School Town Hall Meeting

[KeepItPositive]

Although I couldn't make the meeting, I read the online article about it and it doesn't appear that much was accomplished other then continuing the doom and gloom news.  The school administration wants to extend the time frame for the deficit elimination plan another two years.  They also requested that residents write our legislators and ask them for more money.  I agree, as school funding is not equitable.  I've already written Lansing about this several times but have had no luck.  Maybe you all will have better luck than I did.  Were any of you there that could comment further?

http://www.bedfordnow.com/news/2013/jan/30/debt-plan-could-be-extended-two-years-no-official-/

[StopTheBurning]

When people write or email their representatives point out that other school districts such Ypsilanti are getting almost $14,000 per student.    We know Detroit always gets a free ride but other communities should get the same amount of money from the state.

[2012Bedford]

When people write or email their representatives point out that other school districts such Ypsilanti are getting almost $14,000 per student.    We know Detroit always gets a free ride but other communities should get the same amount of money from the state.

STB,
Bedford is really in a bad place, school wise, and if you really knew the real situation to come with the township and it's financial problems. Getting the other administration out, may have been 4 years to late.

Anyways, this is where being a CITY IS A NECESSITY...I know the ins and the outs and what the difference is.

BEDFORD NEEDS TO BECOME A CITY, it has a LARGER than normal census for a township. Help from the state and feds is needed ASAP.

ALSO the idiots that blocked the Walmart deal, you can also blame them. I know some don't like Walmart, but they do help local schools, so does Targets. BEDFORD NEEDS MORE TAX BASE from fortune 1000 or 500 companies before its to late. KROGERS does little help to local schools.  You must do flips and hand stands before they help and must setup community rewards programs, where others co don't do this.

[Hondo]

Bedford Township cannot become a city.  Lambertville could, Temperance could, not the township.

They could become a Charter township, as most of the townships that have a population equal to or greater than ours, but I would vote against it for various reasons not needed for this post. 

I haven't seen anything from the new regime that spurs my confidence.

Bedford is the 22nd largest township in Michigan, by population.  Of the 21 larger, 16 are chartered.  A charter township has no additional avenues to request State and Federal aid than Bedford, that I know of.

Walmart (like Target and any large box) doesn't do anything more than Kroger.  They will not go out of their way to pay more taxes.  Who does?  Kroger actually is a pretty responsible corporate citizen.

[2012Bedford]

Walmart (like Target and any large box) doesn't do anything more than Kroger.  They will not go out of their way to pay more taxes.  Who does?  Kroger actually is a pretty responsible corporate citizen.

Where did you get that info, or are you one of the few that was lobbied by Krogers during the "Walmart wanna be  on Lewis era". 

As far as the Bedford TWP being a city, The complete South County could succeed as one, and it would benefit all. Why don't you call Mr. Carl Levins office and ask them. I have met him and ask him personally. CITIES have more benefits that TWP.

[Hondo]

Walmart (like Target and any large box) doesn't do anything more than Kroger.  They will not go out of their way to pay more taxes.  Who does?  Kroger actually is a pretty responsible corporate citizen.

Where did you get that info, or are you one of the few that was lobbied by Krogers during the "Walmart wanna be  on Lewis era". 

As far as the Bedford TWP being a city, The complete South County could succeed as one, and it would benefit all. Why don't you call Mr. Carl Levins office and ask them. I have met him and ask him personally. CITIES have more benefits that TWP.

You initiate a post and provide nothing to support your statements.  I counter your statements and you demand proof from me?  Simply put, we could never become a city.  Can't be done.  Has never been done.  You can dream if you want.  Or go back to what you were smoking.

[StopTheBurning]

Cities and Charter townships also have the authority to raise taxes much higher than they are now.  Residents now waste their taxes on Erie Transit, librarys, senior centers.

[Domestic Goddess]

I went to that meeting and I walked away with no faith.  Everytime a person would ask a question the superintendent would give a very long winded reply to "wind down the clock".  He was rude to a blonde lady who had some very good questions and I don't think he every really answered her.  One woman asked about doing drills with the police and he went into a long story about a kid who is very afraid of sirens.  He seems to be more focused on keeping the teachers employed than in making sure our kids have what they need.  He went to lansing and could only talk about a politician who could not meet with him.  We won't have a superintendent that is permanent until maybe the end of the year.  This one keeps talking about how he works long days, well he gets a pension and a healthy salary so I have no sympathy for him.  They will close a school for sure and then on one is going to want to move here.  I want to know why 88 percent of our budget goes to salaries and retirement, spending that much we should have better scores. 

[bedford wife]

I walked away from this meeting so depressed.  I look at the kids in this township and all I can think is that we are wasting our biggest resource.  I could assign blame, all of us have an opinion about how to fix this.  I would like to think that the board and administration cares as much as we do.  I don't feel represented by the board, none of them have kids in the school here.  Jon White has been in this district for 40 plus years......that doesn't sell me on him,  how do you know best practices in other places if you spend your whole career in one area?  I don't think a letter writing campaign is going to do a damn thing.  I do think that we need to consider a class action lawsuit against the state....it's been done successfully in other areas.  We need to focus more on getting these kids into university's and less on the assumption that they can go work in industry.  I don't have a dog in this fight....one child is in private school and the other is in the ISD....I do however have an interest because I want the kids in my community to be well educated with choices!  If I can get a Civil Rights attorney to give us a consultation on the merits of a case....how many of you would be willing to meet?

[Admin1]

In response to a recent post:

As an editor's note, four of the current school board members have students in the district: Dee Ellsworth, Tim Brakel, Mike Smith and Joe Gore. Shawna Smith had two students in the district with her youngest graduating in 2011. Wayne Meehean currently has a grandson in the district.

[bedford wife]

Admin1....since you have the ability to quickly get accurate information.  Can you tell us how many of the current school board members belong to unions?

[Heisenberg]

I'm curious how many of the current school board members drive foreign cars.

[PackersFan]

Describe 'foreign'.

[Hondo]

And what does "belonging to a union" and driving a "foreign" car have ANYTHING to do with this post?

[StopTheBurning]

I believe BW might be referring to what appears to be a effort by the unions to get people on boards and elected to public office.