Sun Prairie School Board Quotable Quotes

Jim Carrel:

"Any complaint about the high cost of the [proposed] high school building should be first addressed to those who voted 'NO' [on the April 2006 referendum]"

Jim Carrel:

"With liberty comes vigilance......"

John Whalen:

"I can think of 96 million reasons to vote 'NO' [on 11/06/07 referendum]"

Get your facts straight!

Is anyone else growing weary of school board member Mary Ellen Havel-Lang and District Administrator Tim Culver stating mis-information with respect to the taxy levy?

At the 9/24/07 school board meeting, Tim Culver stated that "we're [Sun Prairie] one of a rare number of school districts that levy [taxes] below the state revenue limit".

Horse hockey! I honestly think they say these things because (A) they sound really impressive and (B) they believe no one has the wherewithal to check the facts.

The facts, folks, are these:

1. Over the past 3 school years, 148(2004-05), 143 (2005-06), and 82 (2006-07) out of the state's 426 school districts have levied underneath the state-imposed limits. I wouldn't call those numbers "RARE". sure, it''s getting harder to do so, but even last year, 20% of districts levied under the limit.

2. Here are Sun Prairie's rankings (out of 426) over the past 3 years:

......................................................... 2004-05 ..... 2005-06 ..... 2006-07
Revenue Limit .................................... 23rd ................. 22nd .............. 22nd
Tax levy .............................................. 23rd ................. 17th ................ 17th
Tax levy under the cap -$$ ................. OVER ............... 13th ................ 8th
Tax levy under the cap -% of limit ...... OVER ............... 22nd ................ 15th

Yes, we've been "good"....but certainly not "rare".

See for yourself here:
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sfs/revlim.html
then download "Historical Revenue Limit Information" (available by year)

School Board: 7 elected members, or a 'team of eight'?

Have you ever attended a Sun Prairie School Board meeting (or watched on TV) and asked, "Why is District Administrator Tim Culver seated at the left hand of the board president"?

If so, you're not alone. we've even asked former board president Mary Ellen Havel-Lang about it. Her response was that Dr. Culver is a critical part of the board team. Hmmm. Have you also noted that Dr. Culver gets the privilege of speaking out at the board table during meetings...a privilege that is not extended to residents? If so you may have also noted that Dr. Culver has the luxury of presenting the last word, and frequently rebuts the presentations of district residents....yet the residents do not have the right to re-but Dr. Culver's "spin" on any given issue.

It's simply not right for the District Administrator to sit at the board table or be treated as a board member. He certainly wasn't elected, and more importantly...he is an employee of the school board. We certainly believe that the board and the administrator need to have a good professional working relationship...but that does not include a seat at the "big table". He should be offered a seat at the side table, whether other members of the district's administration team sit, whether they can be available to respond to questions from the board.

We've since learned that Sun Prairie is not alone in this "team of 8" practice. Read more about this issue at: http://www.peytonwolcott.com/TeamEight.html

Final Sun Prairie Pool Plan: "Damn the pool committee; we 7 get to decide things!"

At the Special School Board session on Monday September 17, the net result was "damn the efforts of the Ad Hoc Pool Task Force" and significant changes were made from the recommendations offered by the board appointed Task Force.

Out:

• The warm water exercise pool

SP-EYE note: we think this was a poor decision. A number of community members and seniors would have benefited from a warm-water exercise/rehabilitation pool. This decision virtually ensures a significant loss of potential operating cost-recouping revenue.

Significant changes:

• Increase the pool from 6 to 8 lanes
• Increase bleacher seating from 100 to 300

SP-EYE note: we think this was a poor decision, as well. The Pool Task Force thoroughly researched pools, pool operation, and pool curricula. The committee --by majority consensus-- agreed that a 6-lane pool and seating for 100 was all that was necessary, and the compromise allowed the committee to include the warm-water exercise pool at a reasonable cost.

Undecided:

• Whether or not to lump the pool in with the high school referendum

(Thanks to Mary Ellen Havel-Lang for pointing out that since this was not specifically on the official agenda, no action can be taken during a public meeting. See folks...they CAN learn! There is hope.)

Other notes from the meeting:

• The "pool people" were again out in force, and seemed to exert some influence over this new, kinder & gentler board.
• Sun Prairie resident and knowledgeable pool advocate Keith Miller implored the board and the "pool people" to stick with the plan developed by the Ad Hoc Pool Task Force. He noted that it made sense, was the result of consensus, and met the needs of both the school district and all community residents.
• Board president David Stackhouse disagreed with the final plan, correctly noting that the "pool people" had previously supported the agreement with the YMCA, which would have only afforded us with 6 of the 8 lanes in the 'Y' pool. So why need 8 lanes now?
• Keith Miller noted that most 'Big 8' schools only have 6 lanes pools, and 6 lanes is all that is required to hold WIAA swim meets. He also noted that as a former WIAA pool official, his experience is that only rarely do the number of pool meet spectators even approach 100.

Is anyone watching the books?

Why are the taxpayers paying for Sun Prairie Area School District Administrator Tim Culver's Rotary dues (and meals at Rotary Club meetings)?

Culver's contract calls for the following payments:

• annualized base salary shall be $135,454 (Contract 3.a.)
• Flat monthly payment for the use of personal automobile of $325 per month for use in district and in Dane County (Contract 4.j.)
• $125 per month to defray miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses (Contract 4.l.) [...in lieu of other expense reimbursement for miscellaneous costs incurred carrying out official duties...]

That's a total of about $11,750 per month, or $141,000 per year!

His contract states that the board (that means us, the taxpayers) will pay the cost of:

...required annual dues for one state and one national professional association whose primary missions are to improve education and the professional competence of District Administrator.

1. The state association we pay for is: the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.
2. The national association is: the American Association of School Administrators (Cost = $1192, check # 80158)

OK...those make good sense and conform to the contract specifications. But what about the Rotary club? In the past year we paid for Culver's Rotary Club membership, which I understand is $25/quarter + the meal cost at meetings. This year we have paid the following:

• Check# 72592 $101.65
• Check# 74541 $116.00
• Check# 76931 $109.00
• Check# 78245 $116.00

Seeing as (A) we already pay him $325/mo for travel and $125/month for misc meals and expenses (B) given that the Rotary---while an excellent service organization--does not fit the contract requirements of an association "whose primary missions are to improve education and the professional competence of District Administrator". ...why is this not coming out of his healthily lined pocket?

Rotary International Mission Statement:

"The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders."

...or check the local chapter goals at: http://www.rotary6250.org/downloads/Rotary%20District%206250%20Goals%20for%202007-08.pdf

Let me make this clear: I believe the Rotary Club is an excellent service organization. This is also not an indictment of Dr. Culver. This is simply about who should be paying for the membership. If the school board wanted to cover this cost, it should have been in his contract. WHO is watching out for finances and contract compliance? The board talks a good game about its role to enact policy, but the board also is responsible for proper fiscal management of a $65M business.

Why shouldn't Culver use some of his personal salary or "monthly stipends" for his membership????

Don't we, at some point, have to say "enough is enough" with respect to perks for Dr. Culver?

And why is no one watching for compliance of his contract?

Pool plan puts the damper on high school referendum

At last night's (9/10/07) school board meeting, girl's swim coach Nancy Harms, a number of girls swim team members, and Piranha club members spoke out about the pool plan being proposed alongside the high school referendum poised for November 6th.

The major issues cited were:

1. The pool exists as a separate referendum question, yet the field house and performing arts center were bundled into the high school plan.

2. Proponents felt that an 8-lane pool offered more to the school and the community than the proposed 6-lane pool.

3. Pool proponents believe that bleacher seating capacity of 100 is insufficient.

Board president David Stackhouse reminded the public that the Ad Hoc Pool Task Force was convened in the spring/summer of 2006 to draw up a plan for a pool and a curriculum. That effort involved at least 16 hours of Task Force members' time and effort. The Task Force was comprised of a number of pool managers, swim team coaches, and Bob Hollings, SP Director of Parks and Recreation (who also oversees the Aquatic Center). The final plan recommended by the Task Force represented a consensus of the group.

Board member Tim Boylen cautioned the public that ignoring the work of committees such as the Pool Task Force will not bode well for enlisting future involvement of community member volunteers for committees.

The school board voted to table any action on the referendum pending some re-evaluation of pool options. A meeting on the pool issue has been scheduled for next Monday 9/17/07. The final vote for the entire referendum must be completed at the 9/24/07 school board meeting in order to hold a Nov. 6th referendum.

"It is what it is" - The Sun Prairie High School Plan

At the August 2oth high school plan team meeting, school board member Mary Ellen Havel-Lang noted the estimated effect the plan would have on the mill rate and simply said,
"It is what it is."

What is it? $97M and $1.24 to $1.31 increase to the mill rate.

At the August 27th school board meeting, Rick Mealy cited the April 30th CRT results which showed that 90% of the CRT could only support a maximum mill rate increase of $1.00. District Administrator Tim Culver then offered a rebuttal and "corrected" Mr. Mealy's statement regarding the CRT. Culver stated that on May 21, the CRT voted 78% in favor of supporting "the plan" at a cost of $87.7 to $97M.

Most taxpayers care less about the total cost of something as they do about how it will affect them: i.e., the mill rate and a project's effect on property taxes. What the CRT actually voted for on May 21st was this:



This slide shows that the 78% supported a plan that would not cost more than $1.11 on the mill rate...which was far more generous than the CRT agreed to at the April 30th meeting. Note, however, that while the final plan came out at exactly the maximum of the range shown to the CRT, the final mill rate estimate at $1.24 (without a pool) is about 12% higher than the CRT agreed to support.

So...while Dr. Culver was technically correct in his "correction", he was without a doubt being disingenuous as to what the CRT requested. And in case there is any doubt about the CRT's priorities, here they are from the May 21st meeting: #1: One high school, #2 cost.