Keller Citizen Legislature

I found a few pictures on Flickr and thought I’d share.

continue reading…

Well, at least with KISD school kids.  If you look at the breakdown, seems McCain won the schools east of 377…by pretty large margins.  West of 377, well, that’s a different story.

Maybe they needed spellcheck, originally uploaded by kellercitylimits.

Is there money for spelling programs in the bond package?

A few weeks ago while doing research for my interview with Jason Wylie, Jim Maine filled me in on a piece of property the school district owns at the corner of Golden Triangle and Denton Drive.  I didn’t think a lot about it until the other day when I had some free time at work and did a little digging.  Seems the School District owns 114 acres of prime commercial property valued by TAD at over $3.4 million.  I called a buddy of mine at a commercial real estate firm and was told that the property was actually worth somewhere between $8 and $12 million, depending on market conditions.

This property was purchased in 1998 to build the new stadium that was projected to be built in the future.  So, we have held onto this property for a decade, and why haven’t we sold it?  We haven’t even sold the mineral rights to it!  The proposed stadium in the 2008 bond will be built at the new High School, not on this piece of property.

So, instead of selling the property and using that money to purchase computers or projectors, they sit on it.  Keeping it off the tax rolls, thereby costing the district in income.

This property is flat and level, on the corner of two major roads, within sight of 35W and a prime spot for development.  But yet, we sit on it.

The district also owns an acre and a half on Precinct Line Road, by Liberty Elementary.  TAD values this property at a half million dollars, true value could be twice that according to my buddy. 

I sent off an email to Deputy Superintendent Mark Youngs a week ago, even checked with Shellie Johnson to make sure she got the email, and have not gotten a response.  Ms. Johnson forwarded another copy to Mr. Youngs on Tuesday, but still no response. 

On one hand the district is crying poverty, but on the other it is a rich property owner with no interests in selling the land it has unused.  I would love to see the FWST or the Keller Citizen do a story on this, but I’m not holding my breath. 

UPDATE:  After posting this, Mark Youngs sends an email stating the property on Precinct Line has been sold, that the TAD is out of date.

In today’s FWST Article:

Should bond money be used to pay for school district projects with short life spans, such as vehicles and gym floor resurfacing?

That’s a question for Keller school district voters, who are being asked to authorize a $167.9 million bond package Tuesday. Nearly 21,600 school district voters had cast early ballots through Monday, Tarrant County election officials said.

Bond money has traditionally been used for buildings and other capital improvements.

But Keller’s two-proposition bond package includes several items that otherwise would have been funded by the district’s maintenance and operations budget, which covers day-to-day expenses such as teacher salaries and utility bills.

The strategy is akin to paying for something with credit instead of cash.

I think someone else made that same statement a couple of months ago in a LTTE in the Citizen.  Wonder who that would be?

But, on to the reason for my post.

A group of parents and other residents supporting the bond initiative has reported donations of $30,000 from Oct. 3 through Monday, according to reports filed with the district. Citizens for Great Schools received $5,000 from VLK Architects of Arlington and $25,000 from Steele & Freeman construction managers/general contractors of Fort Worth. Both companies have done previous projects for Keller school district, including the new Caprock Elementary and Timber Creek High School, opening in August.

The citizens group has paid $27,330 to Ward Consulting of Grapevine, the report said. The group is sending mailers to voters this week and has ordered signs, said Smith, chairman and treasurer of the pro-bond group.

There is no organized opposition.

VLK and Steele Freeman are the two largest vendors the School District has.  Steele Freeman has done hundreds of millions of dollars worth of work for the district…and guess what?  It was no bid.  Negotiated.  VLK also has received millions of dollars worth of work from the district, also non bid.

The School District will bid out its office supplies, but refuses to take bids on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of construction projects.  Jason Wylie explained his support for Construction Manager at Risk during our podcast, but I am still a huge opponent of this practice.  Over the past decade, it has probably cost the district millions of dollars.

This isn’t the first time Steele Freeman and VLK have donated tens of thousands of dollars to get a bond passed, but the School Board needs to pass an ethics policy to make sure it is the last.

In this episode we have a conversation with Keller ISD Athletic Director Bob Dejonge.  We talk about the proposed stadium, his vision on winning, whether or not Keller High School is changing its mascot plus a host of other topics

UPDATE:  Bob’s answer on the question of Coach Dodge of SLC/UNT Fame

Glad the interview turned out well – Hopefully my answers will be an interesting read…

Coach Dodge was at FRHS before I became the athletic director.  I did have some responsibility in the athletic dept so he and I did have some contact.  I will tell you that I think he is an outstanding coach and a good man.  His is a very driven and goal oriented coach.  He is also a great example of the fact that wins and losses don’t always tell you about the quality of a man or his coaching.  I think that he is just a good of a coach today as he was in his days at Carroll.  It’s all about timing, being patient enough to build a foundation when all the pieces are not in place and knowing that victories just like losses are just a progress report.  You don’t live and die on each game – your use them as tools to make your foundation and program stronger.  As far as his reasons for moving on – I can only say that people make decisions that they feel are best for their careers and families.  It’s not really about a greener pasture – it’s what the best fit is for each individual.

Episode Music by David Kraut – Don’t Listen.

You can find David’s music at his website www.davidkraut.com.

You Don’t Know My Mind – The Dead or Alives

You can find their music at www.myspace.com/deadoralives

Click on orange logo above to open a new page with a flash player to listen, click here to download the mp3 file or you can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, with your Zune or an RSS Feed by clicking the corresponding button beneath the logo.

In this episode we have a conversation with Keller ISD School Board Member Jason Wylie. We talk about the upcoming bond, his opinion on our Superintendent, whether he cheers for the Indians, Panthers or Chargers plus a host of other topics

Episode Music by David Kraut – Don’t Listen.

You can find David’s music at his website www.davidkraut.com.

Click on orange logo above to open a new page with a flash player to listen, click here to download the mp3 file or you can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, with your Zune or an RSS Feed by clicking the corresponding button beneath the logo.

From the School District:
4th grade music students from elementary schools around the district have been chosen for the Keller ISD Honor Choir Concert. These students were among several who auditioned earlier in the school year for a spot in the Honor Choir. In the end, seven students from each school were selected.

On Friday, November 7th, starting at 8:00 a.m., those students, along with their music teachers, will attend an all-day workshop at Fossil Ridge High School where they will continue rehearsing several pieces of music for the Honor Choir concert which will be held that evening. The concert will begin at 7:00 pm at Fossil Ridge High School and is open to parents and the community. Congratulations to all of KISD’s Honor Choir students and their music teachers!

School / Music Teacher

Basswood Elementary / Heidi Chandler
Kaylee Velasquez, Kayla Chanthavong, Berri Craddock, Anna Rivas-Arias, Frantony Lewis, Caitlyn Booth, Gina Hume

Bette Perot Elementary / Stephanie Hein
Eliana Allen, Meaghan Hunt, Cydnie Jones, Rylee Jones, Hannah Mailhos, Cossette Rodriquez, Benton Westbrook

Bluebonnet Elementary/ Mary Carla Whitaker
Zachary Hotze, Julianna Thomason, Mikayla Emmert, Dylan Ogle, Madeline McNew, Noelle Mansilla, Sarah Phillips

Caprock Elementary / Andrea Hutchison
Victoria Cueva, Abbie Ellis, Serena Gomez, Stephanie Kilutu, Rosa Lopez, Makaylah Ramirez, Alyssa Sweet

Eagle Ridge Elementary / Alisa Grogan (sub)
Caitlyn Boyd, Zachary Murry, Cianni Powe, Monica Roach, Elaina Romero, Ysabelle Smith, Sarah VandeBrake

Florence Elementary / Lynda Knagg
Justin Harder, Harrison Schroeder, Olivia Shaltry, Annessa Robbins, Madison Buatte, Alexandra Sisson, BreAnn Barker

Freedom Elementary / Kelly Iverson
Elizabeth Beavers, Adelee Carreno, Elizabeth Collins, Scott Grant, Rachel Hundley, Claire Newton, Kameron Wheat

Friendship Elementary / Bethany Rinn
Brittany Adams, Brooke Cobb, Cole Davis, Mackenzy Lackey, Willy Lin, Avery Nevoit, Thomas Stephens

Heritage Elementary / Paula Olson
Brenna Braun, Sydney Brun-Ozuna, Stacy Eddington, Morgan Good, Kayla Kane, Sara Manning, Brianna Mendez

Hidden Lakes Elementary / Laura Israel
Natasha Santiago, Bethany Bahr, Ellie Cornwell, Anna Morgan, Kourtney Williams, Brighton Forsgren, Jensen Eggleston

Independence Elementary / Becky Puckett
Brynli Bishop, Olivia Burnett, Hope Feuling, Analia Kistler, Francesca Lopez, Kaitlynn McClay, Austin Pickell

Keller – Harvel Elementary / Tamara Masters Shelby Keith, Madison Tavarez, Cana Swiatocha, Carli Estes, Melanie Mayfield, Ryanne Johnson, Samantha Mohr

Liberty Elementary / Julie Michaels
Alexiss Brandon, Jordan Dixon, Payton Harris, Meagan McCright, Claycee Redford Lone Star Elementary / Sheila Rollings
Addison Angelo, Angela Buchholz, Lauryn Davis, Mikael Kohler, Jackson Kromer, Zachary Hartman, Peyton Simpson

North Riverside Elementary / Becky Compton
Rezana Kaba, Tori Moona, Laura Gonzalez, Taylor Richard, Jarret May, Matthew Garcia, Janifer Russell

Park Glen Elementary / Mary Dunn
Ingram Brueck, Miranda Day, Jessica Healey, Monica Hernandez, Michelle Howard, Sydney Lowe, Jordan Vincze

Parkview Elementary / Kathy Dobson Victoria Carpenter, DePhil Iteka, Brooke Lindsey, Kelsey Parks, Rhyse Smith, Reigan Wallace, Joey Williamson

Shady Grove Elementary / Kelly Davisson
Adrienne Hinojosa, Melanie Kolodziej, Vickie Koprovich Ashley MacDonald, Reagan Miller, Michael Vorwaller, Anna Watkins

Whitley Road Elementary / Veronica Simpson
Brooke Chavez, Danah Berry, Hayley Mooney, DellaAnn Gregg, Kacie Masters, Alyssa Jones, Morgan Welborn

Willis Lane Elementary / Alicia Wappel
Maddison Brandley, Robert Cascella, Connor Kirkwood, Hailey Newgard, Cody Pearson, Caroline Richards, Azalea Rosales

Woodland Springs Elementary / Stephanie Burton & Christie Lujan
Caitlin Cosby, Hannah Davis, Avery Lindley, Alex Lujan, Nam Nguyen, Graham Plummer, Aleah Turon

Congrats to all that were selected, including one little blonde from Shady Grove.  I’m glad she sings like her mother and not her dad.

Seems the no’s have it.  With 71 votes total, the poll results are as follows:

• I will vote yes on items one and two  24 votes 33%
• I will vote yes on item one and no on item two  8 votes  11%
• I will vote no on item one and yes on item two  2 votes 3%
• I will vote no on both items  39 votes  53%

Our last poll on the bond had very similar results.

I received this email from Jan Smith tonight:

Good Evening!

Keller HS Baseball’s golf tournament is 3 days away.  Tee time is Monday, October 13^th @ 8:00 a.m. at Iron Horse.

We can still use more golfers.  We have 40 golfers signed up to play and the weather should be great!  It’s not too late.

I still need a couple of volunteers from 10:30 – 12:30 to sit on Hole #7.  Please let me know if you’re available to do this.  A couple of the players could come out and help.

Even with the small turnout in golfers we still have some WONDERFUL auction items and door prizes.  If you can’t join us for golf stop by around 12:30 as the tournament winds down and bid on some great prizes.  You can also purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win some great items.

If you have any questions or would still like to play golf please call me at (email me at doug@kellercitylimits.com if you need Jan’s Cell Phone). I probably won’t check this email again until Sunday so please call me on my cell.

Thanks to all of you who have shown your support for KHS Baseball by golfing, donating items, getting items donated, volunteering or making a donation to the KHS Baseball program.  Your support is sincerely appreciate by not only me but by Coach Stramp and the players.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday!

I have two teams (eight players) in the tournament and would be willing to pay for anybody that emails me this weekend.  As I’ve said before, I don’t play golf so you don’t have to worry about playing with me.  I do plan to show up for the silent auction and possibly steal a golf cart for a little bit in the morning to go talk to the guys I’ve got playing.

I don’t remember the exact figure that the baseball team gets from the district, but it is very small.  If you consider they field four teams and the Varsity Team goes to Georgetown every year to play, they have to raise lots of money (like $20-$30k a year).

I’m starting to lean that direction after an email I received tonight.  While some people may think I’m against everything and anything, that isn’t true.  Take a trip down memory lane to 2006 where I came out publicly for the bond.

It will be a very hard sell for me to vote for the stadium, but that is another story.  Tonight I want to share with you an email I received from Deputy Superintendent Mark Youngs:

Hi Doug,

Upon further review KISD has moved the following projects from long term to short term:

Technology – Off site redundant location                        275,000

Technology – SSL VPN Solution for Remote Access      195,000

Technology – Application Security Firewall                     75,000

Technology – Intrusion Prevention/Security                    355,000

Technology – Class Room Projectors                            5,037,000

Security – Upgrade Alarm Panels District Wide               100,000

As far as flooring is concerned VCT Tile lasts 20 years and to the degree that tile is used it will be funded with long term dollars.  When carpet is used it will definitely be financed with short term dollars. We have found more and more campuses want tile because of cleanliness and indoor air quality issues.

You will be contacted by the district next week about the special ed. issues that were of interest to you – specifically the adjustments to be made if the multipurpose building becomes available.

The sum of all the short term projects still remains well within the parameters discussed with our underwriters.  The current market turbulence has us all worried some, but we were not planning on going to market until after the first of the year, so we will “wait and see”.

Thanks for your interest.

Think I’ll sleep on it a couple of days and do some soul searching and maybe give Kenny Smith and Jim Maine a call.  I respect both guys and they seem to be lining up on opposite sides of this issue.  I also have interviews with Bob Dejonge and Jason Wylie and need to get those completed before I make a final decision on how I will vote.