JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY," THINGS ARE GOING WELL" DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN ITS THE TRUTH.......

TAKE NOTE READERS. THIS IS REALITY:


Cal scrambling to cover stadium bill

Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

UC Berkeley spent $321 million to renovate Memorial Stadium and make it seismically secure.


By Nanette Asimov


June 17, 2013


UC Berkeley's plan to sell special football seats to pay off nearly half a billion dollars in stadium debt has long inspired skepticism, as if Cal were setting up a lemonade stand to finance a home mortgage.
To continue reading this story, you will need to be a digital subscriber to SFChronicle.com.



Cal’s whopping stadium debt: Selling pricey seats isn’t enough to pay it, officials admit
Comments(5)


The plan was simple: Transform Cal’s aged Memorial Stadium into a sparkling new facility, add a state-of-the-art athletic center, and pay for it all by selling off the best club seats for the price of a high-end sports car or a new house, depending.
All 2,902 seats were supposed to be sold by this month. Unfortunately for Cal, it appears most people prefer spending their car money on cars, and their house money on houses rather than on special seats to watch a (so far) losing football team.

Worse, the stadium debt sits at nearly half a billion dollars.
What’s a university to do about it? Find out here.



AND THIS IS FANTASY:


Cal Is Over Halfway Towards Its Unique Fund Raising Goal
Submitted by jared@alsd.com on Tue, 2011-05-17 12:06



1,569 of 2,900 seats have been sold through the university’s Endowment Seating Program.
Article Synopsis:




The University of California, Berkeley, is making progress towards its goal of selling 5% of its football seating inventory via the innovative solution dubbed by the school as its Endowment Seating Program (ESP).

1,569 seats out of 2,900 (55%) have been sold.

Price points range from $40,000 to $225,000, which licenses ownership of the seat for up to 30 years. Included in the cost are tickets, food and beverage, parking and club lounge access. Cal hopes to sell the remainder of its ESP seats by the completion of Memorial Stadium’s renovation in the fall of 2012.


Read more: Cal makes progress with Memorial Stadium fund raising | San Francisco Business Times


As first reported in SEAT Magazine in the fall 2008 issue (“Endowment Seating Program Offers a Win-Win Solution for Cal and its Alumni”), the University of California, Berkeley, has embraced a customized version of Equity Seat Rights for universities, to raise $250 million which will be invested into a new endowment to renovate Memorial Stadium and fund other projects in perpetuity.

Equity Seat Rights (ESR) is a proprietary financing tool, developed by Stadium Capital Financing Group, that generates upfront, debt-free capital, which can be used for any purpose, including to fund new facility construction or renovation projects. While the use of the ESR process by a professional team emphasizes the value to season ticket holders of building equity in their seats, the ESR process is attractive to the University of California, Berkeley, because it creates a new endowment to fund current projects as well as perpetual needs. Donors have the option to purchase their seats upfront or can finance the asset up to 30 years.

ESR is similar to having season tickets, but with an equity interest. It is not a Personal Seat License (PSL). Whereas PSLs simply provide rights to purchase tickets annually at the then current price, ESR licenses ownership. The “contract" states a university is obligated to reserve the ESR seat for its new owner into perpetuity or for a long-term period (e.g. 30 years), and the owner has the rights to use the ESR seat, sell individual tickets in the secondary market and sell the ESR at any point at a free-market price. It also accommodates a legacy component, in which ownership easily passes down to the next generation; it protects from escalating ticket prices; and it guarantees access to premium tickets for the long term. Also, once the ESR is paid for, either upfront or through financing, tickets are basically free.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

YES, I AM CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY WITH MY WIFE & KIDS. GREAT BBQ IN ABOUT AN HOUR.

WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE GANG OF FOUR? THE QUESTION SHOULD BE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT JAMES ROWEN'S LIFE? TALK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO IS IN DIRE NEED OF A PERSONAL ACTION PLAN. GO LOOK FOR A JOB TOMORROW, ROWEN ! ! ! ! 

 

 

Sunday, June 16, 2013

What is to be done?

Happy Father's Day to all

Aside from talking to the Department of Teacher Credentialing about Michele Ryan, what else really can be done about the Gang Four.  Someone needs to develop an action plan.

THE MCL ANALYZES ANDY RATERMANN'S LETTER REGARDING THE SCUSD BOARD........

May 31, 2013

 

 

This is an open, public, correspondence to my fellow board members.

 

For nine years, I have served on the Santa Clara Unified School Board with considerable pride.  We have a phenomenal school district.  Certainly, there are areas for improvement, and we continue to make improvement year after year.  Part of what makes this district so impressive is the people who work here and their dedication to our students.  We have some of the best people in education.

 

AND HE SHOULD INCLUDE HIS FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. NO ON IS TRYING TO RUIN THE DISTRICT.

Over the last 5 months, I have watched with great sadness as talented and dedicated employees, who have spent their careers at Santa Clara, leave to find other districts where they feel valued and safe.  I have tried to talk several people out of leaving.  As one top administrator told me “Andy, I am sorry, I just do not feel safe here.” 

SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYEES, LIKE BOBBIE PLOUH, RETIRED. THAT ASIDE, THE ADMINISTRATOR WHO CITED JOB SECURITY AS A CONCERN IS LIVING IN THE PAST. WHERE DOES ANYONE TODAY FEEL THEY HAVE GUARANTEED JOB SECURITY? EVEN POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN LAID OFF. ITS THE ADDITUDE OF THAT EMPLOYEE WHICH BREEDS COMPLACENCY. WHY WORK HARD WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO?

 

When we put together our mission statement and strategic plan, one of the five guiding principles was to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers.  Until recently, we have been successful at this.  New applicants fought to become part of the SCUSD team.  Employees were proud to say they worked at SCUSD. 

 

TO MY UNDERSTANDING, TEACHERS AREN'T THE MASS EXODUS FROM OUR DISTRICT. ITS THE ADMINISTRATORS AND PRINCIPALS WHO ARE LEAVING. OF COURSE, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

 

 

To retain top employees, they need to feel respected; they need to feel that they are part of something important and that the work they do is appreciated.  They need to feel secure and that their careers are safe and not at risk. 

 

MAKING EMPLOYEES FEEL AS IF THEY'RE JOBS ARE AN ENTITLEMENT PLACES THEM IN A POSITION OF SUPERIORITY. HOWEVER, ANDY RATERMANN FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.

 

And yet, we have done the opposite.  We have ridiculed our unions.  We have treated our employees with disdain.  We act as though our employees and administration do not know what they are doing, even though most of our teachers and administrators have decades of experience and years of specialized training.  Instead of praise for the good work, they are doing, we point out the flaws and failures.  Instead of asking them for their advice, taking advantage of the many years of training and first hand experience, we tell them what to do, accuse them of making mistakes, and chastise their work with innuendo and accusations that they are somehow not doing their job.

AGAIN, ANDY RATERMANN FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.

 

We have allowed personal attacks on employees who some of us did not like.  It is not our job to evaluate or investigate accusations of employees.  We have paraded accusations against employees, students and parents in public with little or no regard for their well-being.  Many of our employees fear us; they will not speak up out of fear.  

ROTFL!!!! DOES ANDY RATERMANN REALIZE HE HIRED JAMES ROWEN AS A CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT AND NO ONE HAS SPENT MORE TIME THAN HE PERSONALLY ATTACKING (WITH CHILDISH INSULTS AND LIES) TAXPAYING SANTA CLARANS.

Because of our actions, many employees are leaving.  As such, we are failing our students as the talent and enthusiasm of our workforce dwindles. 

 

ONCE AGAIN, ANDY RATERMANN FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. SURE, SOME EMPLOYEES ARE LEAVING. HOWEVER, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE STAYING. OUR DISTRICT STUDENTS WILL FAIL IF THE BOARD FAILS TO MAKE CHANGES THAT BRING TEACHING METHODS INTO OUR TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN SOCIETY. THE STATUS QUO WILL NO LONGER WORK. 

 

We need to act now to repair the damage done and begin the healing process for our district. 

 

• The first and most important task is to show respect for our staff, parents and students.  This is not something one does by way of empty compliments, but through action. 

 

AND WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, ANDY RATERMANN?

 

• We need to refer any discipline issues or concerns to the superintendent.  This needs to be done confidentially so that an accused employee’s reputation is protected.  Employee evaluation is not our job.  We need to remember that people do make innocent mistakes.  We need to encourage a constructive environment where employees feel safe to seek help when errors and mistakes are made.

          EMPLOYEE EVALUATION IS A PUBLIC CONCERN. LEAVING THAT    RESPONSIBILITY SOLEY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT CREATES TOO MUCH CRONYISM. IF SCHOOL EMPLOYEES DISAGREE, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD TRY THEIR HAND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

         

• We have dedicated employees who have their careers in our hands.  We need to let them do their jobs.  We do not ambush and berate them in meetings if they suggest something where we disagree.  

         PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES WHERE A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE WAS AMBUSHED AT A DISTRICT MEETING.

 

• We need to exercise the discipline to stay in the high-level strategic role the board was meant to serve.  We act as a board, not individuals.  We recognize that as individual board members we have no authority.

          WHAT??!! AS BOARD MEMBERS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WHO PAY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OPERATIONS. WHETHER ANDY RATERMANN LIKES IT OR NOT, WE, THE TAXPAYERS OF SANTA CLARA, ARE THE AUTHORITY.

 
• We are not the experts.  We need to listen to our staff and administration.  We need to listen to the public; we cannot punish groups or individuals when they tell us things we do not like.  If needed, we should invest extra time to hear the public.  After listening to staff, the public and other interested parties then we can make decisions using the information we have learned. 

          THAT'S HYPOCRITICAL CONSIDERING ANDY RATERMANN HIRED THE MOST DESPICABLE LYING VILLAGE IDIOT (JAMES ROWEN) AS A CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT WHO DEFAMES ANYONE THAT DISAGREES WITH A POLICY HE SUPPORTS.

• We need to understand the role of the board.  The board should not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the district.  Our charge is to address the high-level strategic questions, the big “what” questions of the district.  The “how” questions are for the superintendent and staff to answer. 

           AND THAT IS HOW THE TAIL ENDS UP WAGGING THE DOG. WE (TAXPAYERS) END UP PAYING FOR THEIR GOODIES.

 

• We meet twice a month for a few hours.  We need to rely on data and information presented to us by staff or if needed by our hired consultants.  It is not our job to be researchers.

RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE QUESTIONED. PERHAPS ANDY RATERMANN IS NOT A QUALIFIED DATA ANALYST. I DO KNOW BOARD MEMBER KOLTERMANN IS QUALIFIED TO ANALYZE DATA. ADMINISTRATORS & STAFF PROVIDE DATA WHICH CAN BE BIASED TO CONFORM TO THEIR AGENDAS.

 

• When new ideas come up, we need to refer those to the superintendent for evaluation.  We need to respect that there will be times when we need to wait for an answer.  There are many demands for our staff’s time.

WHAT NEW IDEAS IS ANDY RATERMANN REFERRING TO? PLEASE PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. WHAT IS THE DISTRICT'S STAFF BEING PAID TO DO?

 

• We need to make global decisions that consider the effect of a decision on the entire district.

AND WHAT DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE ON AN  INDIVIDUAL BASIS? DOES THE TERM "SPECIFIC EXAMPLE" MEAN ANYTHING TO ANDY RATERMANN?

 

• We need to avoid any notion of favoritism.  If we have any personal agendas, we need to put those aside.  Our decisions must first consider the welfare of the students.  They are our responsibility. 

SAY WHAT?? PLACING TOO MUCH CONTROL WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF LEADS TO NOTHING BUT FAVORITISM. THAT'S HOW THEY END UP RECEIVING HIGH SIX-FIGURE ANNUAL SALARIES AND GENEROUS BENEFITS WE CAN BARELY AFFORD TO PAY, AND MOST OF US DON'T RECEIVE FROM OUR EMPLOYERS. DOES ANDY RATTERMAN WANT TO BANKRUPT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT?

 

There are voices that suggest our district needs to go in a new direction, that some board members including myself are resistant to change.  I do not believe that to be true.  I am happy to make informed strategic change.  I am not, however, agreeable to making strategic change without understanding the pro and cons with a fully transparent, public exploration of the benefits and risks, as well as the costs to make the change.  We should not be addressing tactical change; this is the job of the superintendent.  He or she must develop that tactical plan to implement the board’s policy for the district. 

BINGO! ANDY RATERMANN IS RESISTANT TO CHANGE. THAT IS THE KEY PROBLEM AND EXPLAINS WHY CERTAIN PEOPLE OPPOSE THE ACTIONS OF THE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS BEING CRITICIZED.

 

We cannot effect change using a subversive or hidden agenda.  We should not make changes without involving the stakeholders in the district in those changes.  We need evaluations from our staff showing the pros and cons of the proposed recommendations.  This does not mean that we must follow those recommendations, but it does mean we need to make informed decisions and put our personal issues aside to address the greater good of the district and community. 

 

FUNNY HOW ANDY RATERMANN DOESN'T NAME THE TAXPAYERS AS "STAKEHOLDERS" OF THE DISTRICT.

 

We need to hold the superintendent accountable, and the public should hold us accountable.

 I'M CERTAIN THE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS BEING CRITICIZED WILL HOLD THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT ACCOUNTABLE. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MADE A PLEDGE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE PUBLIC.

We have a new superintendent and my hope is that we can change course and begin to repair and heal the damage we have done.  We need to start building trust with our community, which in my opinion is at an all time low.  I think we also need to build trust among ourselves.  This will take time, but it is important to help heal the district.  Sadly, at this point, I do not have much faith or trust that the board will do what it needs to do.  Please prove me wrong.  Not for my sake, but for the sake of our community that we were elected to serve.

 

 

ANDY RATERMANN HAS BEEN A SCUSD BOARD MEMBER FOR NINE YEARS. THE PROBLEMS OF THE DISTRICT BEGAN LONG BEFORE THE CURRENT FOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TOOK OFFICE. ITS QUITE SELFISH OF HIM TO BLAME OTHERS AND NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXISTING SCHOOL DISTRICT FAILURES. IF ANYTHING, THAT SHOWS ANDY RATERMANN IS MORE ABOUT ANDY RATERMANN THAN THE GOOD OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew Ratermann

Governing Board Member

Santa Clara Unified School District

THE TOP TEN REASONS JAMES ROWEN IS A LOSER....

1. DOESN'T HAVE A LIFE
2. DOESN'T HAVE A JOB
3. DOESN'T BATHE PROPERLY
4. DOESN'T DRESS APPROPRIATELY
5. DOESN'T HAVE TO ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF
6. DOESN'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE (OWES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO VALLEY MEDICAL CARE)
7. DOESN'T HAVE ANY INCOME
8. DOESN'T HAVE ANY AMBITION
9. DOESN'T WANT TO LIVE ON HIS OWN MERIT (HIS NIECE TOOK HIM IN OTHERWISE HE'D BE HOMELESS)
10. DOESN'T GET RESPECT FROM ANYONE

"BEING CONSTIPATED IS ATTRACTIVE"

"MY DOCTOR SAID I'M ALLERGIC TO SOAP"


 

IS THE SANTA CLARA CITY COUNCIL/STADIUM AUTHORITY PUSHING FOR THE SCUSD RECALL EFFORT?

IT IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY. IS THERE ANY OTHER REASON WHY THEY ARE BEING SILENT ON THIS MATTER? WHY AREN'T THEY MAKING ANY COMMENTS AS TO HOW MUCH A USELESS TAXPAYER MONEY WASTING RECALL EFFORT WILL BE? PERHAPS THEY DON'T WANT FUTURE COUNCIL SEAT CHALLENGES FROM CURRENT SCUSD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO WILL NOT RUBBER STAMP ANY MUNICIPAL MATTER THAT REQUIRES US TO PAY FOR THE STADIUM?

IF THERE IS A RECALL EFFORT OF THE FOUR MENTIONED SCUSD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL. SOMETHING TELLS ME THOSE CHECKS WILL HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THE SAME NAMES WHO PUSHED MEASURE J.


THE PEOPLE BELOW WANT TO REPLACE SCUSD BOARD MEMBERS FOR ONE REASON ONLY. THEY BELIEVE WE SHOULD SPEND MORE MONEY ON THIS:

 



AS OPPOSED TO THIS:

Councilmembers

Jamie L. Matthews Mayor Elected: November 2010 (first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2014
Pat Kolstad Vice Mayor Elected: November 2010 (Seat No. 2 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2014	Patricia Mahan Councilmember Elected: November 2010 (Seat No. 5 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2014
Debi Davis Councilmember Elected: November 2012 (Seat No. 3 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2016	Lisa M. Gillmor Councilmember Elected November 2012 (Seat No. 6 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2016
Jerry Marsalli Councilmember Elected: November 2012 (Seat No. 4 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2016	Teresa O'Neill Councilmember Elected: November 2012 (Seat No. 7 - first term; two term limit) Term expires: November 2016

OKAY, MERCURY NEWS. WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF A "STRONG" SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER?

Its obvious the Merc is shilling for what teachers unions and staff want. Shall we go back to having elected school board members who cave in whenever the teachers union demands something? Shall we go back to having overpaid administrators who spend more time campaigning for an NFL stadium as opposed to making our schools better? Shall we go back to the policies that put our school district in fiscal jeopardy? If anything, the following attachment is one example as to why there needed to be a turnover on the school board as well as replacing certain administrators: http://www.scscourt.org/court_divisions/civil/cgj/2010/ManagementMisstepsAtTheSantaClaraUnifiedSchoolDistrict.pdf

Mercury News editorial: Santa Clara Unified community needs to recruit strong candidates for school board

Mercury News Editorial

Posted:   06/12/2013 01:00:00 PM PDT

Updated:   06/12/2013 02:12:14 PM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

The Santa Clara Unified School District Board of Education meeting in the... (Nhat V. Meyer)

Related Stories

• Jun 6:
• Santa Clara Unified: Administrators, principals flee turbulent school district

The worst fears of parents and staff in the Santa Clara Unified School District are coming true following the election last November of two new trustees, Chris Stampolis and Michele Ryan. They have been just as divisive, micromanaging, petty and unreasonable as those who knew Stampolis, in particular, warned before the election.

After voters ignored the advice of education leaders in the community, Stampolis and Ryan formed a majority coalition with two other trustees with a similar bent, Ina Bendis and Christine Koltermann. The results are as predicted: a board inappropriately involving itself in the nitty-gritty of school management, interrogating staff and angering and frightening teachers and administrators. An estimated 20 percent of the top leadership, including widely respected Superintendent Bobbie Plough, are departing. Ryan has even gone after a student who dared to criticize the members' toxic behavior.

The departure of so many essential people is a serious problem; the district has been unable, for example, to fill the crucial budget officer role for more than six months. The community is taking notice, with a petition on the Change.org web site declaring a "vote of no confidence" garnering more than 1,800 signatures and counting. Now is the time to recruit quality candidates for 2014, when four seats will be up for election, including those held by Bendis and Koltermann.

Mercury News reporter

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Sharon Noguchi detailed the disarray last week. Board members are usurping the authority of their staff; they recently held a detailed discussion, for example, of one school's master schedule, in response to a complaint from a friend of several board members. Trustees are not supposed to resolve complaints themselves; they refer them to administrators and ensure follow-through.

Some teachers at Bracher Elementary have been "working to rule" -- to the letter of their contract -- partly to protest Stampolis' decision to remain as school site council president, an inappropriate dual role. Stampolis' behavior is sometimes so outrageous, it's as though he is either completely clueless about the importance of personal relationships or hell-bent on intentionally destroying them.

Ryan's behavior, too, is strange for someone who claims to want to help students. She went after a high school junior, attempting to shame him after he compared the board room to a "gas chamber" during a meeting. Perhaps it wasn't the best metaphor, but Ryan claims it was an affront to Bendis, who is Jewish. Ryan absurdly wrote to the Anti-Defamation League, and the group's response is on Thursday's board agenda. That's quite an example she's setting as an education leader.

Worst of all, the district -- while viewed generally as solid -- has significant problems the trustees should be focused on solving, including the wide achievement gap between Latino students and their white and Asian peers. But they will get nowhere by alienating everyone around them.

The Santa Clara Unified board needs to refocus on its primary role: setting policy. The only way that can happen is with new members.

THE 49ERS STADIUM CONSTRUCTION WORKER DEATH WILL HAVE TO BE EXPLAINED

THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE INVESTIGATIONS. FRANKLY, BECAUSE OUR CITY OFFICIALS WERE IN SUCH A RUSH TO HAVE THE STADIUM BUILT, THIS ACCIDENT BRINGS INTO QUESTION NOT ONLY WORKER SAFETY, BUT, MUCH LIKE THE BAY BRIDGE FIASCO, THE SAFETY OF THE STADIUM ITSELF. I DON'T TRUST THE EXPEDIENCY OF WHAT'S BEING DEVELOPED. WHO KNOWS IF QUALITY IS BEING SACRIFICED? WHATEVER THE CASE, I'D  LIKE THE SEE MAYOR MCBELLY MATTHEWS PUT A SPIN ON THIS INCIDENT.



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Construction Death at Stadium Site

Any death can never be explained or defended, as it is impossible to find any reason to comment on it.

Except a prayer for families.

Posted by James Rowen at 5:06 PM No comments: