the museum in the Ronald School building. They deceived the voters by signing an "Agreement in Principle" and then proceeded to act as if it didn't exist. I have always support the Schools because I believe the health of our society depends upon a well educated population. However, based on the recent actions regarding the museum, administrator salary increases and SESPA labor negotiations that education is NOT the issue. Instead it's all about who has the power to impose their will on the taxpayer and the hell with everything and everyone else. I don't trust the School District and I won't vote to support another levy so long as the current board members remain in office. They have duped the public into providing them with a 150 million dollar bond. It is simply wrong in so many ways..... how about the: questionaable ethics, the negative role models for students, lack of respect for public opinion and the history of our area, and oh yes! the money!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe school district has to receive a conditional use permit from the city in order to build at Shorewood, the city should not issue it without doing their own SEPA and imposing their own conditions - that is what the city can do.
ReplyDeleteWho's with me in showing up at the next city hall meeting to voice support of the City imposing their own conditions AND in the meantime sending letters and emails to them about this matter?
ReplyDeleteRight on everyone! Give 'em hell for allowing this fiasco to happen!
ReplyDeleteJW
I'm very upset about the salaries of the Shoreline School District. What does Sue Walker do that is worth $195k a year? Who decided the position should pay that salary? What do any of them do that is worth over $100k per year? I'm so tired of our tax dollars being squandered by spendthifts who constantly cry about needing more money.
ReplyDeleteNope. Not mad at the district at all. Pretty mad at the museum though.
ReplyDeleteCopy paste this address to see Sue Walkers 2007 Salary and Marcia Harris' Dep Asst Superindendent: 3yrs ago $156,000 & $130,000!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://wwwb.thenewstribune.com/databases/school_pay/index.php?names=Sue+Walker+&schools=&districts=Shoreline&sort=salary_annual&job_title=SUPERINTENDENT+++++++++++++++++++++
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