Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Missing: Planning and Property Management Specialist.

An email went out yesterday, inviting members of the community and district staff to take part in a meeting to discuss the District's facility use policy.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to include the Planning and Property Management Specialist? The Specialist used to be the person that scheduled the use of parking lots and worked with schools to ensure that district facilities were being rented out according to board policies.

The position has clearly been downgraded to something less than Professional/Technical. Even district management routinely excludes the Planning and Property Management Clericalist from critical meetings that would essentially guide the manner in which she performs her job. But then, with all calls to rent parking lots being channeled to the Director of Facilities AND Operations, it seems the District has successfully downgraded staff qualifications and duties while substantially upgrading staff salaries.

Do we really need someone earning more than $100,000.00 a year scheduling parking lots?

Below is the recipient list for the email posted yesterday.

Nicola Smith, Edmonds Community College
Faimous Harrison, Edmonds Community College
Katie Anderson, City of Lynnwood
Pete Bennett, Pacific Little League
Jeff Bentz, City of Mountlake Terrace
Randy Brockway, Pacific Little League
Bruce Howe, Former Woodway High Fields
Cathy Jackson, Northwest Nationals
Todd Cort, City of Edmonds
Dan Dapper, Community Member
Paul Doherty, Edmonds Community College
Tom Eunson, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research
Ryan Flynn, Sno-King Youth
Chuck Granade, Community Member
Brian Harding, Edmonds School District
Brian Hendricks, City of Lynnwood
Marc Krandel, Snohomish County Parks
Rich Lindsay, City of Edmonds
Brian McIntosh, City of Edmonds
Larry Norgaard, select Baseball
Eric Rasmussen, King's Schools
Ric Raunio, Former Woodway High Fields
Don Sarcletti, City of Mountlake Terrace
Paul Seely, Boys and Girls Club
Doug Sheldon, Pacific Little League
Dan Simmons, Community Member
Rachel Solemsaas, Edmonds Community College
Travis Hutchins, City of Lynnwood
Vernon Beattiger, Former Woodway High Fields
John Wagner, Northwest Nationals
Sylvia Young, Northwest Nationals
Ron Martinez, District PTSA
Rick Jorgensen, Community Member
Tom Krause, Puget Sound Senior Baseball League

District staff recipients are as follows:

Allen, Kevin (BTM)
Baldwin, Craig (MA)
Bartlette, Cindy (EE)
Bennett, Geoff (EWHS)
Bennett, Leslie (SVE)
Betts, Carol (CPM)
Blomgren, Sandy (OHE)
Brister, Barb (MTHS)
Burns, Debbie (BTM)
Cady, Stacey (SP)
Carlson, Kelly (MA)
Cote, Dale (MDHS)
Davern, Vicki (CWE)
Eldridge, Pat (MLE)
Gallaher, Marie (MW K-8)
Gilbertson, Kathy (BVE)
Goettel, Joni (SWE)
Gray, Marsha (SVE)
Hansen, Christine (CLE)
Harris, Shelly (ESC)
Helms, Kay (HRC)
Holmes, Amy (MDE)
Kratz, Christine (WGE)
Krause, Tracy (HRC)
Lally, Jennifer (EGE)
Madsen, Craig (WWE)
Martin, Pat (MDHS)
Ray, Nancy (EWHS)
Raymond, Sue (MMS)
Rock, Danny (HRC)
Ruud, Mindy (LDE)
Stauffer, Diane (HWE)
Stephens-Bell, Mary (EWHS)
Tronsdal, Leann (CVE)
Trotta, Kristi (CPE)
Varriano, Mike (EE, Custodial)
Webster, Sandra (LHS)
Weir, Ruth (HTE)
Whittles, Julie (BRE)

Blog: Perhaps the Planning and Property Management Specialist is bogged down with the key audit.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I notice that some schools, buildings are left off the list as recipients of the letter from Planning and Property Management Office. This could be that the names not listed do not have facilities to rent, such as playfields, however, I would think that all buildings, departments should have this information.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely - I was thinking the same thing. The list looks long but a lot of that is due to the large number of youth groups using playfields. This has nothing to do with the issues that have being raised - the wrong audience is being engaged (but wait -- if we don't ask the question to the people that are IMPACTED, we get the answer we want and also get to be seen as "working with the community" - BONUS!.

Why aren't the specific PTA's and PTO's at least invited? Don't they have email? Does the district think so little of them that they don't bother to even ask that their information be kept on file for important decisions that affect the community? Do they just expect that Ron M (PTA District Pres) has so much time on his hands that he is responsible for doing the communication for the District? Parent groups are overworked enough and don't need to do the District's work for them.

Anonymous said...

At an earlier meeting attended mostly by office managers, someone stated that the bottom line of charging parent groups for space is simply taking money from the school sites and moving it to ESC. Brian Harding replied that it doesn't matter because it all ends up in the General Fund anyway. The room erupted - office managers are well aware that the General Fund doesn't pay for field trips or field trip buses or extra supplies for kids in need. Leave our schools alone! Keep District hands off the funds raised by parent groups for kids and families. I'll resign from PTA if this passes! Get ready for an even BIGGER Schrammie to the Edmonds School District if this goes through!

Anonymous said...

Brian Harding has always seemed out of touch with reality.

Anonymous said...

If you resign, you are "going someplace else" which is just what the administration seems to want for anyone who disagrees with them.

Anonymous said...

If he didn't make a hundred grand, how would he get funding for the missing buttons on his jackets?

Anonymous said...

I was told by one office manager about the flurry of phone calls between office managers after their last meeting with Brian Harding. It would seem that the consensus among them was that Harding is arrogant and his behavior very disrespectful to the office staff. Not surprising - and the attitude has rubbed off on those under him.

Anonymous said...

Facility Use Permits are rather a moot point at the moment. Apparently they forms printed and distributed are illegal and do not have tracking numbers. It doesn't say much for Brian Harding's competency. What was he earning at the last checking ($104,312 wasn't it?). Maybe Brossoit needs to hire him an assistant.

Anonymous said...

After talking to Ms. Hall several times about the changes in the Facility Use Procedure, it is obvious she does not know what she is talking about and changes her answers at the drop of a hat, Extremely frustrating! After discussing this with other office managers, a majority of us feel she just doesn't get it; wouldn't it be ideal that the person you go to for questions actually knows more than we do. Does HR know what is going on, or are they ignoring the fact that she is wasting tax payers money.?????????????

Anonymous said...

Brian Harding's assistant earns $65,000 (with the recent COLA) and knows nothing about property management or facility use.

The unearned salary will take the pressure off her husband's waning career. Thank goodness he is a Rotarian and friend of Marla's.

Anonymous said...

Another can of worms opened! I was not aware that the Secretary for Brian Harding is a "friend" of Marla through the Rotary Club! Another case of WHO YOU KNOW
and not WHAT YOU KNOW! When will it all end?? What will it take to get rid of MM and NB?

Anonymous said...

12 adult beverages and a track hoe.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Hall
Is just high, don't give her a hard time please!.Just look in her eyes and you can see right through her.
Can you say space cowgirl.
Steve Miller.

Anonymous said...

If you listen, you hear a lot of frustration surrounding the isssues of competency at the ESC. (Oh, I was in a training this afternoon and came across another meaning for ESC: Excessive System Clutter. I was the only one laughing; the rest of the attendees just stared at me. Like I care.) It is sad there is so much discontent that is not translating into some kind of corrective action, especially by those in charge of making such corrections in the name of good fiscal management or good human relations.

Anonymous said...

This is really pathetic, it will impact all the states schools if other districts get ahold of this information. The PTA was designed to help support the schools and students, some house cleaning needs to happen at the ESD offices. It goes to show all the other hidden charges, they are trying to collect for poor management of district funds. When was the last time a State Auditor looked into our district finances? Someone should be in contact with the STATE PTA and a meeting needs to take place between Nick Brossoit and State PTA. To explain to the ESD what exactly the PTA stands for, obviously they aren't aware or do not care what we stand for. What would NICK and his buddies do if the PTA's all folded or walked away in protest? We must not be there for the kids, due to the fact they think money raised for the kids and each individual school should be sitting in a disrtict employees padded pocket. They would be walking around wondering which end was up? Where would the funding come from? The PTA's are now funding significant programs the district is no longer willing to fund. These buildings are public facilities and as tax payers and voters the district should really be watching how they are treating the school community at this time. WHAT WILL THEY DO WHEN THE NEXT ELECTION COMES AROUND?

Anonymous said...

Mark my words, because Ms. Hall is incompetent and is not able to handle her job, the District will hire a clerical assistant for Ms. Hall so the work gets done. That way she can sit and look and feel important.

Anonymous said...

I don't think Stephanie Hall should be the fall girl - she's taking the heat for bad decisions made at a higher level. One only had to observe the patronizing and dismissive manner of Brian Harding when she would attempt to answer or address the earlier meeting of office managers. He treats her with almost as much comtempt as he demonstrates toward the office managers. The truly appalling thing is that almost any one of the OMs, who make a third as much, would be better qualified to fill BHs position. Instead, his lack of experience and unwillingness to listen have created still more disenfranchisement of parents and parent groups. I wonder when district hacks will realize that we, the parents, pay their salaries and are almost ready to demand some accountability!

Anonymous said...

Apparently, Stephanie Hall can't even fill in a Purchase Order after one full year on the job.

Someone should do the public a favor and scoop the mud out of her skull.

Anonymous said...

Why was Mountlake Terrace Elementary left off the list of schools listed herein? Anyone know why?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it is scheduled to close.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Brian treats her poorly because Marla wants her in that position and he doesn't. It must be hard to supervise someone that was selected by your boss.

Anonymous said...

I think our district groups should make arrangement with other school district to use their facilities to make money for our students whether it be a bazaar or whatever the fundraiser event is and our district should be ashamed of its self to have something like that to happen. Our buildings are paid for by the tax payers and we help to raise money for our students and now we are going to be charged again so Marla can get back all the $$'s she has lost due to her lack of accountability. I think the district was glad to have Food Service be the fall guy so the news would focus on that and not on some of these issues. Come on guys do the right thing for the tax payers otherwise I would not ask us to pass another levy or bond. Where will this all end?

Anonymous said...

Stephanie Hall does not even have the capacity to fill out many standard district forms. Most of them start with a place to put your name and department. Nevermind.

Anonymous said...

I just know that if I wasn't fulfilling the duties listed on my job description, I would be on a performance plan and eventually let go. Why is Ms. Hall so special? Is she really a friend of Marla's, and even if she is, why is everyone ignoring the fact that she isn't fulfilling her job duties. Wow, she has been in that position for over a year and all she does is follow Mr. Harding around and smile. Amazing.

Anonymous said...

Mark was doing a great job and was let go.

If you surround yourself with idiots it takes less effort to outshine them all.

Rick Jorgensen said...

Well, Some good news happened last night at a meeting with Marla, Brian, Stephanie, 3 office managers and 4 members of the community (myself included).

It seems that Marla is going to change her position on the PTA's (they will not have to pay for space or fundraisers) but everyone else is just plain out of luck. My own group fundraiser that provided ultra low cost chess clubs to district kids is more than likely going to continue to be treated like a "for profit" group - why? Simply because it is successful, and brings in a lot of money from outside the district (we have too MANY participants) - go figure.

Well, for now, I'm moving my club outside the district and serve all the other districts that actually want to partner together and move on to another target to address the board (next week - Why does the board create a culture of fear in the District where employees can not speak their mind.

The board is uninterested in creating opportunities in which parents can work together with them. It seems that the only reasonable solution is political - vote the board out.

In the mean time, I'm taking my small $7000/year in support services and giving it to private schools in the area and to districts like Shoreline. Those kids need support as well.

Anonymous said...

(Sarcasm alert!) Good. Another program "for the kids" that is leaving Edmonds because of the small-mindedness of the administration and board. The list gets longer.

Penny wise, pound foolish.