Since the City formed TOD has consistently observed that for the City's three top positions we hired in haste and have suffered in an increasingly uncomfortable leisure. In one case we endured a breach so great that nothing less than permanent separation was acceptable. The other two...not so much. Yet.
Though not a singularity, the bungling of the Schneiderman investigation did not carry the consequences it should have or would have in other localities. And for years now we've endured the comedy of errors commonly known as CAD-to-CAD as our City Manager slowly realizes that wink-and-nod deals that work with real estate development don't work so well with computer systems development. Turns out computers don't blink.
Now folks are calling for action mostly in the form of a new City Manager. Some consider this harsh whilst others observe that the City Charter allows for little more than a nuclear option. Even the current City Manager, when justifying why he should not be subject to ethics oversight, argued that since he worked at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council such oversight was unnecessary. True dat.
As surprising as this may seem firing the City Manager won't fix the real problem. Without more fundamental changes the next City Manager will likely be as bad as the one we're currently saddled with and may even be worse. We need a better fix.
There is an old saying "You get what you pay for." Bullshit. You pay for what you get. And if you're smart you make sure of exactly what you are getting before you pay. That's what we need in this City: a compensation system that rewards results.
It works like this. Top City staffers (that would include the City Manager, Police Chief and City Attorney and their direct reports) will receive two thirds of their W2 compensation as salary with the rest in the form of performance bonuses. Plural. The next layer of staffers will receive an eighty-twenty split.
The bonuses are earned by delivering against tangible, measurable objectives agreed upon in bi-annual employee-manager work sessions. In the case of the City Manager, this would comprise agreed upon goals that are aligned with the policy direction established by Council. Long term policy initiatives require that Council establish intermediate milestones. Had this been done with the CAD-to-CAD project the City Manager would not have been able to pull the "it will take three months" wool over Council's eyes. It would also mean that failure to perform would come directly out of the pockets of those who failed to live up to their commitments.
Throughout the organization these goals must be aligned with Council's policy objectives and vision for the City. They must also be prioritized as should Council policy and vision. And they should be allocated in such a fashion that each employee has a clear understanding of what must be done to earn competitive compensation and what can be done (stretch goals) to earn more. It is a track record of achieving these stretch goals and nothing else that leads to increases in overall compensation. You earn your pay and you earn your raise.
By establishing this compensation plan and publishing the objectives, priorities, policy and vision updated whenever there is any change we will establish a level of transparency and accountability that will go a long way towards making Dunwoody a city that operates in the way we were promised.
Showing posts with label principles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label principles. Show all posts
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Founding Fathers
When you see "76" do you naturally think of the beginnings of the United States of America and our Founding Fathers? Does your mind drift to that greatest commemoration of the blessings of liberty--the Gettysburg Address? With that reverent, grateful acclamation of sacrifices made to ensure our precious freedoms:
Dunwoody's Founding Fathers...not so much. While the United States was originally a reaction to a distant disinterested dictatorial government Dunwoody was formed in the likeness of the very government our Patriots rebelled against. In Dunwoody we are certainly not dedicated to a government of, by and for the people. We are not to be listened to or even governed. We are to be managed.
The sooner the complainers amongst us realize this the sooner we can build Dunwoody into the kind of place our masters have planned for us.
"[...]that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."America's Founding Fathers held in highest regard the importance of self-governance, personal responsibility and individual freedoms.
Dunwoody's Founding Fathers...not so much. While the United States was originally a reaction to a distant disinterested dictatorial government Dunwoody was formed in the likeness of the very government our Patriots rebelled against. In Dunwoody we are certainly not dedicated to a government of, by and for the people. We are not to be listened to or even governed. We are to be managed.
The sooner the complainers amongst us realize this the sooner we can build Dunwoody into the kind of place our masters have planned for us.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Zero Tolerance For Rights
You may have noticed the hubbub around some schools' zero tolerance weapons policy. Some described these rules as draconian and applaud those in authority who are working to bring "common sense" into the mix. Sounds good.
But...if you are blessed with only a passing familiarity with the U.S. Constitution (the legal document not the boat--that's U-S-S) you are or should be very concerned. Let's look at only one case as reported in the AJC:
But...if you are blessed with only a passing familiarity with the U.S. Constitution (the legal document not the boat--that's U-S-S) you are or should be very concerned. Let's look at only one case as reported in the AJC:
[...]two Cobb County students were arrested within weeks of each other after police found knives in their cars parked on school grounds. [...] In one case, 17-year-old Cody Chitwood, an avid fisherman and senior at Lassiter High School, had filet knives in his fishing tackle box in the trunk of his car.and continues with a quote from Mike Huckabee on the matter:
"He had it locked in a tackle box in a car."That's the gist of it and since the article is primarily about the politics around zero tolerance it isn't surprising that a number of questions are left unasked and unanswered:
- What EXACTLY initiated the questioning of students? We will assume these students were ASKED before their PARENT'S vehicles were searched.
- What legal basis supports the search of a private vehicle?
- Was there probable cause? For what exactly?
- Was the vehicle owner's permission obtained before the vehicle was searched?
We should all take note of what happens to constitutional rights and civil liberties when a government agency decides it knows what's best.
Monday, September 2, 2013
The Pogrom Marches On
Two of the apartment complexes originally slated for eradication in Dunwoody's failed Parks Pogrom have filed a federal fair housing suit against the City accusing the City (thru it's much lauded "staff") of harassment and discrimination. One might dismiss this as a desperate legal tactic by businesses attempting to preserve their right to unfettered profitable operation. One would be mistaken.
Or so says Dunwoody's own Municipal Court Judge Rick Powell who swatted down nearly one hundred citations because the City failed to follow procedure and give proper notification. Is this mere arrogance with the City holding itself above its own procedures? Is it indeed harassment and discrimination that is a natural fall back position for a City determined to push those people out when more direct measures failed?
Or is it selective enforcement?
If this is selective enforcement then all the Citizens of Dunwoody and not just those renters along the PIB need to be very concerned. Selective enforcement such as picking off speeders on Chamblee Dunwoody often falls into the category of "worst first" due to limited resources. Like all other operational necessities even these situations must be closely monitored. Situations like the Chicken Ban have our City Staff instituting a policy of "enforce upon complaint" offering code enforcement as a big stick with which to beat your neighbor. More importantly it is well down the slippery slope of "we'll punish who we want when we want and to whatever degree we want".
When City Staff use selective enforcement to advance their own agenda and an unvetted, unsavory agenda at that then it is past time for our elected officials to step up, step in and put a stop to this. And we need to make sure they do. First because it is wrong--plain and simple. And if that isn't enough consider what you'll do and what recourse you'll have when they come after you.
Or so says Dunwoody's own Municipal Court Judge Rick Powell who swatted down nearly one hundred citations because the City failed to follow procedure and give proper notification. Is this mere arrogance with the City holding itself above its own procedures? Is it indeed harassment and discrimination that is a natural fall back position for a City determined to push those people out when more direct measures failed?
Or is it selective enforcement?
If this is selective enforcement then all the Citizens of Dunwoody and not just those renters along the PIB need to be very concerned. Selective enforcement such as picking off speeders on Chamblee Dunwoody often falls into the category of "worst first" due to limited resources. Like all other operational necessities even these situations must be closely monitored. Situations like the Chicken Ban have our City Staff instituting a policy of "enforce upon complaint" offering code enforcement as a big stick with which to beat your neighbor. More importantly it is well down the slippery slope of "we'll punish who we want when we want and to whatever degree we want".
When City Staff use selective enforcement to advance their own agenda and an unvetted, unsavory agenda at that then it is past time for our elected officials to step up, step in and put a stop to this. And we need to make sure they do. First because it is wrong--plain and simple. And if that isn't enough consider what you'll do and what recourse you'll have when they come after you.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Jabberwonky
Whenever a government spews forth missives like:
Then there is the redundancy of it all. Do not hotels perform their own marketing and wouldn't one expect them to do it well? It is a competitive private enterprise. And what about the the PR money we spend from the general budget on an engineering firm to polish our City image? How many groups have to spend how much money to convince someone that Dunwoody is a cool place? Perhaps the lady doth protest too much.
These CVBs represent little more than a grow the government philosophy of "we CAN tax them so we WILL and then we'll tax them more". Because there is really no public need to be met they piss the money away on friends, family and corporate connections. Then the greed kicks in...
The accompanying financial statements present the City and its component unit, an entity for which the City is considered to be financially accountable. The discretely presented component unit is reported in a separate column in the government-wide financial statements to emphasize that it is legally separate from the City.then you know two things:
Discretely Presented Component Units
The Dunwoody Convention and Visitors Bureau has been included as a discretely presented component unit in the accompanying financial statements. The Dunwoody Convention and Visitors Bureau (“Bureau”) is fiscally dependent on the City as it does not have the power to levy taxes, determine its own aggregate budget without the approval of the City of Dunwoody, Georgia, or issue bonded debt and the City is required by contract to provide a majority of the operational revenues for the Bureau.
Financial information with regard to the Bureau can be obtained from the Bureau’s administrative offices at 41 Perimeter Center East, Dunwoody, GA 30346. Separate financial statements for the Dunwoody Convention and Visitors Bureau are not prepared.
- They're doing something they ought not
- They really don't want you to know about it
Then there is the redundancy of it all. Do not hotels perform their own marketing and wouldn't one expect them to do it well? It is a competitive private enterprise. And what about the the PR money we spend from the general budget on an engineering firm to polish our City image? How many groups have to spend how much money to convince someone that Dunwoody is a cool place? Perhaps the lady doth protest too much.
These CVBs represent little more than a grow the government philosophy of "we CAN tax them so we WILL and then we'll tax them more". Because there is really no public need to be met they piss the money away on friends, family and corporate connections. Then the greed kicks in...
Thursday, July 4, 2013
What Would Lenny Do?
Those not living under a rock or imprisoned in Guantanamo have probably heard the latest earth shattering news on the Civil Rights front. No, not from the Supreme Court and not about Mandela. Turns out that a sixty six year old woman born and raised in the Jim Crow South has confessed to having, at some time in her life, actually uttered the Voldemort of Vulgarity -- the Derogatory Derivative of the Word "Negro". And it wasn't like someone put a gun to her head to get her to say it.
Now this News That's Too Old To Be New stirs up much emotion and greed, and on occasion a thought or two. Ponder if you will...
That might be Classic Lenny, but Lenny, while not aligned with his times, was acutely aware of the times in which he lived. It is more likely that Modern Lenny would simply hop on the MARTA and armed with a smart phone take videos of those very people so quick to claim offense but who spew forth that very word as if an eighth grader filling verbal blanks and empty spaces with "like" or "you know". He would sample these into a hip-hop, beat-box satirical video sure to go viral on YouTube.
It is this unfettered non-offending use juxtaposed with oh so public claims of offense when used by others that makes this word both transcend racism and at the same time become the perfect embodiment of racism--new as well as old. And it defies logic even within the black community as it presents a conundrum so corrosive that it tears down many of the gains made by the Civil Rights movement. Even Oprah and Chris Rock cannot agree with one adamantly imposing a total ban and the other observing the futility of the ban whilst noting the ironic humour associated with allowable use vs suicidal utterance. This word no longer stands for just the racial hatred of the old South, but now represents a modern racial divisiveness that thrives on a new hatred which has rendered honest discussions of race in America nothing more than a bloodied mine field littered with the corpses of those who tried while the remaining generals of the Civil Rights movement laugh from the sidelines.
They have won their battle with one word their sword of victory. But they have slain with the edge not the point yielding a brutal and vulgar victory that may yet ring hollow because at the end of the day Paula Deen is being persecuted because of the money in her bank account and she is being judged not on her character but by the color of her skin. That is the very definition of racism.
Now this News That's Too Old To Be New stirs up much emotion and greed, and on occasion a thought or two. Ponder if you will...
"What Would Lenny Do?"Classic Lenny would book the Apollo Theatre and take the stage spewing that most Derogatory Derivative of the Word "Negro" until it had lost all its power to offend or he was reduced to a pale grease spot by an angry mob the likes of which are more commonly associated with Detroit winning the NBA championship.
That might be Classic Lenny, but Lenny, while not aligned with his times, was acutely aware of the times in which he lived. It is more likely that Modern Lenny would simply hop on the MARTA and armed with a smart phone take videos of those very people so quick to claim offense but who spew forth that very word as if an eighth grader filling verbal blanks and empty spaces with "like" or "you know". He would sample these into a hip-hop, beat-box satirical video sure to go viral on YouTube.
It is this unfettered non-offending use juxtaposed with oh so public claims of offense when used by others that makes this word both transcend racism and at the same time become the perfect embodiment of racism--new as well as old. And it defies logic even within the black community as it presents a conundrum so corrosive that it tears down many of the gains made by the Civil Rights movement. Even Oprah and Chris Rock cannot agree with one adamantly imposing a total ban and the other observing the futility of the ban whilst noting the ironic humour associated with allowable use vs suicidal utterance. This word no longer stands for just the racial hatred of the old South, but now represents a modern racial divisiveness that thrives on a new hatred which has rendered honest discussions of race in America nothing more than a bloodied mine field littered with the corpses of those who tried while the remaining generals of the Civil Rights movement laugh from the sidelines.
They have won their battle with one word their sword of victory. But they have slain with the edge not the point yielding a brutal and vulgar victory that may yet ring hollow because at the end of the day Paula Deen is being persecuted because of the money in her bank account and she is being judged not on her character but by the color of her skin. That is the very definition of racism.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Make Independence Day Meaningful
It has been pointed out there is a snowball's chance in hell of getting an updated City Charter that creates anything even faintly resembling a democratic form of government for Dunwoody. The subtext, which we all know, is that we have what we have because the few and the powerful who pushed this City into existence wrote the original charter and installed the original bureaucracy. They still have the power, they like it that way and you can't change it.
But there is something we can do. We can put a stop to the hypocrisy, to the charade that is an insulting slap in the face of the citizens of Dunwoody and of every democratic form of government on this planet. We can update the charter to eliminate the election of the Mayor and Council. Not the actual positions, just the election. They have rendered the ballot box worthless so let's all act like grown ups and accept it. We can stop this madness. We can do this because those in power will let us.
This may not be easy to figure out. While we may be smart we don't score very well on the Edison-Tesla Innovation Scale but then again pride has never prevented our purloining what we like from other cities so we should take a cue from Dorset, Minnesota. But only a cue. While they did select their Mayor at random they used a most inferior technique--drawing a name from a hat. There is a far superior option--a raffle. Raffles maintain the underlying random nature of a draw but add that something special that makes it all things Dunwoody. It makes money for our bureaucrats to piss away.
For those who believe anything remotely resembling political office must somehow be subject to manipulation an open raffle allows any one person to buy as many tickets as they wish. Given enough money someone could all but buy a position. It may not be democratic but it sure as hell lines up with local politics round these parts.
While we're at it let's modify the term to a single year. It isn't as if there is much of a learning curve for positions that rubber-stamp whatever the City Manager puts before them and single year terms will serve to maximize the raffle revenue. It's not a federal grant, but in this Smart City it's what our masters call "win-win"--they win and...they win!
And we should hold the drawing at the end of the Fourth of July parade with immediate transfer of office between the seated Mayor and Council and the newly selected. This transfer of title symbolically represents the permanent transfer of real power from the voters to just another bureaucrat and signifies that government of the people, by the people and for the people has perished from this place.
After all, isn't that what our forefathers fought and died for?
But there is something we can do. We can put a stop to the hypocrisy, to the charade that is an insulting slap in the face of the citizens of Dunwoody and of every democratic form of government on this planet. We can update the charter to eliminate the election of the Mayor and Council. Not the actual positions, just the election. They have rendered the ballot box worthless so let's all act like grown ups and accept it. We can stop this madness. We can do this because those in power will let us.
This may not be easy to figure out. While we may be smart we don't score very well on the Edison-Tesla Innovation Scale but then again pride has never prevented our purloining what we like from other cities so we should take a cue from Dorset, Minnesota. But only a cue. While they did select their Mayor at random they used a most inferior technique--drawing a name from a hat. There is a far superior option--a raffle. Raffles maintain the underlying random nature of a draw but add that something special that makes it all things Dunwoody. It makes money for our bureaucrats to piss away.
For those who believe anything remotely resembling political office must somehow be subject to manipulation an open raffle allows any one person to buy as many tickets as they wish. Given enough money someone could all but buy a position. It may not be democratic but it sure as hell lines up with local politics round these parts.
While we're at it let's modify the term to a single year. It isn't as if there is much of a learning curve for positions that rubber-stamp whatever the City Manager puts before them and single year terms will serve to maximize the raffle revenue. It's not a federal grant, but in this Smart City it's what our masters call "win-win"--they win and...they win!
And we should hold the drawing at the end of the Fourth of July parade with immediate transfer of office between the seated Mayor and Council and the newly selected. This transfer of title symbolically represents the permanent transfer of real power from the voters to just another bureaucrat and signifies that government of the people, by the people and for the people has perished from this place.
After all, isn't that what our forefathers fought and died for?
Monday, May 6, 2013
Winston Churchill's Destruction of Dunwoody
One of Winston Churchill's quotable quotes on democracy
They blessed us with what is really "representative democracy" in name only by creating what is in fact a Bureaucratic Monarchy. They effectively stripped our Mayor and Council of any real authority and concentrated what should be distributed power with built in checks and balances answerable to the voter into a single bureaucratic position effectively answerable to no one: the City Manager.
Our current charter has given us a Council and Mayor with the authority to preside over ribbon cuttings while it is King Warren of the Wold who decides when and where and even if these ribbon cuttings occur. He negotiates backroom real estate deals with the full power and purse of the City and deigns to engage Council only when their approval, guided by his hand, is needed--at which point it has been reduced to a mere formality. His casual dismissal of his public non-engagement when making drastic changes to Brookrun Parkway is probably the closest we will get to honesty and transparency during his reign with every other action cloaked in impenetrable opacity with the CAD dis-integration being but one example.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter"seems to have struck a cord with the powers-that-were who pushed thru the creation of Dunwoody. While promoting this city as a platform for local control they were crafting a city charter that effectively relegates our elected Council and Mayor to ceremonial status all but eliminating the voter's say over those who run their city.
They blessed us with what is really "representative democracy" in name only by creating what is in fact a Bureaucratic Monarchy. They effectively stripped our Mayor and Council of any real authority and concentrated what should be distributed power with built in checks and balances answerable to the voter into a single bureaucratic position effectively answerable to no one: the City Manager.
Our current charter has given us a Council and Mayor with the authority to preside over ribbon cuttings while it is King Warren of the Wold who decides when and where and even if these ribbon cuttings occur. He negotiates backroom real estate deals with the full power and purse of the City and deigns to engage Council only when their approval, guided by his hand, is needed--at which point it has been reduced to a mere formality. His casual dismissal of his public non-engagement when making drastic changes to Brookrun Parkway is probably the closest we will get to honesty and transparency during his reign with every other action cloaked in impenetrable opacity with the CAD dis-integration being but one example.
The basis for this Orwellian perversion is not just the aforementioned Churchill quote but the twisted notion that when power corrupts it only affects politicians while appointed officials are somehow immune. There have been many a pub chat regarding the general integrity of anyone who would even consider entering politics but history has proven time and again that humans, any and all, are ill suited to manage power and ultimately it is power that controls them. The key factors of power's corrupting effect are concentration and time and we have had quite enough of both.
We have spent far too much time and effort attempting to disprove the harsh reality of power's corrupting effect and we should now consider another bit of wisdom from Churchill:
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."
Here in Dunwoody it is time that we give democracy a try. The power of the ballot box, our power, is effected only through the power of our elected officials and it is now time, with all good care and prudence, to put that power in their hands and return bureaucrats to the role where they best serve--being bureaucrats.
We must create a new charter that will be our Magna Carta.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Brook Run Parkway
After the City's courtroom triumph over the "save the trees" TRO many a reporter observed the Smart City's Good Mayor ejaculating:
The process itself seems quite simple and is a tribute to the fact that City bureaucrats have honed their skills and learned quite a lesson from the spankings they got over the "Power Line Parks" and "Bond for a Parks Pogrom". This time they published and took public comment on a plan they had no intention of implementing but in so doing acquired the political cover of "public buy-in". Once that was in place they followed the real plan, the concrete plan. Not the much more appropriate, full length and less costly (and yes, still ADA compliant) asphalt plan. Not when some city bureaucrat has a "Friend in the Concrete Business".
The "why" is a bit more clever but no less easily understood. Politicians and their dirty-sanchez-ing bureaucrats gain power by maximizing the amount of money that is spent under their say so. In this case, our tax dollars. And power has a way of currying favor, whether it be a high paying job for that cucumber your sister's daughter was dumb enough to marry, a few rounds of golf at Augusta, or a less than arms-length real estate deal on that nice place down on the coast. What goes around comes around and if you control how taxpayer money gets around, good things are sure to come your way.
Just imagine how much power and glory is to be had from a Perimeter Center City Sports Complex.
"We're going ahead and constructing the trail as planned"bringing us to a rather fine point: just which plan would that be? Amongst all the khazeray this silly drama of Ents vs Trolls has rained upon us what seems to have been lost is exactly how did we, the mere citizens of Dunwoody, get bamboozled?
The process itself seems quite simple and is a tribute to the fact that City bureaucrats have honed their skills and learned quite a lesson from the spankings they got over the "Power Line Parks" and "Bond for a Parks Pogrom". This time they published and took public comment on a plan they had no intention of implementing but in so doing acquired the political cover of "public buy-in". Once that was in place they followed the real plan, the concrete plan. Not the much more appropriate, full length and less costly (and yes, still ADA compliant) asphalt plan. Not when some city bureaucrat has a "Friend in the Concrete Business".
The "why" is a bit more clever but no less easily understood. Politicians and their dirty-sanchez-ing bureaucrats gain power by maximizing the amount of money that is spent under their say so. In this case, our tax dollars. And power has a way of currying favor, whether it be a high paying job for that cucumber your sister's daughter was dumb enough to marry, a few rounds of golf at Augusta, or a less than arms-length real estate deal on that nice place down on the coast. What goes around comes around and if you control how taxpayer money gets around, good things are sure to come your way.
Just imagine how much power and glory is to be had from a Perimeter Center City Sports Complex.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Democracy Inaction
As many know Dunwoody will hold elections for City Council seats this fall. At the same time it is becoming increasingly apparent that current council is just a wee bit out of touch with the citizenry. We're regaled with tall tales of "thousands of emails from all across Dunwoody" when it suits council's desire to ramrod something generally unpopular down the public's throat but are given no substantive evidence of any alleged support for clearly unpopular issues. No clue where they get their wild-eyed ideas but we might as well be running this city based on chit-chats at a gas station.
But now there seems to be concerted and effective opposition to the whimsical fantasies of our duly elected Lords and Ladies of the ruling class and their courtesans at City Hall to the point we find ourselves at an impasse. The trifecta of "Runway in the Park", "No Way on the Parkway" and "Turning Down the Roundabout" pulled up lame right out of the gate.
This offers an excellent opportunity to solve the underlying problem of City Hall detachment. Put these issues on the upcoming ballot and while we're at it, let's dissect the "Master Plan" and put those individual components up for vote. Doesn't have to be a formal referendum, just a non-binding straw vote, but a vote that is much more transparent than rumors of bountiful and conveniently unavailable emails and phone calls.
Ramrodders will argue that we cannot afford to wait. Wait for what? Transparency? Serving the citizens of Dunwoody? For someone to actually look into what is really going on and question the almighty authority of City Hall and the bureaucratic minions who bloat our budget?
Until we get responsive and responsible leaders and city staff, we deserve no less than to have our voices heard in an auditable, undeniable forum.
Let the voters speak.
But now there seems to be concerted and effective opposition to the whimsical fantasies of our duly elected Lords and Ladies of the ruling class and their courtesans at City Hall to the point we find ourselves at an impasse. The trifecta of "Runway in the Park", "No Way on the Parkway" and "Turning Down the Roundabout" pulled up lame right out of the gate.
This offers an excellent opportunity to solve the underlying problem of City Hall detachment. Put these issues on the upcoming ballot and while we're at it, let's dissect the "Master Plan" and put those individual components up for vote. Doesn't have to be a formal referendum, just a non-binding straw vote, but a vote that is much more transparent than rumors of bountiful and conveniently unavailable emails and phone calls.
Ramrodders will argue that we cannot afford to wait. Wait for what? Transparency? Serving the citizens of Dunwoody? For someone to actually look into what is really going on and question the almighty authority of City Hall and the bureaucratic minions who bloat our budget?
Until we get responsive and responsible leaders and city staff, we deserve no less than to have our voices heard in an auditable, undeniable forum.
Let the voters speak.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Local Control For Sale
We in the 'Wood wax poetic about "Local Control". "Local Control" is the cornerstone of City governance based on the superficially obvious observation that it is smaller and generally in closer geographic proximity. But miles are not the only measure of proximity and the ballot box is not the only means of control.
A perfect and quite transparent object lesson is had by juxtaposing the High School Roundabout with the Village Parkway. In the former case Council "bowed to the will of the people" allegedly receiving a Sagan-esque "billions and billions" of emails. The objecting noise over the Parkway is unceasing and protesters have literally taken to the street. To no avail. For the Parkway matter Council hides behind "The Master Plan" claiming it is well vetted, the product of public input and not subject to further review or modification. The same could be said of the roundabout, but it isn't, and the Smart Folk are left to ponder why.
The differentiator is as simple as it is obvious. Much of the Parkway funding is from grants while the roundabout is simply our tax dollars at work. And when City Hall taps Other People's Money, these Other People tap them--on the shoulder and direct them to do what these Other People want and do it the way they want it done. If that happens to align with your "vision" and achieves your goals, and only your goals, then it is little more than another source of funding. Of course this is never the case. If you were going to do something as these Other People would have it, why should they pay?
The problem is increasingly obvious. The Other People are much more subtle than a tap on the shoulder. They tell the City up front what "their way" is making it clear it is "their way or the highway". Consequently our City bureaucrats are not identifying and characterizing problems in order to propose one or more solutions for public approval and funding but instead look to what funding is available, determine what strings are attached and then craft a "solution" tailored to the grant requirements. Problems themselves are discussed only as it furthers grant approval and characterized only to the degree required to squelch public outcry. We're not very good at the second part.
As few grants cover one hundred percent of costs these Other People are buying influence and taking the "Local Control" we've entrusted to the City at a very steep discount. It is increasingly apparent that Council exerts as much power at City Hall as the DeKalb Board of Education does over DCSD Administration.
At the end of the day when grant prospecting influences what this City does and how it is done unelected City bureaucrats are selling OUR "Local Control" for their benefit.
A perfect and quite transparent object lesson is had by juxtaposing the High School Roundabout with the Village Parkway. In the former case Council "bowed to the will of the people" allegedly receiving a Sagan-esque "billions and billions" of emails. The objecting noise over the Parkway is unceasing and protesters have literally taken to the street. To no avail. For the Parkway matter Council hides behind "The Master Plan" claiming it is well vetted, the product of public input and not subject to further review or modification. The same could be said of the roundabout, but it isn't, and the Smart Folk are left to ponder why.
The differentiator is as simple as it is obvious. Much of the Parkway funding is from grants while the roundabout is simply our tax dollars at work. And when City Hall taps Other People's Money, these Other People tap them--on the shoulder and direct them to do what these Other People want and do it the way they want it done. If that happens to align with your "vision" and achieves your goals, and only your goals, then it is little more than another source of funding. Of course this is never the case. If you were going to do something as these Other People would have it, why should they pay?
The problem is increasingly obvious. The Other People are much more subtle than a tap on the shoulder. They tell the City up front what "their way" is making it clear it is "their way or the highway". Consequently our City bureaucrats are not identifying and characterizing problems in order to propose one or more solutions for public approval and funding but instead look to what funding is available, determine what strings are attached and then craft a "solution" tailored to the grant requirements. Problems themselves are discussed only as it furthers grant approval and characterized only to the degree required to squelch public outcry. We're not very good at the second part.
As few grants cover one hundred percent of costs these Other People are buying influence and taking the "Local Control" we've entrusted to the City at a very steep discount. It is increasingly apparent that Council exerts as much power at City Hall as the DeKalb Board of Education does over DCSD Administration.
At the end of the day when grant prospecting influences what this City does and how it is done unelected City bureaucrats are selling OUR "Local Control" for their benefit.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Dunwoody Pavement Paradox
If you're trying to figure out a simple answer to all things asphalt in Dunwoody then you're probably dizzy from all the spin. The problem is there is more than one distorted looking glass in this fun house. You cannot just follow the money and you cannot just look for the busy body who wants to run your life. You must consider both.
Take the interstate lane to be paved through old growth forest. Done deal. Chamois chafing bikers are hell bent on creating a Dunwoody just like Seattle or wherever the hell bicycle nirvana really is (and belongs). But they are "progressives" and that makes them right and you wrong. Just ask 'em.
Another on the special interest front is the High School Roundabout. Roundabouts are currently very trendy with the aforementioned "progressive" crowd. Just gotta have 'em, after all they are so euro-chic. Can't wait until they find out how euro-chic castles are. Real castles, not those shoddily constructed mcmansions. Anyway they attempted to validate their plan by hiring a consultant who never did a site visit and didn't even know about the high school. Little Fuqui Yuppee. Then the Not Around My Place folks pounced and shouted in Council's ear and like a wind-sock Council blew the NAMP's direction. Score one for the "interlacers".
Council were not listening so intently when the anti-parkway crowd tried to bend their ears. The plan is simple enough: spend two point four million dollars on zero point four miles of road. That works out to over eleven hundred dollars per running foot, not the kind of money that falls off trees. This plan includes de-paving--sacrificing one lane each way for sidewalks and bikeways so one might conclude the progressive bikers have won another battle. Naturally the interlacers came out in force, stealing a progressive mainstay, "save the trees", in an effort to stop the plan. But this is a case of follow the money, and the money is a grant that we've asked for and received and should we turn up our non-progressive noses, we'll not see another grant for quite some time. And we're addicted to OPM.
There's also the one point five million dollars pissed away on a building now left to rot. Why? Well, the official answer is this property is a necessary component of a cut-through from Shallowford over to Perimeter/Ashford-Dunwoody. In reality this is a bit of both follow the money and "we'll run your lives". You see the real goal was to acquire the old Shallowford/Emory hospital property allowing for an extension of the interstate lane through Brookrun and preventing the construction of those nasty ole apartments with those nasty ole people living in them. Just so happens that Peachford property was owned by the same folks and they wanted to unload all of them. If you think those deals were unrelated you're too stupid for this smart city.
Take the interstate lane to be paved through old growth forest. Done deal. Chamois chafing bikers are hell bent on creating a Dunwoody just like Seattle or wherever the hell bicycle nirvana really is (and belongs). But they are "progressives" and that makes them right and you wrong. Just ask 'em.
Another on the special interest front is the High School Roundabout. Roundabouts are currently very trendy with the aforementioned "progressive" crowd. Just gotta have 'em, after all they are so euro-chic. Can't wait until they find out how euro-chic castles are. Real castles, not those shoddily constructed mcmansions. Anyway they attempted to validate their plan by hiring a consultant who never did a site visit and didn't even know about the high school. Little Fuqui Yuppee. Then the Not Around My Place folks pounced and shouted in Council's ear and like a wind-sock Council blew the NAMP's direction. Score one for the "interlacers".
Council were not listening so intently when the anti-parkway crowd tried to bend their ears. The plan is simple enough: spend two point four million dollars on zero point four miles of road. That works out to over eleven hundred dollars per running foot, not the kind of money that falls off trees. This plan includes de-paving--sacrificing one lane each way for sidewalks and bikeways so one might conclude the progressive bikers have won another battle. Naturally the interlacers came out in force, stealing a progressive mainstay, "save the trees", in an effort to stop the plan. But this is a case of follow the money, and the money is a grant that we've asked for and received and should we turn up our non-progressive noses, we'll not see another grant for quite some time. And we're addicted to OPM.
There's also the one point five million dollars pissed away on a building now left to rot. Why? Well, the official answer is this property is a necessary component of a cut-through from Shallowford over to Perimeter/Ashford-Dunwoody. In reality this is a bit of both follow the money and "we'll run your lives". You see the real goal was to acquire the old Shallowford/Emory hospital property allowing for an extension of the interstate lane through Brookrun and preventing the construction of those nasty ole apartments with those nasty ole people living in them. Just so happens that Peachford property was owned by the same folks and they wanted to unload all of them. If you think those deals were unrelated you're too stupid for this smart city.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Inciteful Movie
If you care at all about the sorry state of American Public Education then you've seen Two Million Minutes and perhaps some of the other films available on that site. You may have seen Waiting for Superman which is available on Netflix's streaming service. Or perhaps you've seen The Lottery.
Perhaps not.
This is not an attempt to encourage viewing these films nor is there any intent to discourage viewing them either. This is about another film, a documentary on how schools really operate. The Cartel. You may be pretty burned out with the cheating scandals, the financial incompetence of DeKalb Schools, charter amendment propaganda or the corrupt operations that have become so ingrained in the system and you just may be over it. To help you gauge whether this is worth ninety minutes of your time that you will never get back, The Other Dunwoody offers a very simple test:
If you want to have some real fun, invite a public school apologist over to watch with you. You know the kind, someone so full of the Kool Aid their eyeballs are floating. A teacher at any nearby public school would do nicely. If you're up to even more fun, try to secure a principal, administrator, or the holy grail--a school board member. Now as they watch the movie, you watch their face. Whenever they wince, flinch or frown (not to worry, they won't smile or nod in agreement), hit "Pause". Give them a chance to explain. From the deep end of the Kool Aid pool. Listen politely and take note of any and all excuses but one: "That's some other school (system), not ours. Ours is great." Fact is, as bad the things are that are depicted in this movie, DeKalb Schools are worse.
Perhaps not.
This is not an attempt to encourage viewing these films nor is there any intent to discourage viewing them either. This is about another film, a documentary on how schools really operate. The Cartel. You may be pretty burned out with the cheating scandals, the financial incompetence of DeKalb Schools, charter amendment propaganda or the corrupt operations that have become so ingrained in the system and you just may be over it. To help you gauge whether this is worth ninety minutes of your time that you will never get back, The Other Dunwoody offers a very simple test:
Go online and find these three facts, usually available on your local school system's web site:If this doesn't cause you to immediately re-check your calculations only to confirm the answer and ultimately result in a mouth-agape WTF moment, then don't watch The Cartel. You're part of the problem, not the solution. If you're absolutely shocked at the number this simple calculation yields, then you should invest ninety minutes of your time in a personal, in-home, Netflix powered screening.
Using this information calculate the total amount of money, your tax dollars, that are spent operating the average classroom.
- Total annual spending
- Total number of students, often called "FTE"
- Average number of students per class
If you want to have some real fun, invite a public school apologist over to watch with you. You know the kind, someone so full of the Kool Aid their eyeballs are floating. A teacher at any nearby public school would do nicely. If you're up to even more fun, try to secure a principal, administrator, or the holy grail--a school board member. Now as they watch the movie, you watch their face. Whenever they wince, flinch or frown (not to worry, they won't smile or nod in agreement), hit "Pause". Give them a chance to explain. From the deep end of the Kool Aid pool. Listen politely and take note of any and all excuses but one: "That's some other school (system), not ours. Ours is great." Fact is, as bad the things are that are depicted in this movie, DeKalb Schools are worse.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Practical Reality
It doesn't matter what folks say something is. It doesn't matter what something is or was supposed to be. The only thing that matters is what something really is.
That is practical reality.
A perfect and timely example is "local control" and what makes this pretty interesting is that DeKalb's out-of-touch public school bureaucracy has co-opted the term. The assertion is that politicians elected at the county level are more "local" than bureaucrats at the state level.
Real...
Simple...
Equation...
But only for real simple minds, because it is little more than a play on words--a perverse little pun.
So let's look at this from a pragmatic point of view.
By and large do the voting public in DeKalb county feel that DCSD administration is "local" to them in any meaningful way? Do these administrators listen and learn about issues in the community AND address these issues in a straightforward, effective fashion? Do the public feel that it REALLY makes a difference who they elect to the School Board when Board members are structurally prevented from direct, forthright action under the threat of sanctions for "micro-managing"?
For many in DeKalb the answer is probably a strong yes, but for others it is an even stronger no. The former have representation in the controlling bloc which wields the political power necessary to ensure that the hired bureaucrats bend to their will and comply with their wishes. The other Board members, who feel their constituency is not well served, are relegated to the role of annoying outsiders--increasingly less-than-loyal opposition.
It is the latter constituency, empowered by the geographical self-aggregation that prevails in today's America, who have been and will continue to be "break-aways". They do this not out of racism and only partly over money--more based on how it is squandered than where it is spent. The practical reality is that these voters are disenfranchised by a system that has so diluted their representative voice that they have no control over any aspect of the school system charged with educating our children.
Without ANY control it doesn't really matter whether it is "local" or not and it appears this group would prefer some control at whatever level is available rather than no control at all.
That is practical reality.
A perfect and timely example is "local control" and what makes this pretty interesting is that DeKalb's out-of-touch public school bureaucracy has co-opted the term. The assertion is that politicians elected at the county level are more "local" than bureaucrats at the state level.
Real...
Simple...
Equation...
But only for real simple minds, because it is little more than a play on words--a perverse little pun.
So let's look at this from a pragmatic point of view.
By and large do the voting public in DeKalb county feel that DCSD administration is "local" to them in any meaningful way? Do these administrators listen and learn about issues in the community AND address these issues in a straightforward, effective fashion? Do the public feel that it REALLY makes a difference who they elect to the School Board when Board members are structurally prevented from direct, forthright action under the threat of sanctions for "micro-managing"?
For many in DeKalb the answer is probably a strong yes, but for others it is an even stronger no. The former have representation in the controlling bloc which wields the political power necessary to ensure that the hired bureaucrats bend to their will and comply with their wishes. The other Board members, who feel their constituency is not well served, are relegated to the role of annoying outsiders--increasingly less-than-loyal opposition.
It is the latter constituency, empowered by the geographical self-aggregation that prevails in today's America, who have been and will continue to be "break-aways". They do this not out of racism and only partly over money--more based on how it is squandered than where it is spent. The practical reality is that these voters are disenfranchised by a system that has so diluted their representative voice that they have no control over any aspect of the school system charged with educating our children.
Without ANY control it doesn't really matter whether it is "local" or not and it appears this group would prefer some control at whatever level is available rather than no control at all.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Oink Oink
 |
| Pork: Always Good |
This has recently surfaced in the Parkway kerfuffle, but it is interesting to note that few voices are raised in opposition to the pork stampede driving this project to completion but rather to the specifics of the project and the million or so bucks it will cost local taxpayers. And it really has gone without saying, in any meaningful forum, that many of these taxpayers are businesses, some of which rely on this little stretch of paved paradise.
However, there has been some indigestion over the general issue of pork--controlling grants that fund bloated excess in what local governments do and how much they [over] pay for having it done. In response, supporters of the gluttonous appetite for this intrusion and bloat offer the tried and true "if we don't do it some one else will." This speaks to the belief of a zero sum game as this is commonly followed by "and they'll get ahead of us." OK. So what? The argument isn't quite as childish as "nanny, nanny boo, boo" but it is pretty darn close.
One valid observation has been made. This version of the pork industry is a structural implementation of the tragedy of the commons. But it has all the moral appeal of starving people only to watch them fight over crumbs. For your own entertainment. Let's just call it a government operated "Survivor" reality show. And local governments, of which Dunwoody aspires to be the best, are fighting to "get on the show" and it is every bit as embarrassing as you might imagine.
A few, a very few, outliers seem to be thinking outside the box that is our city limits, suggesting that at some point people of principle and character must take a stand on a larger stage, even if there is great risk. Normally such talk is allowed in Dunwoody only on the Fourth of July and only in reference to long dead forefathers who risked property and life so we could rape and pillage the future they fought for. After all that is what they fought for. Right?
The fact is there has always been a tension between principled ethics and practical ethics (yes, some consider this an oxymoron). The grade school example is "you see a dollar on the ground--should you take it?" While there are bodies of law built around what folks do, what they are allowed to do, and what they should do in cases like this, the question remains: should you take something you know does not belong to you?
Of course the situation in Dunwoody is completely different because we have a man in a trench coat flashing us really cheap Rolex watches and if we don't take these off his hands someone else will. We may not need another watch or care what time it is and we don't really care where he got them. In fact, it's better we don't know.
Friday, October 12, 2012
HOST Windfall
The City of Dunwoody just got an early birthday present: a HOST windfall slightly in excess of the cost of the Village Parkway re-do.
So, will the taxpayers get a rebate or reduction in property taxes? Not on you life! You see, it was the City, not the Citizens, who got the windfall and this Smart City is going on a spending spree.
So, will the taxpayers get a rebate or reduction in property taxes? Not on you life! You see, it was the City, not the Citizens, who got the windfall and this Smart City is going on a spending spree.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Parkway: The Real Problem
In a recent update a City Councilman hinted at a very real problem surfacing in the Parkway kerfuffle.
This selfishness also blinds us to the key point underpinning this repavement project. Somehow we got backed into a corner and are now presented only with a Hobson's choice.
Now if this situation was created by, at the request of and with the approval of Council 1.0 in an open and transparent manner, then all is well and good and the time for carping and complaining is over. It is now time to act on the plan. If Council 1.0 instituted the plan, began execution and passed the baton to Council 2.0, it is incumbent upon the current Council to take that baton and run with it, not throw it down and whine.
But the carping and complaining remains ceaseless, even on Council, making one question whether Council 1.0 was very involved in the actions that precipitated the "future grant poison pill". If not, then who did this?
The obvious place to look, if you are not the Police Department, would be at those closest to the action: the bureaucrats down at City Hall. Did someone at City Hall take the steps constituting an irrevocable commitment? If so, who did this? Did they have standing authorization to make million dollar commitments on behalf of City taxpayers? If so, this should be fixed immediately.
If this was some deal based on bureaucratic "initiative", as many suspect with Project Renaissance, then Council needs to act, first to terminate the offending bureaucrats and then to amend the process to prevent future disasters.
"... the City ran the risk of blacklisting from future grants if we cancelled the plan completely."This is a clear statement that we are driven by an ambition to spend other people's money--by way of grants. We at The Other Dunwoody will not entertain the claptrap about how we pay the taxes that fund these grants, or "getting our share", or how if we don't get the grant someone else will. We will simply suggest you research "The Tragedy of the Commons" and start taking some ownership of America and not just your back yard.
This selfishness also blinds us to the key point underpinning this repavement project. Somehow we got backed into a corner and are now presented only with a Hobson's choice.
Now if this situation was created by, at the request of and with the approval of Council 1.0 in an open and transparent manner, then all is well and good and the time for carping and complaining is over. It is now time to act on the plan. If Council 1.0 instituted the plan, began execution and passed the baton to Council 2.0, it is incumbent upon the current Council to take that baton and run with it, not throw it down and whine.
But the carping and complaining remains ceaseless, even on Council, making one question whether Council 1.0 was very involved in the actions that precipitated the "future grant poison pill". If not, then who did this?
The obvious place to look, if you are not the Police Department, would be at those closest to the action: the bureaucrats down at City Hall. Did someone at City Hall take the steps constituting an irrevocable commitment? If so, who did this? Did they have standing authorization to make million dollar commitments on behalf of City taxpayers? If so, this should be fixed immediately.
If this was some deal based on bureaucratic "initiative", as many suspect with Project Renaissance, then Council needs to act, first to terminate the offending bureaucrats and then to amend the process to prevent future disasters.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Brookhaven Yes! To Run New City
It should come as no surprise, but the folks operating under the label "Brookhaven Yes!" will indeed be running the new city. As reported in the AJC they have established many a Task Force to assess various aspects of how the City will be run. But before you ask, the answer is: No, you cannot have access to any documents or meetings until and unless they bloody well feel like it.
You see, all that transparency stuff like open records requests and open meetings only applies to government operations, and Brookhaven Yes! isn't a government. Yet.
There are a few rays of hope. First, by not opening these meetings to the public and following the requirements that will soon be applied to the real city the members of this group who are running for political office may take a serious hit. Mistrust seems a significant factor in politics these days.
And the Governor, though he has yet to act and may be stalling, will appoint a commission to coordinate the efforts of city formation. At that point there will be a legitimate government entity involved and to the extent that entity does anything it will be subject to open meeting and records law. Or it will be subject to legal action.
To date these advocacy non-profits have been hiding behind their corporate shields. That is about to change.
You see, all that transparency stuff like open records requests and open meetings only applies to government operations, and Brookhaven Yes! isn't a government. Yet.
There are a few rays of hope. First, by not opening these meetings to the public and following the requirements that will soon be applied to the real city the members of this group who are running for political office may take a serious hit. Mistrust seems a significant factor in politics these days.
And the Governor, though he has yet to act and may be stalling, will appoint a commission to coordinate the efforts of city formation. At that point there will be a legitimate government entity involved and to the extent that entity does anything it will be subject to open meeting and records law. Or it will be subject to legal action.
To date these advocacy non-profits have been hiding behind their corporate shields. That is about to change.
Friday, July 13, 2012
What Cost Ethics?
Apparently ethics is a luxury, something to be afforded only when money flows like water or if it comes at a very small price. Or so one would conclude from the statements coming out of City Hall.
These statements generally revolve around "waste of time and money" which is a bit difficult for the general population to abide as this is the same city that pissed away five million dollars on the Peachford Property to nowhere. The money pissed away on purloined branding and logos, while pale in comparison to the Peachford fiasco, nonetheless dwarfs the "cost of ethics". Ensuring the public is well served and in an ethical manner is money well spent.
More troubling are the comments taking the "no harm no foul" tack which asserts that since the likely penalty is small, the actual offense must be minor and no money, or even effort, should be "wasted" in review or remediation. This kind of reasoning is consistent with not investigating murders because it won't bring the victim back to life. Is someone at City Hall suggesting we've spent far too much on investigating a double homicide? Probably not since all Smart People know that balancing the scales of justice is not done by stacking coins on each side.
Perhaps we need to remind City Hall that this kerfuffle is of their own making. To hire friends and family is something we like to condemn as we point our wagging fingers towards Decatur, but it is a time bomb we built with a fuze we lit. Choosing comradery over competence is always a poor selection and that this bomb blew up splattering muck all over the City should come as no surprise. It is more surprising how little damage was inflicted and how little it has cost.
Cleaning up this mess and doing it properly is non-negotiable. We deserve no less than transparency and absolute certainty that our elected officials and city employees are held to the highest standards and subject to the severest consequences when they fail their duty. And as sure as the sun rises in the morn there will be a move afoot to "fix" our ethics ordinances. The Citizens of Dunwoody must be on high alert because when politicians lower the ethical standard to which they are held, it is impossible to ever raise that bar.
These statements generally revolve around "waste of time and money" which is a bit difficult for the general population to abide as this is the same city that pissed away five million dollars on the Peachford Property to nowhere. The money pissed away on purloined branding and logos, while pale in comparison to the Peachford fiasco, nonetheless dwarfs the "cost of ethics". Ensuring the public is well served and in an ethical manner is money well spent.
More troubling are the comments taking the "no harm no foul" tack which asserts that since the likely penalty is small, the actual offense must be minor and no money, or even effort, should be "wasted" in review or remediation. This kind of reasoning is consistent with not investigating murders because it won't bring the victim back to life. Is someone at City Hall suggesting we've spent far too much on investigating a double homicide? Probably not since all Smart People know that balancing the scales of justice is not done by stacking coins on each side.
Perhaps we need to remind City Hall that this kerfuffle is of their own making. To hire friends and family is something we like to condemn as we point our wagging fingers towards Decatur, but it is a time bomb we built with a fuze we lit. Choosing comradery over competence is always a poor selection and that this bomb blew up splattering muck all over the City should come as no surprise. It is more surprising how little damage was inflicted and how little it has cost.
Cleaning up this mess and doing it properly is non-negotiable. We deserve no less than transparency and absolute certainty that our elected officials and city employees are held to the highest standards and subject to the severest consequences when they fail their duty. And as sure as the sun rises in the morn there will be a move afoot to "fix" our ethics ordinances. The Citizens of Dunwoody must be on high alert because when politicians lower the ethical standard to which they are held, it is impossible to ever raise that bar.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Georgia Races to the Bottom
Of integrity.
Knowing full well what was required and what rules would apply, the State of Georgia aggressively pursue Federal "Race to the Top" grants and was awarded $400M to participate in the program.
Now that they have the money they don't like the rules and they want them changed. They claim that teacher evaluations under the federal rules would result in lawsuits -- tells you something important about "educators" in Georgia, namely that litigation is directly proportional to incompetence. For the teachers out there who didn't get that it means that the more worthless the teacher the more likely they are to sue whenever their inadequacies become an issue.
And is a litigious employee base some kind of recent occurrence? Hardly. But the state is hiding behind "a new administration" claiming it was an old administration that agreed to the rules with which the current administration takes issue. Which is to say that the integrity of the Sovereign State of Georgia is little more than a wind sock.
Perhaps the folks down in the ATL should be told to man-up and if they don't like the rules give back the money. Only honorable thing to do. And while they're at it they should consider growing a pair and rid us of the incompetence dominating our education systems. That should be worth $400M.
Knowing full well what was required and what rules would apply, the State of Georgia aggressively pursue Federal "Race to the Top" grants and was awarded $400M to participate in the program.
Now that they have the money they don't like the rules and they want them changed. They claim that teacher evaluations under the federal rules would result in lawsuits -- tells you something important about "educators" in Georgia, namely that litigation is directly proportional to incompetence. For the teachers out there who didn't get that it means that the more worthless the teacher the more likely they are to sue whenever their inadequacies become an issue.
And is a litigious employee base some kind of recent occurrence? Hardly. But the state is hiding behind "a new administration" claiming it was an old administration that agreed to the rules with which the current administration takes issue. Which is to say that the integrity of the Sovereign State of Georgia is little more than a wind sock.
Perhaps the folks down in the ATL should be told to man-up and if they don't like the rules give back the money. Only honorable thing to do. And while they're at it they should consider growing a pair and rid us of the incompetence dominating our education systems. That should be worth $400M.
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