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Letters to the Editor
Vote no on all 3 EISD propositions in bond election
Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Dear Editor:
The analysis in last week’s Picayune Letters to the Editor provides a brief insight to the lack of planning and analysis done by the EISD Board and Administration concerning projects included in the proposed $150 million bond package. The River Hills site presents many obstacles for the construction of a school which will translate into expensive building costs to the delight and financial benefit of the architects, engineers, construction managers and other related service professionals who earn massive fees for these projects on top of hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on those same professionals to come up with the projects to begin with.
Proponents of construction of a new elementary on River Hills road would have us believe that the “growth” is to the western part of the district when, in fact, the Eanes ISD 2009 Demographic Report predicts their attendance at Valley View will decrease from 462 students to 351 through 2014, and despite that, the new school is being designed for 550 students. The administration continues to support enrolling out- of-district transfer students who will pay nothing toward the bonds while residents build facilities for them.
Taxpayers should understand that the proposed River Hills elementary school is but one example of projects that are not needed, ill conceived, insufficiently researched, over-priced and not in the best interest of the district. The district’s own facilities manager has stated publicly that we “can’t trust the numbers” for projects included in all three ballot propositions.
Voters in Eanes need to vote no on all three propositions and send the board and administration back to the drawing board to determine true needs and accurate costs. We don’t need a slush fund for the administration to implement its empire-building agenda when the annual budget is operating at record deficits.
Edward Henigin
Whitemarsh Valley Walk
When I read in the Picayune that Paul Stone had said of the proposed bond “this is what excellence looks like” I thought to myself, no Paul, this is what it looks like when leaders cannot make hard decisions.
EISD trustees have not done their job. Trustees are elected to lead. Leaders do what it takes to understand needs, prioritize spending, and then unanimously support and promote a bond program as the right thing to do. Instead, they have simply allowed the administration to put together an extraordinary list that mixes pork with beans. Leaders do not “shoot em all and let God sort ‘em out.” That’s what this three bucket bond program really is: an admission that the trustees don’t know what to do, and want to shift their responsibility to the public.
But the voters cannot possibly know what the true financial condition of EISD is. The public does not know enough about the conditions of our buildings to make an informed decision as to what would be the best use of bond money, Trustees have access to all data. Voters have only opinions. Trustees are supposed to work to find the balance of what EISD can afford and what it must have. Trustees are supposed to craft a bond request that is carefully considered from all angles. Asking the voters to do this for them is a sure sign that the board is rudderless and unable to steer this district. Can we afford a school at River Hills? Do we need 6 campuses, or will 5 do? Does it make sense to use Valley View as an administration building? I don’t know; yet they have left it up to me, as a voter, to decide knowing that I cannot possibly accumulate enough knowledge of the true financial position and true needs to make an informed choice.
The very fact that they put this bond into 3 buckets means that they have all looked at the data, debated the options, and failed to come to consensus as to what is best for EISD. This bond is the equivalent of a hung jury.
And like a hung jury, it should result in a new trail.
I agree with Mr. Henigin. I will vote no, as well, in hopes that our trustees will recall that we voted them into this position to provide leadership. Leaders would bring the public a bond that they wholeheartedly support and that in their considered, fiduciary role view to be the right thing for our community. Leaders would never ask the public–who cannot possibly be as informed as an insider as to the true financial condition of the district– to make the hard choices with virtually no information and in the headwinds of hearsay.
Thankfully, between now and the next bond, we can attempt to elect some leaders next May; clearly, EISD needs some.
The Trustees are not given all the information needed to make credible and fact based decisions because the superintendent refuses to provide it. When asked directly for these documents, Wellman has suggested the trustees file an open records request to get it. The books are not open in Eanes. Though many agree we need to elect new members to the board, the trustees will remain powerless under the conditions our superintendent has imposed.
It is time we have Trustees who will take a hard and honest look at the big picture in our District and make the tough decisions.
Will people be happy about closing a school or redistricting- probably not BUT if it is the best economic choice we must do it. Children are resilient and can survive any change, the parents are the ones who have a harder time than the kids.
We need Trustees who understand that every economic decision has an impact elsewhere in the District. Are classes at the High School level getting too big because we are adding to our M&O costs? If the state gives us fewer dollars per student in the future and we have increased our M&O dollars how will we make up for those lost funds? Where is the plan?? Thus far, the Trustees have not put forth a plan. Plan for less and be surprised when we have more.
It is time to hunker down now and make the cuts and financial changes to ensure our children will have the best possible education in the future. Buildings will not educate a child- teachers and programs do. If our M&O increases and our funds decrease this will have a direct negative impact on our funds for teachers and programs.
In the future maybe we can do the bells and whistles again but right now we must have Trustees who are willing to make tough choices. We need Trustees willing to ask questions of our Superintendent and make sure that an answer is given besides “we need to be excellent”. Right now our Superintendent tells her Trustees to do an Open Records request when they ask for data and information. If a Trustee can’t get it then why should we vote for it??
That’s interesting. So the superintendent slammed those citizens who requested public information and now the board members can’t even get the information? And she just hired a 70K “communications” director? Okay then …
I’m voting no on all of the bonds. This is ridiculous.
In a difficult economy, one does not create more debt, one cuts.
Additionally, the lack of is transperancy throughout the process is very,very troubling. Voting no is the message the board needs to hear.
One does not need to look any further than how the trustees spent the previous bond money to see how out of touch these folks are. There’s nothing from stopping them from doing what they did last time which was to bloat all of the estimates and then say they found “extra” money to buy stuff that didn’t help any classroom teacher.
No transparency, no bond, simple as that. Vote no
Sheesh “Sometimes… ” is way off base. Bond 2 is not building a sixth campus. Eanes will still have five elementary schools. The proposal is to provide a more efficient campus in the neighborhood of its student population. It also will renovate and update the Eanes Elementary campus — as desired by the Eanes population at countless community forums. Furthermore, there is no plan to use the current Valley View as administrative space. That idea was tabled long ago. The current plan includes renting out the Valley View space to Austin Community College or other interested parties, making it a revenue maker.
I would remind voters that excellence doesn’t just happen. It takes vision like that of Nola Wellman to create the stellar school system we enjoy. Vote YES for the kids, for the community, for what’s right!
Mr./Mrs. Inform Thyself, you may want to rethink your post. There are already 6 campuses for Elementary schools, not five. CC, Eanes, BC, BP, VV, FT. The question “sometimes” is asking, which is a good one that I do not know the answer to either, is do we need 6 campuses for elementary schools when we have 760 out of district students? It’s actually a good question.
But that really guts your point. “Sometimes” (I so wish people would use their names) is asking if we need 5 or 6 campuses, period.
So the plan is to build a 7th Elementary campus at River Hills, and close the existing Valley View campus (final count: 6 campuses). That begs the question of what happens to the 7th. This is the first time I’ve ever heard that EISD might rent the old VV to ACC. My understanding is that in the 15 year plan the old VV is planned to be the admin building.I guess those two things could both be true, because after if we rent it we still control it’s long term future.
Excellence doesn’t just happen. I agree. But excellence is far more related to teachers than buildings, at least that is my opinion. Eanes Elementary is the worst kept physical structure in our district. Yet while it has been neglected, it has twice been named a Blue Ribbon School. Why? Meet those teachers, and the principal(s) and you will immediately know why. Those teachers are superb, and so the shambles around them simply fades into the background.
The latest demographic report in December 2009 clearly shows that the resident population has grown over the past 6+ years. And that trend is expected to continue.
But the bonds are not needed solely because of growth. The first proposal includes capital projects to replace what investments we, as taxpayers, have already committed to over time. Just like we need to replace old air conditioners, roofs, make foundation repairs and other big projects in our homes.
The second bond proposal includes needed improvements to Eanes Elementary for safety, security, new buildings and septic system replacement. The new campus is a modern and efficient (M&O friendly) that allows another campus to be sold, rented and/or repurposed.
The issue of transparency is mute for those who pay attention and really want to know. The last EISD study session detailed the changes in the last bond spending. Nothing wrong there, just some calculated decisions as new information became available over the years that the bond projects unfolded.
Plus the board has agreed to form a bond oversight committee. More transparency. Good.
Are you referring to this report?
http://www.eanesisd.net/aboutdistrict/Eanes%20ISD%202009%20Demographic%20Report.pdf
Because that report does not show significant growth planned for the future. What is growing is the total student count, which includes OODT’s, unless I’m missing something.
The current “resident” student population between 2009 and this year is less than 10 kids. That’s not growth. The total student population, though, including transfers, shows growth. (Dr. W. said the total population in 2010-2011 is about 7600, I believe, but the resident population only moved from 6935 to 6940-ish.)
The other interesting thing is taken over 15 years, the resident student population really hasn’t grown very much. We didn’t take transfers back in 1997 (except kids of staff) and today’s in district students are just about the same as the total enrollment back then.
So no, Some More Info, the demographic report doesn’t show growth: it pretty clearly shows stagnant in district population. Which means that the future projections are not at all in line with history. To me, that means that the projections are all driven by the underlying assumptions. In other words, that’s not clear, because assumptions are subject to debate.
Just reading the report. Hey, it’s Friday! Might as well pass the afternoon reading this often misquoted demographic study.
Here is how I read the report:
- Table 7 shows resident enrollment at 6,923 in 02-03 and at 6,935 in 09-10. You can say that that is flat but it ignores the fact that we dropped 365 students between 02-04 and so for the last six years have increased by 377 in district students with increases in every year. I believe the drops in 02-04 were related to the massive cuts the district made and the community upset over program loss and a potential elementary school closing. The increases due to good leadership to get back on track thereafter. Just my opinion.
- Someone stated there were 760 transfer students and that is enough to close an elementary school if we eliminate the program. The report says that the total for 09-10 was actually 573 (Table 7) not 760. Of that 573, 75% were non-teacher kids so true out of district students (based on Table 7). Of the 573, 234 were in elementary school (Table 1). If you apply the out of district ratio of 75% you get an estimated elementary school true out of district count of 175 kids last year. I don’t know if that is enough kids to go down from 6 elementary schools to 5, but I am guessing it isn’t. Plus, elementary school in district enrollment is projected to increase in the report.
Carl, you have a reputation as being an intelligent and thoughtful person, but you did indeed miss something. Take a look at page 21, Table 6, Eanes ISD Grade Group Trends – Includes Employee Transfers but not Out of District Transfers. Add up the numbers, and you will see growth of in-district students. In any event, as pointed out by Some More Info, the projects in the bond propositions are not driven solely by because of growth.
Nola Wellman and her sidekick Bill Bechtol have repeatedly asserted that class size doesn’t matter. But apparently administrative office size does matter because Wellman wants a big new administration building to house the many administrators she’s added — while she reduces Eanes ISD teachers through attrition and adds hundreds of transfer students because “class size doesn’t matter.” When Nola first came to Eanes, she bought all new furniture for her office because she didn’t like light wood.
In regards to Prop 2 and the demographic report that is being debated here. I read that Valley View will go from 2009 enrollment of 462 to 2014 projected enrollment of 351 students. Prop 2 is proposing a school to be built for 650 students. Where will those students come from? Conversely in the same report, I read that Eanes Elementary will go from 2009 enrollment of 498 students to 2014 projected enrollment of 596 students. As an aside , current enrollemnt at Eanes this year is at 580–well surpassing the projection in this report. The only way to get the repairs to fix the growing school is to vote yes to Prop 2 to build a new school in the shrinking school zone. Perhaps some thoughtful analysis needs to be done on how we can draw the lines of of district to reflect the growth trends. Let’s determine what we really need before we just say yes to everything.
Are we still debating information that is outdated and already shelved. There is no plan to move the district administration into larger space. And given that there is only one elementary school west of 360, we are going to have to make changes in the future. West of 360 is where the growth is happening. It’s where the ongoing development of land is happening in Eanes. Interest rates are good, construction costs are down and we are lucky to have an amazing staff dedicated to making the district the best in the state. If citizens want excellence they need to support excellence. I’m tired of the Nola bashing. She has accomplished amazing things here and I hope the naysayers don’t succeed in driving her out.
Your handle says it all–there is more than sufficient language in the bond to remodel Valley View as originally proposed and move the administration to that building. Indeed, the language used on the 2006 bond appears to authorize the school board to use the bonds for any purpose they deem appropriate.
As for “ongoing development”, you need to review the report by the district’s demographer and examine this school year’s enrollment breakdowns, if they’re released before the election. The Valley View attendance area is projected to lose enrollment. An inconvenient truth, but putting this bond issue on a test of blind faith loyalty to Dr. Wellman is telling. The board majority that follows that credo had done her an incredible disservice by not keeping their ears open to the community concerns. That is their job and their function. I think the schools have continued their tradition of excellence under Dr. Wellman, but having been around this district for over thirty years, I know that it didn’t start with her arrival by any means.
Please take the personalities out of it. This isn’t a referendum on Dr. Wellman, but a referendum on the financial future of this district. We’re in a precarious financial position and everyone, even those with a blood oath to Dr. Wellman, need to sit up and smell the coffee!
I haven’t bashed Dr. Wellman and am not bashing her now. The election is about ideas and finances. Please keep this discussion on that level.
There is NO language in the bond to remodel Valley View and create administration space. You are making it up as you go along. Perhaps you are naive enough to believe what you say, but the fact of the matter is that the naysayers are expressly working to push Nola and her administration out because their leader was not able to bully her around a few years ago for his own personal gain. Since that time, they have lied and twisted facts to their own purpose. It’s actually surprising to see how many naysayers drank the coolaid without actually knowing the hidden agenda behind their “leader.”
When I look at the EISD track record over the tenure of Mrs. Wellman what I see is a steady trajectory of success after success. When I decide whose star to follow you can be darn sure it will be the forward thinking and visionary and not the doomsdayers who want to argue points based on materials that are six months out of date. For the record, the board listened to Nola and to the scores of citizens who spent time at community forums ad infinitum. These bonds are in direct response to the long-term outlook for the district and the express input of taxpayers.
Smarten up and smell your own coffee. Saying this election is about finances is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. You can dress it up and call it what you want, but what it really comes down to is petty politics and backstabbing.
I’ll place my vote FOR the bonds and work to keep Eanes excellent. The students of this district deserve nothing less.
The board majority absolutely has listened to the concerns of the community. The concerns of the community are why we have these three proposals, with the option for the voters to vote for any that they choose. The board majority has listened to the desires of the community who want continued progress and investment into the future of EISD. The board minority has listened to a handful of people with deep pockets who will do anything they need to in order to get rid of the current board and Dr. Wellman, with little regard to the effect this has on the kids of this school district.
Don’t forget the “Change of Scope”. Nola reminds the board that once the money is in hand, they can spend it any way they wish. And they will. Just as they did with the 2006 bond money.
About the bashing … when it’s true, it’s not bashing.
Wow, Edward Henigin, my research leads to a completely different conclusion than yours.
The bond committee, the administration, the campus leaders and the school board spent countless hours in developing the bond proposals. The methodical process took many twists and turns while evolving to the current choices offered to the public this Fall.
It is obvious that growth has occurred, particularly in the western part of the district. The new school and all the other projects appeal to a cross section of people in the community, including those of us who believe that investing in the district is good for a variety of reasons.
I am satisfied that much much preparation and homework has been done in developing the proposals. Sure there is more, but I trust the leadership and will support the proposals with my vote.