This past Monday the Committee On Technology, Economic Development & Workforce of the state legislature listened to complaints for and against a bill sponsored by representative Dora Olivo of Richmond. Most members of the committee found it unconscionable that employees of FBISD were not being paid on time. Even opposition groups to the bill found it appalling.
Follow this link and select the 4/27/09 link for 9:04am and scroll in to about 12:50. It begins with the testimony from Ms. Olivo and continues with speakers on both sides of this issue, but all seem to agree that FBISD should NOT be paying employees late for services already provided:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/broadcasts.php?session=81&committeeCode=230
Watch comment: Why hasn't our board discussed this publically at our BOT meetings? What is our administration doing to address this, if anything?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
FBW Exclusive: Hohnbaum Joins Smelley In Efforts To Disrupt Local Election Forums!
Staff report
They say politics can get dirty, but school politics get personal. This quaint saying seemed to come true last night at the FCCSA public forums in the school board races here at St. Laurence Church in Sugar Land. A few years ago these forums were altered to be small group meeting with rotations between tables. Attendance has fallen off accordingly. Well this year, it appeared to this reporter, that something new was added to the mix.
While standing near two of the candidates tables I noticed a particular nasty exchange going on between one audience member and one of the candidates. After taking a second look someone else in the audience pointed her out to me as one of the school board members Susan Hohnbaum accompanied by a friend who appeared to join in on the heckling. This is the second public forum that two board members have attempted to disrupt in this manner. The first was at the retired educators forum last week where current school trustee vice president Steve Smelley had unsuccessfully attempted to rattle the candidates. Many in the audience where unaware that these "hecklers" are seated board members. Is this anything new to politics? Possibly not, but certainly new to FBISD politics where in the past most exchanges have been polite disagreements and very collegial.
During one of these exchanges it was made public that the BOT had recently "rubber stamped" the firing of a former teacher at one of their middle schools. This information apparently shook up Ms. Hohnbaum who claimed the information was not for public disclosure. The case was followed last year in FortBendNow and the Chronicle very closely and created a great deal of public outcry to reinstate this educator. According to reports, the board was following the lead of the senior district administration. Bruce Albright, one of the candidates running for the school board, stated he had the court documents to support that the BOT vote already took place against the advice of the state education commissioner. After confronting Hohnbaum with the information, she became visibly silent. Not long after that Mr. Smelley left the building.
Early voting continues through May 5th with election day May 9th.
Sources: http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com
http://www.fortbendweb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1139&Itemid=101#jreactions
They say politics can get dirty, but school politics get personal. This quaint saying seemed to come true last night at the FCCSA public forums in the school board races here at St. Laurence Church in Sugar Land. A few years ago these forums were altered to be small group meeting with rotations between tables. Attendance has fallen off accordingly. Well this year, it appeared to this reporter, that something new was added to the mix.
While standing near two of the candidates tables I noticed a particular nasty exchange going on between one audience member and one of the candidates. After taking a second look someone else in the audience pointed her out to me as one of the school board members Susan Hohnbaum accompanied by a friend who appeared to join in on the heckling. This is the second public forum that two board members have attempted to disrupt in this manner. The first was at the retired educators forum last week where current school trustee vice president Steve Smelley had unsuccessfully attempted to rattle the candidates. Many in the audience where unaware that these "hecklers" are seated board members. Is this anything new to politics? Possibly not, but certainly new to FBISD politics where in the past most exchanges have been polite disagreements and very collegial.
During one of these exchanges it was made public that the BOT had recently "rubber stamped" the firing of a former teacher at one of their middle schools. This information apparently shook up Ms. Hohnbaum who claimed the information was not for public disclosure. The case was followed last year in FortBendNow and the Chronicle very closely and created a great deal of public outcry to reinstate this educator. According to reports, the board was following the lead of the senior district administration. Bruce Albright, one of the candidates running for the school board, stated he had the court documents to support that the BOT vote already took place against the advice of the state education commissioner. After confronting Hohnbaum with the information, she became visibly silent. Not long after that Mr. Smelley left the building.
Early voting continues through May 5th with election day May 9th.
Sources: http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com
http://www.fortbendweb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1139&Itemid=101#jreactions
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Chronicle: Candidate Interviews Available!--see below--
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6393145.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6393157.html
The watch group has officially endorsed Carlos Cain, Bruce Albright and Rodrigo Carreon (who has endorsed Cain & Albright) for positions 2 and 6 respectively due to their public forum responses and community engagement. They will not be a "rubber stamp" for the district leadership during these tough economic times and first ever $10 million dollar budget deficit.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6393157.html
The watch group has officially endorsed Carlos Cain, Bruce Albright and Rodrigo Carreon (who has endorsed Cain & Albright) for positions 2 and 6 respectively due to their public forum responses and community engagement. They will not be a "rubber stamp" for the district leadership during these tough economic times and first ever $10 million dollar budget deficit.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
More Higher Taxes On The Way For FBISD Via The "Global Taj Mahal"?
Staff report
Recently, in an interview reported in the Fort Bend Independent, the current FBISD BOT president continued the mythical claim that private monies will cover the entire costs of what has become known as the "Global Taj Mahal". Estimates have been cited from $30 million to as high as $100 million dollars, but at NO time has the district administration, nor the vendor, PBK (being investigated by the FBI), produced a list of guaranteed donors and rarely are these projects ever paid for in full via private donations. The board president also claims NO taxpayer funding will be needed (at least 3 days before early voting is slated to begin). Many local media sources have helped in spinning that information after first opposing the proposed excessive spending project, but the likely-hood that NO public tax dollars from the operations budget or bonds will be used is, in our opinion, a pre-election myth. Further we have found little proof that many of the districts claims regarding this "white elephant" can be supported. Not only will this proposal take bond money, which impacts the "debt service" portion of the operations budget (that directly impacts your property taxes) it will more than likely be coming from the "fund balance" (really a bond surplus account which the district doesn't like to discuss). Further, once the massive building project comes online, it will compete directly with other resources, materials and salaries on the "operations budget" for years to come (yes, this is a building project that will impact your taxes with no empirical support as to raising test scores or other outcomes)!
Click this link for more on the "official" spin coming from the district administration and the supporting vendors:
http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1475&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
-We will update this as needed!
Source: http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-higher-taxes-on-way-for-fbisd-via.html
Also see http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com for more on the early voting times for elections starting Monday.
Recently, in an interview reported in the Fort Bend Independent, the current FBISD BOT president continued the mythical claim that private monies will cover the entire costs of what has become known as the "Global Taj Mahal". Estimates have been cited from $30 million to as high as $100 million dollars, but at NO time has the district administration, nor the vendor, PBK (being investigated by the FBI), produced a list of guaranteed donors and rarely are these projects ever paid for in full via private donations. The board president also claims NO taxpayer funding will be needed (at least 3 days before early voting is slated to begin). Many local media sources have helped in spinning that information after first opposing the proposed excessive spending project, but the likely-hood that NO public tax dollars from the operations budget or bonds will be used is, in our opinion, a pre-election myth. Further we have found little proof that many of the districts claims regarding this "white elephant" can be supported. Not only will this proposal take bond money, which impacts the "debt service" portion of the operations budget (that directly impacts your property taxes) it will more than likely be coming from the "fund balance" (really a bond surplus account which the district doesn't like to discuss). Further, once the massive building project comes online, it will compete directly with other resources, materials and salaries on the "operations budget" for years to come (yes, this is a building project that will impact your taxes with no empirical support as to raising test scores or other outcomes)!
Click this link for more on the "official" spin coming from the district administration and the supporting vendors:
http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1475&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
-We will update this as needed!
Source: http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-higher-taxes-on-way-for-fbisd-via.html
Also see http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com for more on the early voting times for elections starting Monday.
EARLY VOTING SITES FOR FBISD (Starts This Monday Ap. 27th)
EARLY VOTING SITES FOR FBISD
• Early voting at Garcia Middle School, 18550 Old Richmond Road in Sugar Land; Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway in Missouri City; and Hightower High School, 3333 Hurricane Lane in Missouri City will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.
• Early voting at First Colony Conference Center, 3232 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land, will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.
• Early voting at Lost Creek Park, 3707 Lost Creek Blvd.; and Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. N. will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May4-5.
• Early voting at Fort Bend Independent School District Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land; Meadows Place City Hall, One Troyan Drive in Meadows Place; Willowridge High School, 16301 Chimney Rock in Houston; and Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge in Sugar Land, will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 4-5.
Watch endorsements include (taxpayer friendly candidates): Carlos Cain, Bruce Albright, Rodrigo Carreon (BOT elections) & Rodney Griffin (district A MC) and Robin Elackatt (district C MC)...
• Early voting at Garcia Middle School, 18550 Old Richmond Road in Sugar Land; Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway in Missouri City; and Hightower High School, 3333 Hurricane Lane in Missouri City will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.
• Early voting at First Colony Conference Center, 3232 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land, will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 4-5.
• Early voting at Lost Creek Park, 3707 Lost Creek Blvd.; and Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. N. will be:
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through May 2; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May4-5.
• Early voting at Fort Bend Independent School District Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land; Meadows Place City Hall, One Troyan Drive in Meadows Place; Willowridge High School, 16301 Chimney Rock in Houston; and Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge in Sugar Land, will be:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through May 1; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 4-5.
Watch endorsements include (taxpayer friendly candidates): Carlos Cain, Bruce Albright, Rodrigo Carreon (BOT elections) & Rodney Griffin (district A MC) and Robin Elackatt (district C MC)...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Update On Harassment Of FBISD Employee By Senior Administrative Officials!
UPDATE 4/22: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/04/22/37288
"Prior to the assault charge, Richardson had an unblemished record as a bus driver. That, he said, shows the suspensions are nothing more than retaliation against him for pursuing the case against Long.
Since he refused to drop the charges against Long, Richardson said, Torres has engaged in a campaign of retaliation in an attempt to force Richardson to resign or get him fired.
Richardson’s claims have been supported by a number of other transportation employees. Those employees say they fear similar retaliation from Torres if they speak out or file grievances.
Torres has not publicly comment on the allegations against him." FBN
COMMENT: WHY IS THE BOT NOT TAKING MORE ASSERTIVE ACTION IN THIS ABUSE/HARASSMENT CASE?
Early voting begins for council and school board races this Monday, April 27th! Get out and vote...
Click here for the original complete FBN update by John Pape: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/04/21/37278
"Prior to the assault charge, Richardson had an unblemished record as a bus driver. That, he said, shows the suspensions are nothing more than retaliation against him for pursuing the case against Long.
Since he refused to drop the charges against Long, Richardson said, Torres has engaged in a campaign of retaliation in an attempt to force Richardson to resign or get him fired.
Richardson’s claims have been supported by a number of other transportation employees. Those employees say they fear similar retaliation from Torres if they speak out or file grievances.
Torres has not publicly comment on the allegations against him." FBN
COMMENT: WHY IS THE BOT NOT TAKING MORE ASSERTIVE ACTION IN THIS ABUSE/HARASSMENT CASE?
Early voting begins for council and school board races this Monday, April 27th! Get out and vote...
Click here for the original complete FBN update by John Pape: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/04/21/37278
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