Borg & Bott's Finest Hour

So they go through the dog & pony show of setting up a competitive bid scenario, yet they select the bid that is highest of any submitted by $100's of thousand's of dollars?!?!  $502,720 over the lowest bid submitted.  Who does this and why??  It's your money!!!

You don't have to like Tom Notch, but his letter is FACT!  Please read it!

Review the bids for yourselves!!  The {high} bid of $997,220 from everyone's favorite, Kraus-Anderson, was selected!!

However, we had this choice at $776,374:

And the rightful winner at $494,500:

$502,720....that's a half mill!!  No wonder these guys are worried enough about the possibility of me commissioning an audit they need to resort to libel!

Call them...email them...get passionate about this foolishness like the residents of Burnsville district are!

Wow! These Burnsville Taxpayers Are Really Upset!

And their board and superintendent have only wasted a fraction of the money that Mr. Borg & Mr. Botts have!

You can tell them....and tell them....and tell them....even do the research and spreadsheets for them--because they can't or won't--but no one is going to tell Kevin, Dave and apparently their brothers in arms on the Burnsville staff that the sun rises in the east!

 "Even before Tania Chance was given a new two-year contract, some people were wary about the move, which ultimately cost the Burnsville school district about $255,000.

"I questioned it," said Libby Duethman, president of the Burnsville teachers union. "We experienced some [difficulty] in our first year working with her and ... some concerns. I asked why they had to offer her a two-year contract."

The school board was under no obligation to give its human resources director a contract, as she is not a licensed employee and under state law is not required to have one.

Nevertheless, the school board voted 6-1 last summer to grant the contract. Six months later, the two sides agreed to a $254,814 buyout in one of the largest separation agreements on record for a school administrator in the state."

Kraus Anderson loves them some Dave & Kevin!!

Amazing!

They still can't be honest and disclose the "fixed cost" that Ehlers was paid or admit, in a fixed cost to perform environment, leveraging multiple companies against each other would have resulted in a lower fixed cost to the school district!

Before Sutter present the series 2012B bond, which was also up for vote that night, Board Member David Bond asked him to clarify on whether Ehlers was making any money on the sale of the bond.

"Our only compensation on bond sales is the fee we charge to the district," said Sutter. "The underwriter makes money on selling the bonds, and we don't know exactly what that will be because it depends on what they actually sell the bonds. But that is part of the competitive bidding process."
Gee Joel, how about an estimate??

http://waconiapatriot.com/articles/2012/02/10/the_laker/news/news02.txt

No Bill & No Billable Hours? How Can This Be?

Check out the reply from the MN Auditor's Office:

Mr. Mailey,

Your recent email to Nancy Bode was referred to me. 

The Office of the State Auditor did not bill the Westonka School District (ISD 277); there are no billable hours related to the matter.   

Thank you for contacting the Office of the State Auditor.

Sincerely,

Mark F. Kerr

Data Practices Compliance Official

Office of the State Auditor

525 Park Street, Suite 500

St. Paul, Minnesota 55103

Ph.:  (651) 296-4717

New email address:

Mark.Kerr@osa.state.mn.us

The Office of the State Auditor does not provide legal advice or representation.  If you need legal advice, consult with your attorney.

>>> Don Mailey <donmailey@resultsontheweb.net> 2/2/2012 10:24 AM >>>

Hello, Nancy!

The district has been telling the good people of my community that I and I alone triggered an enormous, expensive and time consuming audit of District 277.  Would you be so kind as to email me a copy of the bill for this audit that was submitted to Westonka, as well as a billable hours schedule for the auditors involved?

Many thanks!

Take care,

Don Mailey

RE/MAX Results

(952) 212-0968

Don@DonMailey.com

"Oh what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive."

There NEVER Was An Audit

Letter writer defends district's financial advisor decision



Published: Friday, January 27, 2012 3:29 PM CST
To the Editor:

The letters written by Tom Notch and Nick Stoiaken in the 1/21/12 issue of the Laker are inaccurate and require corrections.

Bond prices are set by market demand - not board members or their financial services providers. To claim the school is paying an extra $2,000,000 is absurd, since nobody as of this day knows the market price. The bonds will be sold competitively, and we predict better than projected interest rates, which will bring a savings to the taxpayers.

Our process in selecting our financial advisor is consistent with our policy. In 2009, the district interviewed and the School Board Finance Committee approved the district's financial advisor. Action regarding the sale of bonds is done publicly and most recently was discussed at a publicly televised meeting on Jan. 9, 2012.

It's no small coincidence that Notch's running mate, Don Mailey, has gone as far as to request the Office of the State Auditor to audit our selection of our financial advisor. It's his right, but these things cost time and money.

[Don Mailey] Completely false! First, you can't just request this audit, it must be petitioned for. In a district the size of Westonka, this petition would require nearly 500 signatures. This information is readily availible on the Auditor's website, so it doesn't make a lot of sense for Mr. Botts to fabricate about me by claiming I simply picked up the phone and ordered an audit of the district. Maybe research isn't his thing. Second, send me the bill for this "audit." Third, what "selection?"

There is good news in the matter as they examined the situation and reported: "the district engaged in a periodic review of its financial services advisor, as recommended by this Office."

[Don Mailey] Define examination, Dave? I thought it was a "full audit?" A periodic review--in 2009--is not the same as pricing a $42,000,000 project in 2012, that was funded 3 months ago. What days were the auditors at Sunnyfield "examining" the district's "periodic review?"

The issue is not that these people have differing opinions; the issue is they are not being constructive. Our schools have made tremendous progress, which our staff is committed to grow upon. Communication tactics such as these only divert time and resources from this goal.

[Don Mailey] This issue has nothing to do with the teaching staff which is doing an excellent job at Westonka. It is centered on the stubborness of an administration who would rather waste money than admit they are wrong!

Dave Botts

Westonka School Board

Color Me Stunned, David Bond

Aren't you the same guy who made a spectacle of himself by cutting up his innocent tie during the LOWV debate to demonstrate you were not a "cutter?"

Please scroll to the 55 minute mark:

http://windowsmedia.alphameetings.com/LMCCMWTSB/2011westonkaforum.wmv
Now that you have been elected, we see you  just cut, cut, cutting away:

"I am never liking cuts, I will never be backed by the tea party," said School Board Member David Bond. "But I think this is a real necessary position."

Why wouldn't you be backed by the Tea Party, David??