The high price of dumbing down.

[Mark Zandberg]
Just to be absolutely clear, communication with my former employer on behalf of my current employer does not need to pass through your office, correct?

[Duncan Fobes]
You are correct - communications in the course of your duties with your new employer do not go through me

Thanks - duncan

[Mark Zandberg]
I am writing to inquire as to the status of Beverly Elementary's parking lot on December 1, 2007. We would like to rent it for the day. Are the following conditions still correct?

1. Certificate of Insurance with an endorsement,
2. $5 a day with a $10 scheduling fee.

Please advise.
Thank you.

[Stephanie Hall]
Mr. Zandberg,

Per board procedure 9200 R-1, schools schedule their facilities. Please contact Beverly Elementary at (425) 431-7732 as to the availability of their parking lot on December 1st. In addition, in order to know what fees apply, you will need to identify the group requesting the use of the facility, as well as the amount of time being requested. The following link will take you directly to the District’s website: www.edmonds.wednet.edu/propertymgt/newfac.html

Please let me know if you have additional questions. I can be reached at (425) 431-7332.

Thank you,

Stephanie Hall

[Mark Zandberg]
Your website is beautiful and informative. It also says that parking is handled through Property Management. Is this a change in District practices? The school is reporting that there are no charges for parking because they are a public facility. Would this also apply to the building then?

Just curious.

Please advise.

Stephanie Hall apparently has no idea who I am. First, there are no parking rates on the website she provided. Secondly, the category of user does not apply to parking lots. Thirdly, she tells me that I need to provide the "amount of time" I require and parking lots are rented per day. Fourth, she tells me to contact the school and they tell me there isn't a charge. Finally, I made the web page to which she referred me. I know what it says and I know what it doesn't say. It doesn't say that parking is free.

This is part of the high price being paid for selecting an unqualified candidate. I am sure Ms. Hall is qualified to do something, but certainly not the job she is currently being paid public funds to perform.

If a person can be so bewildered by renting out parking lots, how comprehensive an evaluation is she conducting in response to development in the District? Is she able to visit each and every development and evaluate the future needs of students walking to school or a bus stop? If these requests are stacking up, this translates to a direct cost to developers for project delays. Perhaps I should ask for the last twenty evaluations? Is there even one?

The inability to manipulate development data in FileMaker Pro will also cost the District dearly. Without the skills to search past Requests for Review, the District's ability to evaluate the pace and location of new construction is stunted considerably. I am imagining a reversion to the pre-historic days of typing everything out by hand. It is time consuming and utterly useless when evaluating growth in the District. But then, since the Board doesn't understand an enrollment forecast, why bother developing one?

Of greatest concern... What are the chances Ms. Hall would detect a property scam like paying $6 million for contaminated property? I'd say slim to none. If the scam was detected, what are the chances she would report it to the auditor and cause a problem for her friend, Marla? Lesser still.

Fun link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww