Now we come to the construction of schools and other projects that apparently will not be built as desired and all of a sudden we have costs that are higher than was expected .
The STAR posted an article on the recent meeting of our board and administration on what they were going to do with the projects. As we read on it, we sort of got two stories going. Our board members like Avila and the CIP Chief state that the cost of the construction has risen since the bond and that's what you have to deal with. I don't recall in the last bond ever debating these issues I wonder what was different because those were more difficult times. In the article they mention that the issue is the labor shortage which is increasing costs, so which is it? If you need workers to reduce the cost there are plenty of people looking for work that are hands on labor. Something doesn't feel right about all of this and I am sure that due to the closeness with AECOM and now Mr. Avila who has a construction in the family background, I am sure feels he has the lead on this.
What also doesn't sound quite right is why they are having to reduce classrooms to save on costs when I would of hoped that they did the right surveying to make sure that what was needed at each school was taken into account. So now you don't need extra classrooms then if this was to go ahead without changes what would you have done with the extra classrooms? Why don't you have the right numbers when it comes to student population increase? Sounds to me that the construction issue is not everything that is being told to the public. Yes we do face an industry like any other that will have costs rise but then we hold the purse on that because we can find a company that will do a good job at a lower cost. We are not talking about chum change when it comes to the projects, these are in the millions so I am sure that there is not one company that will say no I won't do it and let the money go.
So we took to the internet and found a report by the state comptroller that shows construction of schools within our state. Houston built nicely at a lower cost and they are way bigger than us. We echo Moss' (yes I know) message, show the bids, show everything before you vote because we need to see what we are getting. Most of those reductions do come on the East Side, what are the reasons there? Don't hide it FWISD!
Don't settle for what Avila says basically, we just have to deal with it and that's it. No, we are responsible for the people's money and it is our duty to do everything to get it done right and at a good cost.
Read for yourself. P.S. The star makes you pay to read the article but we have it here.
The link to the Comptroller's Report is below the article.
STATE REPORT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B58nQYNsVgwwN09TREJpZVVObVk/view?usp=sharing
There is so much with this bond that has been wrong from the start. The rush to put it together, the outrages amount first proposed, the lies told to get it passed, how it shortchanged the east side( as usual), and now these alleged overages. Overages should have been built in from the beginning but since this budget was apparently done by a monkey with an abacus they weren't. I find it funny that Moss isn't complaining about how her namesake school is going to lose pre-k classrooms but that minority contractors might not get a fair share. Gee who's fishing for some kick back money, Is it any wonder the east side is always shortchanged on well everything when you have board members like Sims, the sleepy board member, and Moss, the greedy board member representing that side of town. Oh, sorry, I forgot Jackson, the I can't think for myself member.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of using the Leonard 6th grade campus for the STEM academy makes sense even though that building currently houses the Mid-Level alternative campus but since the district no longer believes in discipline they can vacate that campus and relocate it to a broom closet.
One more thing, the idea that the board will cut anything from Tangle wood, McClean, or Paschal is ludicrous. My proof is how fast the board kissed the back pockets, or that general area anyway, of those folks in Tanglewood when they found out their sacred elementary was in jeopardy. Heck, even Needham was there trying to sound like she actually gave a fat rats butt about their kids.
So much to say here. Fed Up is correct. If the current contractor can no longer meet the agreed specifications - FIND A NEW CONTRACTOR. Didn't they have to post a COMPLETION BOND? Simply more of the same Needham/Robbins B.S. How is it that FWISD can spend millions in litigation, fabricating claims, refusing to pay employees, covering up fraud, yet now has not enough to complete the Bond as represented to the Public? Where is the D.A.? Where are the laptops? Where are the student desks? Or could it be in part, that since the Board has yet again refused to abide by law, rule, policy, regulation and COURT ORDER, Palazzolo's attorneys filed a lien on all FWISD property and they are hamstrung? Ann Sutherland also posted that on Tuesday's meeting the Board is going to vote to change residency requirements. I don't know about where Mr. Sorum or others live, but who is driving this change? What about senior FWISD employees who run their own business on the side?
ReplyDeleteReader you forgot that they run those businesses on district time and often using district resources. Why pay for a copier and paper when you can use anothers's. Is the change in residency driven by the search company or is it someone high in the admin that's looking to get out of Ft. Worth?
ReplyDeleteCorrect. Starting with Barbara Griffith and S&B Marketing:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.linkedin.com/pub/barbara-griffith/9/620/a14
You know that many people in administration are just like Barbara. This is such crap! Gives a whole new meaning to "double dipping" and yet I seem to recall policy somewhere that prohibited such practice! At our school, we have an AP that leaves most days by 3:15 to get to her 2nd job @ the mall and don't forget the secretary who's always got her online college coursework to complete! So sick of the so called leaders in this district who clearly aren't 100% vested in our students! As far as the whole residency thing, someone has an agenda and you can bet it all that agenda has very little to do with our students! Most definetly should mention this too: That whole customer service crap-LMFAO! Okay, who needed a job? Here's something to ponder- Teachers holding parent conferences all day and where's administration? One can't be found and the other in her office playing candy crush! Just sickening! I'm so ready to bring some truth to light.
ReplyDeleteDansby's budget had $75,000 for a Cadillac Escalade for Barbara to drive around in. Just part of his $21 million in "enhancements" that will drive us toward insolvency. Wait till you see the "new" budget on Tuesday . . .
ReplyDeleteJust think how many student desks that would buy, She is an embarrassment to all Catholics.
ReplyDeleteWhat school is this?
ReplyDeleteD.Mcrae
ReplyDeleteHope she has been declaring that as income on her tax returns.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I have some procurement knowledge. FWISD can hold every company accountable to bring this bond in at the agreed price and specs in the contract. If the company loses money, tough luck for them. If specifications are not met there remedies to which the company is held. The company gets the "black eye" for any future contract with this district and/or any surrounding counties/school districts. Second, Fort Worth has an excellent business assistance center. If FWISD administration and school board had an ounce of intelligence, they could take the Bond contracts to the Fort Worth business assistance center, which by the way Congresswoman Kay Granger was instrumental in getting with federal dollars for Fort Worth. I know because I was at the "ribbon cutting". Finally, it is time for Fort Worth to elect board members who are knowledgeable about best business practices and actually provide oversight at the administration building. Dansby/ Linnares knows the history of TOCCO and she knows "the fix" is in just like she knew how the district would respond to Palazzolo as she was happily skipping out the door to retirement. Tell me again who wants to come here to be the Super at 6 figures for anything other than the do, rae, me.....Voters
ReplyDeletejoin together to elect board members with the commitment of an ANN SUTHERLAND.....I know, I know ANN waffles but ultimately she gets to the nub of the problem. But she cannot get the right thing done if she's surrounded by idiots like Robbins, Needham, and Jackson. And yes Moss is correct to ask to see minority contracts this is good procurement practice.
My thanks for your comments Ms. La Beau. I truly wish Ms. Moss would throw off the chains of Judy Needham and that Robbins puppet. We need LEADERS from the minority community to stand up and fight not sell out like Tatum. This Bond SMELLS to high heaven. On another issue 0 I wish I got a Cadillac from my employer. Didn't the Board have to approve that?
ReplyDeleteYEs the board approved it in the budget (I voted "no" on the whole budget).
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words to me. If more of the concerned citizens showed up at board meetings with a simple statement....you can't ask questions...during public comment time, this board would wake up or at least I hope they would. This next school board election will be more important than any before. Get out the vote, don't let current board members hide behind name recognition instead make them explain who they are, what knowledge they bring pertaining to BEST BUSINESS Practices, and why you should trust them to correct the mistakes the current board is/has made to deserve your vote.
ReplyDeleteFED UP....read my comment. FWISD administration and the school board have no clue about the resources in Fort Worth, such as the Business Assistance Center. The City and the Chamber utilize this well managed, well trained personnel and advantages of this community resource. If Mr. Sims, Ms. Moss and former Super. Dansby had consulted them about the best procurement practices to include what is called 8A (minority contractors), they may have more of what they wanted for their districts. No wonder the district is behind the 8 ball.......
ReplyDeleteTo set the record straight, the budget enhancement was for a parent outreach mobile unit for my department and came directly from me, Jennifer Perez, director of Family Communications. The idea was to actively go out into the community, much like the mobile Go Center unit or UNT Health Science Center bus, and meet with families to share information face-to-face.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure where this lie came from about Barbara driving a car paid for by the District, but it’s beyond sad that this is the kind of trash those behind this blog feel the need to spread. Typically, I wouldn’t waste my time posting here, but now I have a dog in this fight!
If anyone is interested in the truth or would like to see the actual documents submitted, you can contact me directly. I’m pretty easy to find.
Ms. Perez please send the information to ciafwisd@gmail.com and we will gladly post. Also can you please give us the allowances provided to any staff of which we know the superintendent receives some but we also know that some upper management do as well. Griffith is not the first that this has come up about perks she receives. Since you are about transparency we will gladly publish it all. By the way the information we posted came from administration, the people that work within the district and are at the table doing the budget, so we are not making it up. Thanks for contributing to the dialogue!
ReplyDeleteWhat qualifies Ms. Perez to be the Director of Family Communications? Does not speak Spanish!!! Her last name is Eggleston by marriage. Left district and hired back by BG. There were so many other qualified candidates for this position...all you have to do is open records. Hmmmm...
ReplyDeleteWhy not tell us how you got this job Jennifer? Isn't your married name Eggleston? Hmmm. Who advised you to use "Perez"? Oh! Could it be it was the same person who hired you? Babs Griffith?
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the very kind of unethical conflict of interest we are all discussing here? You are a fraud. Admit it. Griffith has been a paid propagandist for this corrupt organization and running a business on the side with her contacts. How in the WORLD did you get hired? Oh ya. You worked for her before correct? So what about the far more qualified who lost an opportunity to make a difference for kids - not merely collect a paycheck.
Am I the only one wondering, "How do you justify a $75,000 price tag?" Look, if Ms. Perez is telling the truth and for the sake of argument let's say that she is. Since when do we feel like not going with something more economical?!?! Sorry Ms. Perez! I wouldn't be proud of that decision when teachers don't have the necessary tools to work with students and there aren't enough desks for students to sit in on some campuses. You defend your actions and quite frankly, your an idiot that felt like an Escalde was better than a Ford! I'm going out on a limb here but, I'm guessing she won't provide any documentation!
ReplyDeleteEmployee, Ms. Perez may indeed not be qualified but, choosing to use her maiden name isn't criminal. I mean it looks like she married an Anglo which isn't a crime either. I love this blog but when people bring up this kind of stuff it invalidates what's being said. FWISD is corrupt in many ways and nepotism is just one small piece of that corruption! If she's part of that corruption then tell us why! Give some proof! Just as Ms. Perez offered to do EXCEPT WE ARE STILL WAITING MS. PEREZ! Let's address the real issue: Is Ms. Griffith conducting her 2nd business on FWISD's dime? Did she indeed receive a $75,000 Escalade to drive? Did Ms. Perez receive this money and if so, WTH made her think that an Escalade was more appropriate than a more economical choice? Let's reveal the truth not a bunch of irrelevant crap!
ReplyDeleteNo Strings Attached, you missed the point. She did not use her maiden name until a certain person - allegedly the same one who hired her - advised her to use it, in part to justify her selection. No one said it was criminal - just another example of PRE-SELECTION aka: nepotism, whatever. Just because I chose not to use my name does not invalidate what was witnessed or reported. Why else would I ask her to Admit it?
ReplyDeleteEmployee, I did understand your point and I do get it. I just think that using Perez coupled with the the fact that she looks Hispanic, is more strategic than anything sinister. How about focusing on can she speak the language, etc. As far as not using your name, none of us are and for good reason.
ReplyDeleteWow. You still don't get it. She never used the name until advised to do so to give her a false edge. Wouldn't matter to me if it were Schwartz. She was coached by the person who hired her. Though we appear to share similar concerns, you really need to look beyond race and ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteSince no one contacted me directly for the documents and there was an invitation to share in the comment above, they have been emailed. However, I refuse to engage in anonymous flame throwing because it doesn’t support meaningful dialogue or advancing this District.
ReplyDeleteHere’s my two cents, and I’ll leave it at that. Just like personal change, organizational change doesn’t occur from the outside in. It only works from the inside out by passionate, purpose-driven people who aren’t afraid of being held accountable. I’m not afraid to speak my mind openly, and I never will be because I know if it doesn’t work out here, I can contribute my skills elsewhere. People who fear retaliation and hide behind made up names probably can’t say the same.
Always helps when the people doing the selecting for meaningless jobs are your buddies. You really are full of crap. "....passionate, purpose-driven people who aren’t afraid of being held accountable." for you to even imply this describes you is a joke and an insult to all reported wrongdoing. People like you, Griffith, Robbins, Needham Jackson and more are destroying this District Bond by Bond, hire by hire, lawsuit by lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteHere is the link to the documents Ms. Jennifer Perez mentioned regarding the mobile vehicle they requested in the 2014-2015 budget. I will let the public judge....
ReplyDeleteWe see that it is a request for whatever need you had but this is not what we are talking about. We need to see the budget with what perks chiefs get from the district if any. Our issue is what was reported and seems to have already been purchased. I would think it would be in the past budget but we could be wrong. Will Ms. Griffith be driving this mobile unit? Does Ms. Griffith get a car allowance? Let us know!
Ms. Perez we do want meaningful dialogue for sure. If you have taken the opportunity to read most of the posts, we have information to back it up. This blog is being supported by citizens and employees who have information. We teachers are supporting it. We know the insides of the district. Take for example the debacle of the curriculum change in the middle of the semester for teachers and they are paying a consultant that came to show our teachers how to read a STAAR passage and to make sure students chunk the information and stop and jot. We already had this years ago and we went away from it because it was not helping our students who were not good readers. So tell me why? How is this advancing our district when our own leaders don't listen to us. If this is flame throwing as you depict it then so be it. Just know what we are the ones having to deal with the changes the district makes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of crap!. Funny, these "documents" speak of a van. I didn't know Cadillac made them. Think how many desks could be bought for that price. CLUELESS!
ReplyDeleteAre you joking? Ms. Perez, you're an idiot! This has nothing to do with the accusation of Barbra's $75000 Escalade. Clearly this Mobil unit is a van you twit! Was this your best attempt to deflect? Maybe you just thought we couldn't read??!?! Okay, "employee" I'm going with Who the hell hired her?
ReplyDeleteIt turns out there really never was a Cadillac. This seems to have truly just been a misunderstanding about Ms. Perez's budget enhancement request. I'm not sure how this got so convoluted, but I don't think it was intentional.
ReplyDeleteSharon you are SO FULL OF CRAP! My following comment was to "No Strings Attached" certainly not you. Clever how you inserted yourself so as to appear so.
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear, there was an Escalade! It's Griffith's. Ms. Perez stepped in and said, "this wasn't accurate and must've been mistaken for her request." Now who can't read?!?! The first time that the information about the Escalade was revealed was from Ann Sutherland. Sorry, Ann but, that's what I recall and frankly yipeeeee for some dang truth telling! I'm not sure what pisses me off more Sharon, Perez and any other crony -the fact that you're full of crap or that you think the majority of us are too stupid to know that it's crap!
ReplyDelete