Comments on: MDUSD board to discuss budget, school safety, bullying and other issues tonight

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:44:35 +0000

I wonder why King Lawrence has chosen not to meet with the serfs ? Instead, he sends his minions, Sue Brothers and Pete.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:41:26 +0000

Based on my conversations with neighbors, I don’t believe Lawrence has spoken to them.
They said Sherry Whitmarsh and Pete Pedersen have met with them.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:37:58 +0000

@TH#129 The operative word is “seemed” — Sue Brothers is an accomplished placater with no record of follow up, especially where she doesn’t make the decision. Of course she can say “she would like” because she doesn’t make the decision. Can the neighbors “pin down” Lawrence to the same statement ?

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:18:21 +0000

It definitely appears that the neighbors are making more waves than the district may have initially anticipated.
I was told by a resident that he met with Sue Brothers on June 25, the day of the board meeting, and that she told him she would like to have an independent analysis of the lighting and sound impacts.
He said the neighbors want the sound and lighting mitigated and that Brothers seemed receptive to working with them to resolve their concerns.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 16:34:38 +0000

Based on Pedersen’s comments, Rolen’s late involvment, the sudden unexplained pulling of the project from the agenda, it would appear the neighbor’s lawyered up, Lawrence then coward out, especially with his fair haired future Asst. Supt. being the new principal, afraid of a public humiliation . . . .once again.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:52:17 +0000

Here’s the response I got from Pete Pedersen in an email regarding the YVHS stadium lighting environmental report:

“We are still reviewing the project scope and hope to have a meeting with the neighbors soon.

Any environmental report, along with the comments and responses must be placed on a public agenda, posted in compliance with Brown Act requirements and must be acted upon by the Board. Individuals or groups/entities who submit comments are not provided personal responses. Rather, the responses are incorporated into the final, posted document. There is no ‘deadline’ associated with this process.”

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:50:15 +0000

Yes, I thought it was odd that that was left on and that it didn’t specify a school.

I just spoke to a YVHS neighbor who said he found out on June 25 that the board expected to give the superintendent approval that night to enter into a contract for the project. Then, it was abruptly pulled from the agenda. He also said no residents who submitted comments on the environmental study have received responses, which are required.

The district is certainly handling this differently than it did the Northgate project. For that, the board held at special meeting at Northgate, complete with a presentation of the project and ample opportunity for public comments.

By: g

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:48:32 +0000

Theresa, perhaps they should also pull Item 13? They can’t inspect something they don’t build—well, I suppose this group could…!

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:38:54 +0000

So happy to see that MDUSD approved The Hunger Games for High school. My kids read them in 5th grade. Most 5th graders i know have also read them. Some of the other books my son read in 6th and 7th grade. I should add that he had a very good understanding of what the books were really about. The social issues and government.
Wonder if middle school kids will get the reading counts credit for reading them now?

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:34:25 +0000

It looks as though the YVHS field lighting project may have hit a snag. It was pulled from the list of contracts the board authorized the superintendent to enter into: http://esbpublic.mdusd.k12.ca.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=5544&mtgId=345

However, Superintendent Steven Lawrence told trustees he didn’t think it was necessary for a public announcement to be made explaining why the agenda attachment was changed, as Trustee Cheryl Hansen suggested in her proposed changes to agenda notifications.

Although one YVHS resident said he was told there would be a special board meeting July 18 to approve the lighting project, Mitchell Stark told me he is not aware of such a meeting. He said General Counsel Greg Rolen has gotten involved in the project.