The Election Voting

Preach on Tomahawk.  They seem to look at it as "just another $15 a month!" 

Additional comments by YOUR super, Sam Ison.....Journal story

School districts plan next steps after levy outcomes

MIDDLETOWN

While those who worked on the campaign for the Middletown City Schools District’s 3.95-mill bond issue said they were upset the issue failed by about 230 votes, they’re confident when voters receive more education, the issue will pass, as soon as May 2014.

“We are disappointed; we are not defeated,” said the Rev. Lamar Ferrell, who worked on the campaign. “We can’t cry over our effort. We lost the first half, but we’re going to come out of the locker room and win the second half. It’s worth fighting for. Waiting will make the victory worth it.”

If approved, the bond issue would have generated more than $55 million to support about $95 million in construction projects. The tax issue would have cost a property owner about $147.36 a year for a home valued at $100,000.

“We are disappointed; we are not defeated,” said the Rev. Lamar Ferrell, who worked on the campaign. “We can’t cry over our effort. We lost the first half, but we’re going to come out of the locker room and win the second half. It’s worth fighting for. Waiting will make the victory worth it.”

Ison said the district needs to do a better job of communicating to the community so everyone knows the true needs of the district.

Ison said the school board will decide if, and when, to put the bond issue back on the ballot. He expects the issue on the ballot in May 2014. To be eligible for the financial assistance, the district must pass the bond issue within 13 months after it applied, which was in August.

“The clock is ticking,” he said.

Unfortunately for the district, he said, since the bond issue failed, it won’t receive the money in February 2014. If it passes in May, the money will not arrive until February 2015.

Katie McNeil, who has served on the school board for 18 years, but wasn’t running this year, blamed the narrow defeat on the “negativism” that stretches from the national, state and local government. She said there is a “distrust of leaders” that “we got to turn around.”

Despite the loss, McNeil said the board will “keep doing what’s good for the kids in the community.”

“We are disappointed; we are not defeated,” said the Rev. Lamar Ferrell, who worked on the campaign. “We can’t cry over our effort. We lost the first half, but we’re going to come out of the locker room and win the second half. It’s worth fighting for. Waiting will make the victory worth it.”

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR IDEAS IF YOU LOSE THE LEVY WAR IN MAY REVEREND? WILL YOU BE DEFEATED THEN?

If the district doesn’t get a bond issue passed by next May, it will forfeit $40 million in state funding from the Ohio School Facilities Commission. The district has a need to replace the 91-year-old middle school and expand the high school through renovation, said Superintendent Sam Ison.

WOW, REALLY HUNG UP ON THAT OLD "FORFEITING 40 MILLION" THING AREN'T THEY. HAVEN'T HEARD TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON WHAT THEY THINK THE NEW FACILITIES WILL DO FOR THE KIDS. JUST WANT NEW BUILDINGS AND SCARED THEY MIGHT LOSE THE STATE MONEY.

“The clock is ticking,” he said.

Unfortunately for the district, he said, since the bond issue failed, it won’t receive the money in February 2014. If it passes in May, the money will not arrive until February 2015.

IT'S ALL ABOUT RAISING MONEY AND GETTING IT IN HAND. SCARED TO DEATH THE OLD MONEY TAP WILL RUN DRY........OH, YEAH, BY THE WAY, WE NEED TO DO SOME "EDUCATIN'" ALONG THE WAY TOO.

OH, AND THEN THERE'S KATIE MCNEIL......

Katie McNeil, who has served on the school board for 18 years, but wasn’t running this year, blamed the narrow defeat on the “negativism” that stretches from the national, state and local government. She said there is a “distrust of leaders” that “we got to turn around.”

HOW ABOUT BLAMING THE DEFEAT ON THE PREMISE THAT VOTERS THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T GET ANY BANG FOR THE BUCK THE FIRST GO-AROUND FROM THE ELEMENTARY BOND LEVY? HOW ABOUT THE NOTION THAT THE DEFEAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS YOU DIDN'T NEED NEW BUILDINGS TO EDUCATE THE KIDS? HOW ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER $147 BUCKS ON A $100,000 HOME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD ANY MORE TAXES IN AN ALREADY TAX SATURATED CITY? DISTRUST OF LEADERS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR DECADES MS. McNEIL.

AND

Despite the loss, McNeil said the board will “keep doing what’s good for the kids in the community.”

AND WHAT WOULD THAT BE? YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE SAME NUMBERS WE HAVE FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS MCNEIL. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR BOARD'S PROGRESS IN "DOING WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY"? KINDA STAGNATED IN PACE ISN'T IT?

itsamee wrote: As for the Schools, I wanted to see a new building, but I am tired of tax payers footing the bills for all this (see my thoughts on the Senior Center levy...). Really, if they cut some of the high priced administrators, and came with a smaller, more reasonable plan (maybe build JUST a middle school and forego the HS remodel plans) they might have had a chance with me.  Was hoping to see Josh win, but hey, it happens.  It would be great to see him come back, as KTF stated, with a team to run and get a complete OVERHAUL.  Maybe he could run for mayor....

We are stuck with Picard for another term. Gotta get rid of the Mulligans in Nov of 2015. Hopefully, by then, several people outside the inner sanctum will decide to run and end the Mulligan/MMF run and destruction to the city. Would be nice to see this downtown blitzkreig and S. Main St. nonsense stop and start the concentration on the rest of the town, with the roads and infrastructure taking priority. Gotta disassemble the Section 8 cluster too.

As for my feelings, with the loss of the bond issue, maybe the school board can go back and see if they can lower the cost some more for a new Middle School. My main question is, if the population continues to drop in the City of Middletown, when will it reach a point where we can consolidate students enough in the existing schools, that we can shut down the existing Middle School without needing to build a new one?

I am also sad to see Josh loose, however this does not mean he can't come back and run again. Maybe by then he can build a team of people to run with him to take majority control of the city. Not all loses are a bad thing, this will be a good time for everyone to regroup and prepare for the next council election

Well, for me, the good news is:

The Bond Levy failed, but was close. Perhaps the no voters couldn't justify giving them more money to build a new middle school because they didn't feel they saw any benefit by the elementary school build up. OR, maybe we just have a town that has cash strapped residents and they can't afford that "$12 bucks a month" tab that was touted. When you're on the financial edge, every buck counts. OR, maybe the line "it's a good deal to approve it now because the state will chip in millions" didn't thrill the voters that much. That "bargain" the school people talked about didn't register apparently. Just maybe the voters said that new buildings didn't impact learning as much as has been talked about.

Mort lost her council seat. That's a good thing. At least we purged one MMF supporter from council. Now, we need to purge both Mulligans so as to reduce the MMF influence and perhaps work on getting the city manager and others out of town in the near future with a good purging of the city building. Let the firings begin!

Tyus is finally gone. Long time fixture behind the school board desk. Guess the voting public finally saw him as being what he has been for years, a non-active player just spouting the standard rhetoric. Problem is, we have four others that do the same thing and have, as their main agenda, getting new schools built and business as usual for academic progress. Didn't vote for any of 'em and actually wrote in a candidate even though it didn't matter. A "protest" I guess.

Ms. Bronston....time to tee it up, learn in quick time and start the change for the people of this town. We need someone to speak for us, not the small contingent of power brokers in town, represented by the rest of the office holders. Be different. Don't hold back. You'll get the respect of the people if you are......and the contempt from the rest of your colleagues.   

Bad news?

Laubach's out. Union influence in action here in town I would guess. Took the anti-union stance despite telling everyone the cost to maintain the union budget items, including legacy costs, were not affordable with lesser revenue. Sorry to see Laubach go even though I disagreed with him on some issues. He was the closest one to what this town needs. There is hope for Scott-Jones at times. The rest.....not good.

Afraid McClure will be the same board member he was in the past, as he focuses on getting new schools built and supporting the same old worn out road which has led to the downward trend (compared to decades ago) we see today in the schools. Don't expect anything earth-shattering from McClure based on his past track record. Just another face in the crowd behind a desk IMO.

No real change in complexion on school board. Business as usual yields results as usual. So much for eye-opening progress for the foreseeable future. All JMO.