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I asked for and received the entire collection of review requests from Snohomish County since the arrival of the new Planning and Property Management Specialist. There was a sum total of three.
I suppose it is a good thing that development has slowed down a little bit in the County, due to market conditions and a lesser demand for new construction. There was a time when the requests poured in like our region's wet weather. Apparently the volume is down to a trickle.
What I find somewhat bewildering is that the District has shifted back to using a word document and writing in the bus stop locations by hand. Of course, writing things in by hand means no one can search, sort or evaluate data for enrollment projections. The bus stop information is available on the District's main web page. Any developer or the County's planner could just input the development's address and get that information without paying for postage to the District or waiting weeks for a response.
Another concern is the fact that I was told the District would be critically evaluating each and every development. Not just performing a cursory glance at the proposal but visiting each site, pacing distances, developing standards and making recommendations for off-site improvements. None of that is going on now. What prompted this reversal? There was supposed to be a new emphasis on this aspect of the evaluation and yet such information is nowhere to be found on any of the three responses.
I suspect this was just "busy work" fashioned by managers seeking to keep their staff distracted by less important things. After all, what engineering experience does the position require? What sort of traffic count and analysis is to be performed by a Planning and Property Management Specialist? Assuming conclusions were drawn by the District, what credibility would they have once they were reviewed by County staff? They have engineers on staff and confer with them on a regular basis.
The purpose of evaluating these developments is to make certain that the developer made the necessary improvements to his or her development during the time of construction. Without these issues being included, the improvements would have to be put in place years later at the public's expense. Is that sort of evaluation taking place? I was told it was a new and high priority, but surely it must have been a lie.
When managing budgets, where the lives of many hang in the balance, what makes the most sense? Should a good manager focus on where things are heading, or respond after the adverse conditions have already arrived? Just what makes sense?
When it comes to the Capital Facilities Plan, the District expends money in the form of salaries and fees to consultants to help forecast enrollment trends. When the last reliable CFP was generated, and adopted by the Board, all reasonable measures pointed to a drastic and irrefutable downward trend in enrollment. But somehow, the Board adopted the document but never insisted that the document guide decisions internally. Just what sort of chaos is that?
Wouldn't it be better to know in advance when your state checks are going to get smaller? Wouldn't it be better to know years in advance that you might have to trim programming a wee bit? Why wait until the bad news hits? Why wait until teachers start seeing empty chairs in their classrooms before you start slashing budgets? Why not make adjustments gradually over time - well in advance of financial consequences?
I remain convinced that the District, one person in particular, seeks to use enrollment realities as a weapon of war - slashing personnel and demanding that undesirable programs be cut or trimmed back to a less offensive level.
Forecasting enrollment trends is not the story of Chicken Little. It isn't about a single and lone voice screaming a message that makes little to no sense to anyone. This is clearly a case of a solid assessment, endorsed by Board adoption and yet no meaningful action was taken as a result. Current enrollment has demonstrated that the sky has fallen and that Chicken Little was right all along.
It's as if the District was speeding down the highway and only started wondering about the value of brakes after slamming into the car in front of them.
I am frequently asked why I started this blog and, to date, I have generally responded by sharing my concern about the direction the District is heading. Since the departure of Dr. Robertson, conditions have gotten progressively worse.
They were so bad, in fact, that upon the District's removal of my work assignments, I couldn't just casually sit around without the distraction of productivity. I couldn't let my eyes drift to the suffering of others, or to the dismantling of organizational accomplishments.
Another significant factor, was my concern about becoming a scapegoat. Without a doubt, someone in the District (or in the State Auditor's Office) would stumble upon a string of peculiar transactions and start asking questions. While mounting a defense, certain people (okay, a single person) would redirect the responsibility for these poor choices upon former employees with the meaningful terms in their titles, like "Property Manager", "Director of Property Management", or "Planning and Property Management Specialist".
Political/sociological scapegoating
Scapegoating is often more devastating when applied to a minority group as they are inherently less able to defend themselves. A tactic often employed is to characterize an entire group of individuals according to the unethical or immoral conduct of a small number of individuals belonging to that group, also known as guilt by association.
"Scapegoated" groups throughout history have included almost every imaginable group of people: adherents of different religions, people of different races or nations, people with different political beliefs, or people differing in behaviour from the majority. However, scapegoating may also be applied to organizations, such as governments, corporations, or various political groups.
In industrialised societies, scapegoating of traditional minority groups is increasingly frowned upon.
Mobbing is a form of sociological scapegoating which occurs in the workplace. From At The Mercy Of The Mob A summary of research on workplace mobbing by Kenneth Westhues, Prof. of Sociology University of Waterloo, published in OHS Canada, Canada's Occupational Health & Safety Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 8, December 2002, pp. 30-36.
"Scapegoating is an effective if temporary means of achieving group solidarity, when it cannot be achieved in a more constructive way. It is a turning inward, a diversion of energy away from serving nebulous external purposes toward the deliciously clear, specific goal of ruining a disliked co-worker's life. ... Mobbing can be understood as the stressor to beat all stressors. It is an impassioned, collective campaign by co-workers to exclude, punish, and humiliate a targeted worker. Initiated most often by a person in a position of power or influence, mobbing is a desperate urge to crush and eliminate the target. The urge travels through the workplace like a virus, infecting one person after another. The target comes to be viewed as absolutely abhorrent, with no redeeming qualities, outside the circle of acceptance and respectability, deserving only of contempt. As the campaign proceeds, a steadily larger range of hostile ploys and communications comes to be seen as legitimate."
Scapegoating in psychoanalytic theory
Psychoanalytic theory holds that unwanted thoughts and feelings can be unconsciously projected onto another who becomes a scapegoat for one's own problems. This concept can be extended to projection by groups. In this case the chosen individual, or group, becomes the scapegoat for the group's problems. In other words, blaming another person or thing, for your own problems.
If the scapegoating pattern continues into early adulthood, development towards healthy personal identity is likely to be compromised, with strong likelihood of histrionic, compensatory narcissistic, and/or obsessive-compulsive, as well as passive-aggressive traits. Fully-criterial personality disorders are likely, leading to severe, ego-protecting "affect management behaviors" including alcoholism, drug addiction and other substance and behavioral process disorders.
Editorial: Portions in blue came from Wikipedia.
There have been a few strange things that have happened since I started this blog. First, of course, was the phone call from a board member shortly after getting a new telephone number at a new job in a new building. How that happens without a lot of effort still defies logic.
Second, was finding a board member peering into my living room windows from Talbot Road. I happened to have binoculars on hand so quickly looked back and waved. This board member promptly drove away.
Third, was an encounter that happened this morning in QFC. I was buying a few bananas and went through the self service line. Upon exiting, I happened to spot a board member who quickly ducked down behind the checkout counter. I thought perhaps they were tying their shoelaces, but alas, as I walked by, I noticed that the shoes did not have laces.
Maybe I am imagining things. Maybe I am losing my grip on reality. Maybe I will start walking through poorly lit parking lots in downtown Seattle to avoid making eye contact with people.
Editorial: By the way, if you are a board member and you happen to be walking through poorly lit parking lots near the train station to avoid making eye contact with me, please stop. I wouldn't want anyone to slip in the darkness or encounter an unsavory character with criminal conduct on his mind. I promise not to ask any questions, hard ones or otherwise.
I was listening to NPR the other day and heard a book review of a new book, "The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia" by Orlando Figes. It is apparently a compilation of interviews describing first-hand what Stalin did to the 'average Joe-Russian' family. I was struck by the description of the fear and intimidation injected into daily (communal) life; government informers seemed to be everywhere, people disappeared without word and people literally lowered their voices to a whisper even in their own living quarters.
Sounded to me like what my work life was like in the District. It was not a workplace where people worked together despite the hyped "collaboration" that was the professed banner under which we were working. There can be no "collaboration" when decisions are made by one person no matter how much icing is on the cake to hide it. When educational decisions are made with no stated educational reason ("to ease your load" is not a reason when you haven't talked to me about how "the load" was CREATED by YOUR previous decisions, also made without my professional input) there has to be another reason for making them. I do not discount stupidity or incompetence in the equation, but it seems to me that when a series of these decisions tend to impact senior staff members more than junior staff members and when this is pointed out to upper administration, it is ignored or dismissed ("I talked to Mr. X and he says that didn't happen"), there is something going on that is bigger and more complex than stupidity.
Please remember that management is usually disgraced when it is discovered that they tried to cover-up indiscreet or stupid actions rather than from the severity of the indiscreet or stupid actions in the first place. Thus 18 minute gaps in tapes are worse than breaking into the office of your political enemy.
The District will not become a better place to work until the fear, intimidation and bullying of subordinates stops. Nor will it become a better place to work until people who don't know what they are doing have no power over those who do know what they are doing.
Editorial: While I am sure this writer is not suggesting that district staff will end up in mass graves, I am surprised by the comparison. The atmosphere in the District has definitely been getting worse.
For several months, perhaps as many as six months, the ability to search board minutes and agendas has ended. Sure, there is a web page that allows you to insert search terms into a field, but the search doesn't take you anywhere.
Could it be that the District doesn't want anyone searching past minutes to determine how board members have been voting? Could it be that a massive editing campaign has been waged to alter the minutes to reflect a more judicious outcome - albeit false? Could it be that public access to the minutes of meetings would introduce a degree of accountability that would just be intolerable?
Most people don't have the time or energy to attend board meetings. They can be a real snooze fest and really don't amount to much more than a lot of ceremonial back patting that fortunately doesn't come through in the typed minutes. I prefer to skim over the contents of a three hour meeting in a matter of minutes. While I care about where my tax dollars go and how they are frivolously wasted, I don't care to subject myself to the mundane and physically-exhausting contents of an unexciting and uninspired room of misguided public sloths.
Just when will the search function return to the District's official website? Is it a matter of employee qualifications? Perhaps no one on staff knows how to reanimate the search function. If you need help, just drop me an email and I'll send over my webmaster.
Editorial: Is it a coincidence that the search function died shortly after this blog grew legs and started walking around asking questions?
The Mountlake Terrace City Council is moving quickly to select a new council member to fill the seat of recently departed councilman Doug Wittinger, who has moved out of the city limits.
At its Dec. 17 meeting, the council decided to advertise the opening immediately and conduct interviews at a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 3 at City Hall council chambers, 23204 58th Ave. W.
The council will appoint a new council member following these interviews, so the new member can participate in the mayor and mayor pro tem selection process at the Jan. 7 regular meeting and attend training for newly elected officials in mid-January.
The term for this office expires Dec. 31, 2009.
To qualify as a council candidate, interested parties must be at least 18 years of age, a United States citizen without any felony convictions and a registered voter who has lived within the city for at least one year prior to the appointment.
Applications for this vacancy can be obtained by calling the city clerk's office at 425-744-6206 or by sending e-mail to cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us. Applications are also available on the home page of the city Web site, www.cityofmlt.com, and at City Hall.
The due date for submitting applications either in person or via mail is 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31.
Editorial: Doug Wittinger bought a new residence in Edmonds and the transaction closed on September 24, 2007. Only three months passed before leaving the City Council, as opposed to a number of years for Bruce Williams. This article came from the Enterprise.
These steps shall be completed in the acquisition of sites:
a. The Board shall authorize the superintendent to appoint a site acquisition committee. Such appointment shall be in writing, specify the assignment, list resources available to the committee, name a chairperson and establish a time frame for reporting. The committee shall report to the superintendent;
b. The superintendent or designee shall report to the Board with recommendations regarding site acquisition and may include the report of the committee in such recommendations. The superintendent's report to the Board may be made in a regular public meeting or in an executive session.
c. The director of business services or designee shall prepare a legal description or address for the identified site.
d. The Board shall authorize contact to be made with the owner of the site.
e. Upon Board approval of price and any other conditions of purchase, a warrant shall be drawn covering all acquisition costs, except attorney and/or consultant fees which shall be paid by separate warrants.
f. The warrant shall be placed in a separate Edmonds School District trust fund by the district's attorney. Checks against the trust fund shall be countersigned by at least two (2) of the following persons:
(1) district's attorney
(2) director of business services
(3) superintendent
g. At the first regular Board meeting following issuance of the warrant (Item e.), the district's attorney shall report as to progress in closing the transaction. Within sixty (60) days thereafter, if the transaction has not been closed, the district's attorney shall submit a written report to the Board indicating the reason(s) the transaction has not been closed.
h. Monthly reports shall be made to the superintendent by the director of business services or designee indicating progress on all sites that are being purchased or are in condemnation action.
Editorial: Who was on this mysterious site acquisition committee? Here is the link for those of you following at home.
For the few that claim I am targeting the weak or professionally-impaired, I apologize. This blog is all about making the District a better place. If concerns were not expressed about the quality of writing by a certain member of staff, nothing would have happened to improve the quality of writing. Unfortunately, the writing style is not of her supervisor, but rather of his and at the rate she is paid, I suspect the tax payer would have been better off with poorly constructed sentences and nonsensical directions.
It's good to know the blog is still having an impact.
On a more serious note, I certainly wouldn't want the blog to cause any personal trauma or hardship for anyone. If it creates a bit of work, maybe that work might motivate public servants to do the right thing first. Avoid stress and pressure by making the right decisions earlier. Don't let the heartache and sweat accumulate. Think things through before you run with questionable instructions.
In fact, I would go as far as to suggest that people feeling pressure should unload their guilt and share their ideas about how to make things better for everyone. Don't live under thumbs. Don't live with the hatred you propagate at the direction of others. Unleash your humanity and be your own person. There is a better way to live than marching all day to the beat of a misguided manager. People want to like you but alas, they cannot get beyond the glare of your master.
Again, this blog is all about change. The District needs change. Things change when board members do the honorable thing and step down when necessary. Things change when board members ask intelligent questions and understand the answers they are provided. Things change when people start challenging the status quo and demand more than mediocrity.
Like everyone else in the District, I know we can do much better. Unlike everyone else in the District, I have a meaningful forum that cannot be controlled or manipulated by management. Most importantly, I am not on their payroll, but as a tax payer, they are on mine.
Voters in the Edmonds School District will get the chance in May to renew a four-year technology/capital levy that expires in 2008.
If approved, locals would pay 28 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – a decrease from the current 52 cents per thousand. That would be about $84 a year on a $300,000 house, as opposed to the current rate of $156 a year on the same house. But what happens if it is voted down altogether? Wouldn't that be a decrease from $156 to $0? I can see why the District may want more students to fail the math portion of the WASL, because as adults they would be voting to support this sort of mathematical reasoning.
The Edmonds School Board approved putting the levy before voters at its Dec. 11 meeting. The 2004 levy that's expiring brought technology into every classroom in the district. Renewing the levy would replace and further build on those advances. The earlier levy also put a lot of laptops and LCD projectors in the homes of petty criminals.
The levy would collect about $31.4 million over four years, with an additional $100,000 in interest. It would expire in 2012.
The deadline for the all-mail ballot special election would be May 20.
In addition to technology, $7.5 million of the $31.4 million would go toward capital facilities projects in safety and emergency preparedness, energy efficiency, systems upgrades and outdoor facilities and partnership programs. In other words, if you think the District is saturated with technology, how can you vote against an opportunity to have more Capital Partnerships?
Editorial: The red portion of this entry came directly from the Enterprise.
Good Morning Everyone,
Our custodial crew is scheduled to do CARPET CLEANING for the entire ESC on Dec. 26 and 27. They would like to begin cleaning at 3:00 p.m. and plan to be finished at 11:00 p.m. (For anyone who is scheduled to work after 3:00, please check with your supervisor as to a possible alternative schedule.)
In addition, we would like to ask everyone’s help in CLEARING THE FLOOR of your work area completely. This includes files, chairs, and mats.
We would recommend using your work rooms to store chairs and mats.
(FYI, the ESC has not had the carpets cleaned entirely in over three years!)
Thank you for your cooperation and support of our GREAT Custodial Crew!
I am a little bothered by the fact that the ESC's carpets haven't been cleaned in more than three years. I don't know how many times I relied upon the three second rule when eating in my cubicle. I may have to consult with public health officials as to the wisdom of such a rule. Clearly, it has no foundation in science.
Congratulations to the ESC for getting their carpets cleaned. Three years of accumulated blood from flogging bureaucratic opposition, vomit from repulsive management practices, and sweat from the countless minions that toil at the pleasure of their supervisors. It is about time.
Some many months ago, perhaps as many as two years ago, I set up a php module site with the support of Technology. It was a raging fad at the time to have this sort of format used in departmental web profiles. Of course, we have since seen how easy it is for unknown individuals to post questionable materials for inappropriate activities. Click here.
My department was assigned the subdomain of "property.edmonds.wednet.edu". To make matters simple, I just had the subdomain auto-forward, or "point" to esd15.org, which pointed to edmonds.wednet.edu/propertymgt. That way, I would be spending less time updating the php site at work (and the esd15.org site at home) and only have to worry about a single website.
Well, imagine my surprise when I checked traffic counts and found a flurry of hits coming from property.edmonds.wednet.edu. While the subdomain still automatically forwards to esd15.org, esd15.org no longer automatically forwards to propertymgt. In other words, if you type in the subdomain, you are taken directly to the blog site. Try it.
Who is looking after such issues? I had to point out the earlier problem to District staff before it was corrected. I am hoping that District staff may find time in their hectic schedules to make this correction as well. I wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.
Yet another modest proposal for your consideration. In the last blog entry, I touched lightly on the power of money and how we could potentially improve the calibre of board candidates if we offered a higher sum of money. An actual salary instead of a meagre handout of $50 per meeting. During the day, these board members could put whatever skills they might possess to work making the District a better place. Have them meet and mingle. Let them dig around. Encourage them to ask questions and poke under rocks. They could drive a school bus, prepare and serve lunches, they could fill in when a teacher is sick.
Now, imagine if the Edmonds School District offered the superintendent a substantial raise. Not to suggest that he doesn't already get paid enough at more than $200,000.00 a year. But imagine if the District paid him $250,000.00 a year, with one small string attached. The net percentage he would actually "earn" would be directly tied to WASL scores. If 60% of District students passed the WASL, he would take home 60% of his pay. If 60% of District students failed, he could be flipping burgers next to many of them on weekends to make ends meet.
It's a standardized test and outside of the superintendent's direct influence or control. If better teachers are recruited and retained, there might be a better chance he could earn more money. If they leave in droves, his income may take a dive. Nothing motivates a person to succeed better than lining their pockets with legitimately earned income. The superintendent could add another Porsche or two to his collection and we can churn out brighter and more accomplished students. Maybe they might even survive a few rounds of math at the University of Washington.
I would suggest even taking this scenario one step further. Eliminate Marla's salary and put her on commission. Let her deals see the light of day and openly encourage creativity. Instead of guessing as to the financial impact of these questionable deals, cast some light on them and openly acknowledge her accomplishments with a percentage of the transaction's value.
I have a modest proposal. While at first blush, it may seem like a rather costly endeavor, I can assure you that the end result would be a lean, efficient and highly-capable District. I propose that we pay board members a salary, and not just a small salary, but a salary that might motivate competent managers and business people to join its ranks.
But can we pay board members? They are elected officials and we pay elected officials a substantial sum for their contributions to society. We paid Don Rumsfeld. We continue to pay George Bush. We pay our congressional representatives. Closer to home, we pay the mayors of Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace. We pay our County Sheriff. In fact, we pay the vast majority of our elected officials a wage that most people can comfortably live on. Why not include our local school board members.
Of course, if you offer a salary you might just get people competing for the position that really want to be there. Once there, they would work hard to keep their place. They might just cast a few votes in favor of the District's mission. It's a great idea and needs to get some traction.
For those of you that still believe that board members take their seats to perform a public service and are not motivated by the money, I say balderdash. Who is better equipped to detect a money-hungry parasite than another money-hungry parasite? Pay board members lucrative salaries and they might just look a little more closely at the fine print - or in the case of important documents like the CFP - they might even glance at the print or maybe the pictures.
I cannot help but wonder what motivates a board member to sit on the board. Of course, it isn't the money. (Well, not the actual stipend. Surely there must be kickbacks here and there.) It isn't in the spirit of public service, because they must be convinced by now that a service to the public hasn't been performed since September 11th, when Bruce Williams resigned. There was nothing public service-oriented about the property transactions. The piano scam. Or a wide spectrum of internal malfeasance.
This token gesture of handing out $50 bills for each board meeting a member attends has to be ended. In this day and age, even children know that you only get what you pay for. There is no such thing as a free ride and $50 is as close to free as you can get in the world of accounting.
First, thank you for the comments. I will try to respond as fully as I can.
The board presentation didn't do a thing to resolve the piano scam. The board members are easily fooled and have no idea how to craft an intelligent question on this topic. No one bothered to ask how Seattle Piano Gallery was selected. They just seem so transfixed by the "process" after the vendor was selected - they failed to investigate as to the nature of the relationship between the seller and the District's representative. Perhaps they need a refresher course in how the public sector works.
If you assume for a moment that what spews forth from Marla's mouth is true, the summary of events would lead the casual reader to believe that the District purchased the pianos for slightly less than full list price. However, the District apparently did not set out to buy all of these pianos. Or did they? Why would the District take pleasure in knowing they purchased more pianos than they needed for slightly less than full list price? Would I buy 14 cars for a fraction under sticker price? Would anyone? Of course, my expenditures would be made with private money and where I chose to park them would be a private problem.
Over the last seven years of service in the public sector, I have grown accustomed to obtaining assets for less than full list price. For instance, Business Interiors Northwest offers most of their cubicle parts and pieces at 70% less than full list price. Yes, 70% less than full list price. For the mathematically-impaired that would be a purchase price of 30% of full list price. Would Marla and the Board be happier paying 95% of list price for their cubicle parts and pieces?
It has become even more obvious, since the release of the board minutes, that Marla's plan from the very beginning was to buy more than a dozen pianos from her friend, Arnie Tucker. It must be nice to have such a large wallet and so many friends with things to sell.
[Anonymous]
How many pianos did the Edmonds School District end up with?
[Arnie]
Four grands and I don't remember how many verticals...
I've decided to bow out of this and give you my contact for the pianos I've mentioned. Here it is.These are the quality, warranted, restored pianos imported from Japan. You will find 3 pages of models and prices. They come from a warehouse in Kentucky or one in California. Many piano dealers use this source for their used piano inventory.
Questions? Email me again. I'll be happy to help.
Good luck!
Arnie
Editorial: Next time the District wants to buy "quality, warranted, restored pianos" just click on the link above and cut out the middle man - even if he is a friend.
A brief exchange between a member of the public and the Edmonds School District.
[Anonymous]
Please send a copy of the 2006-2011 CFP to the following address:
2321 XXXXXX Ave
Everett, WA 98201
[P&PMS]
I have requested this documented and will send it to you as soon as I receive it.
Please let me know if you have any further questions,
Thank you
Stephanie Hall
Planning and Property Management Specialist
(425) 431-7332
[Anonymous]
Sorry, is there someone else, from whom I should have requested this document? I used to get these every two years from the Planning and Property Management Specialist. I was on a list.
Thanks.
[P&PMS]
In response to your request, you are correct in requesting the Capital Facilities Plan from myself. However, I needed to have additional copies made. It will be mailed to you today.
Please let me know if you have any questions,
Stephanie Hall
Planning and Property Management Specialist
(425) 431-7332
The District really should move this document online. For the very few people in the region that read the Capital Facilities Plan, it would be more convenient and cost-effective to keep it on the website. I would also recommend an illustrated version for board members so the concepts can become more clear to them.
Maybe each quad could be portrayed as an apple tree and the children can be the apples. When the apples become ripe, they fall from the trees and roll into the classrooms - where they are ravaged by hungry worms.
Editorial: Thank you to yet another contributor. This polite exchange seems so unlike the manner in which others were treated while trying to rent a public parking lot.
fat·u·ous /ˈfætʃuÉ™s/ Pronunciation [fach-oo-uhs] –adjective
1. foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly.
2. unreal; illusory.
[Origin: 1625–35; <>-ous] —Related forms
fat·u·ous·ly, adverb
fat·u·ous·ness, noun
mal·a·droit /ËŒmæləˈdrɔɪt/ Pronunciation [mal-uh-droit] –adjective
lacking in adroitness; unskillful; awkward; bungling; tactless: to handle a diplomatic crisis in a very maladroit way.
[Origin: 1665–75; <>mal-, adroit] —Related forms
mal·a·droit·ly, adverb
mal·a·droit·ness, noun
Perhaps the District would like the contents of our 2 2" three-ring binders that document our treatment, much of which consists of e-mails to or from bullying District employees. But then again, all we have are those e-mails that we had the presence of mind to save or forward to our home e-mail account; the District would have all of them already. They just have to put forth a little effort to find them.
But wait! Perhaps if someone were to go through the old cached e-mails they might find evidence that is NOT helpful to the District on a number of issues with a variety of present/former employees. Perhaps this is a case of "Be careful what you ask for" for the District.
And note again that the intimidation factor of a District paid lawyer monitoring this blog is ever-present. This is a threat to anyone who feels the need to get the truth out. Which reminds me of WAC 180-88-040 which I ran across recently. It seems that "verbal abuse" means "the use of malicious or hostile language by an employee that results in harm to another if the school district has determined that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that an employee engaged in the conduct and that it resulted in the employee leaving a position with the district." Also "under RCW 28A.400.301, a district is prohibited from entering into any contract or agreement that has the effect of suppressing information about the abuse by a present or former employee or has the effect of expunging such information from employer files."
It seems to me that ANY settlement agreement which limits a former employee's ability to openly discuss their "constructive termination" is, under this statute, ILLEGAL. And yet the settlement agreement, with the agreement and approval of the Edmonds Education Assn, is the weapon of choice for the school district. Mine says just that: you can't talk about your former employer or your employment "story." Of course, the catch 22 here is that the District has to find that verbal abuse occurred. They get to investigate themselves and determine that they verbally abused someone. What, do you suppose, is the chance of that? It will be a cold day in the underworld before that happens, you can be sure. We need oversight from another government agency, or at least the daylighting of these practices to the average taxpayer.
Editorial: A sincere thank you for another informative entry from an unknown contributor.
[Duncan]
On Wednesday, November 28, 2007, your client, Mark Zandberg, posted an entry on his blog entitled "Why miss your weekly dose of intelligent humor?" In that entry he inserts a copy of an e-mail sent to him and a man named "Steve" from Marla Miller, Assistant Superintendent at Edmonds School District, dated March 24, 2006.
All documents created by District employees and maintained on District computer servers, including e-mail communications, are property of the District. Accordingly, we are now requesting that any and all such electronic documents that were obtained by Mr. Zandberg while he was employed by the Edmonds School District, or any time thereafter, and now in his custody and control, be returned to the District, through us. In addition, please instruct him to retain any documents that remain in his custody and control until the issues related to his claim have been resolved.
We trust that you will advise Mr. Zandberg accordingly.
This is a blog-related issue, not a constructive termination issue. Therefore, contacting my legal counsel is contrary to my earlier request that all blog-related issues should be directed to me, personally. I retained the services of legal counsel for the sole purpose of resolving the manner in which I was constructively terminated.
You are directing me to return documents now in my possession, except the documents in my possession. I suppose I could return everything once my "claim" has been resolved. But what happens if I choose not to resolve any claim? Do I retain such documents forever?
Your request is not specific enough. In order to return documents, I will need to know exactly which documents are being requested. Also, I am not a public agency, so the fee will be $.15 a page. I do not have staff assigned to such a task, so the response may take more than 45 days.
It is clear that the District seeks to reclaim letters of praise and commendation. The letter included in the blog entry mentioned above, was retained for the purpose of demonstrating that I was once appreciated by my employer for the work that I performed every day - particularly the work that I was juggling for many months. Will the District be applying a uniform standard to all current and former employees? Will all letters of appreciation have to be returned? Will all thoughtfully written documents expressing appreciation have to be returned to the District?
The District has every e-mail message I ever sent from my District email account, as well as every message I ever received. Why not just have your hard drive dissecting contractors or the District's network administrator print out every e-mail that ever made contact with me?
Editorial: There are a great many companies in the world that offer free server space for the storing of e-mail and data. Imagine if everyone in the District were to automatically send every piece of email ever received or sent to a G-mail account through Google. It takes only a few minutes to set up a new rule in Outlook where this can happen without any on-going effort on the user's part. Then, if you are ever constructively terminated, you can just draw upon the wealth of information at your fingertips - and not in your home.
Duncan,
I would like to receive copies of any and all archive manifests for documents that may have been removed from Property Management's "vault files" within the last six months. By "vault files" I mean the three 42 inch wide, five drawer (top drawer is actually a flipper door) file cabinets located in Property Management on the second floor of the ESC. By archived manifests, I mean a list of all documents removed from the "vault files" and sent to any location outside of the ESC, whether the District warehouse or any other location.
If no such manifests exist, and documents have been removed, I would like to coordinate a viewing of the remaining documents.
I would also like to know who was assigned the task of removing and/or archiving documents, how they were selected for the task and what qualifications they possess that would make them uniquely qualified for this task.
Thank you.
Mark Zandberg
Editorial: If the public asks for any and all copies of documents in the District's possession, why not just "unpossess" them?
Ms. Miller provided the Board with information on a recent public records request related to a lease agreement with Seattle Piano Gallery in 2005. She outlined the work with legal counsel to formulate the lease agreement with the vendor, the payment schedule, resale outcomes, an erroneous purchase order, and the company filing for bankruptcy. It was confirmed that the end result of payment for the thirteen leased pianos was less than the list price and the 2006 quote for comparable pianos.
This passage was pulled directly from the meeting minutes approved by the Board. Of course, I have a few questions. They won't be hard, I promise.
1. How was this particular vendor selected? Did it have anything to do with the fact that he was a friend of the person making the decision to lease the pianos? The fact that they worked on some sort of jazz function together? The fact they have a connection in Rotary?
2. Just which law firm worked on developing the lease agreement? Did they know how the vendor was selected? Would they have any reason to ask? Were they involved in that selection process? Would any law firm presume that a public agency isn't aware of public bid processes?
3. What payment schedule was developed? My records (and granted they could be incomplete) show a single payment for a rather large sum and then one very small payment back to the District.
4. What resale outcomes? Since when does the District sell pianos for a profit? Or a loss for that matter? When did the District feel a need to report on the sales success or failure of private enterprise?
5. What erroneous purchase order? I never asked for copies of erroneous or legitimate purchase orders, I asked for copies of checks. The truth is in the numbers and the checks were full of them.
6. What difference does it make that the dealer of these pianos filed for bankruptcy? If the transaction was legitimate and the pianos were leased, it is just a simple matter of returning the pianos when the lease was up.
Bottom line: "It was confirmed that the end result of payment for the thirteen leased pianos was less than the list price and the 2006 quote for comparable pianos." Hint: Leasing a car for a year should always be cheaper than buying it outright, unless you plan on driving to the moon a few times in the next 12 months. After 12 months of leasing, you have no pianos. After 12 months of ownership, you have one-year-old pianos.
How was the Seattle Piano Gallery selected? If you are going to scam the tax-paying public, why not take the extra effort to go out to bid and then disqualify every vendor you didn't like? Maybe you can afford to skip this critical step because you know the Board will never ask any questions.
Editorial: I am flattered that the contents of this blog are being discussed at Board meetings. I am just disappointed that no one understands public processes.
[Mark Zandberg]
Please review Edmonds School Board Policy 3300 R-1 and help me understand how the purchase/lease of pianos from the Seattle Piano Gallery complied with this policy...
Please also review RCW 28A.335.190 and help me understand how the same transaction complied with state law...
[Duncan]
These questions appear to seek legal advice or opinion. As you are well aware, Patterson Buchanan has been retained to represent Edmonds School District, and provide legal advice on matters of its concern. Should you desire an answer to the questions above, I suggest you consult with your own counsel.
I have and it doesn't.
Editorial: Edmonds School District is a public agency and should have no concern other than that of serving the public. Spending public funds to insulate public servants from public scrutiny does nothing to advance the public's interests.
Due to a recent relocation to a tropical environment, the blog is not being actively maintained or updated. I will be back in the Edmonds area on Tuesday, December 11th and will respond to comments and post new entries at that time.
If questionable forces are planning a raid on this blogger's home, I'll have you know that a highly competent housesitter has been enlisted to guard the estate until my return.
Thank you for visiting and I look forward to the many emails and kind comments upon my return.
Mark Zandberg
Chief Executive of Blog Content Development
Visit a Doctor: Actually, this isn’t a tactic, it’s a necessity. You will be undergoing a lot of stress during this whole process. It is likely you will have headaches, insomnia, gastro-intestinal problems, and fatigue. Go and get help. You need to take steps to take care of yourself. At the very least ask for something to help you sleep so your mental acuity does not wane. You will need to be on the top of your game to be free from fear! If you really need it, use the Employee Assistance Program to get things off your chest or go see your pastor. You will be validated as most people who learn about the culture at the District are incredulous. If things get really bad, as a last resort, file a workman’s comp claim for work related stress. Don’t laugh; you make actually have to do this. Use the time to center yourself and focus your energy on what is important.
Lawyer Up: If you have union representation, use it. For those of you without union representation, it is probably worth hiring an attorney. Check out legal aid associations if need be. If the union rep or attorney is poorly prepared, prepare for them. As you can tell from this blog, or have been through a divorce, you know that many lawyers are not that smart. They just have a good vocabulary and have read some law books. You are just as qualified to formulate the gist of your defense and craft the strategy to argument your case. If you truly want to keep your job, YOU need to take control and call the shots. All you need them to do is be your mouthpiece and strike fear in the District to a potential law suit. As an outsider, they can be more eloquent and dispassionate, as they will not have to keep their emotions in check. The key to the game is not to let them “get” to you and con you into believing their side of the story.
Age/Gender/Race/Religion Card: Use it if you have to. The District has paid out dearly in discrimination cases. Check where you are in the age range in your department to see where you fall in comparison to others. Celebrate if you are older than everyone else. If you are pushing 50 or are older, yippee! Make sure you look as old as possible and let that gray show! As for gender, if you are a woman, muster up those tears even if you have to put a nail in your shoe! Point out inequities between treatment of men and women, real and or imagined. Remember, it’s the perceived threat and how they make you feel that is important! And if you have been so blessed with even 1/16th of heritage or have a family religion considered as a minority, be sure to embrace it! Make it your identity. Put a dream catcher above your desk; wear your yarmulke, dashiki or birka.
Postpone/Delay/Cancel: Turn the tables and string them along. Book up your calendar with meetings that directly conflict with your interrogators open time or take a day off to make sure you are not available to meet at any time you know you will not be ready for battle. You want to be ready to rumble, do not go in if you are not at the top of your game. There are sick days, vacation days, personal days, and my favorite, bereavement leave. Search the obituaries for people with names that are identical to yours; that is on both sides of your family. Make sure to check out of state obituaries, as the number of days allotted for an out of state funeral are greater than an in-state affair. It helps if you have name like Nguyen or Smith somewhere in your family.
Conduct: During this time of strife, you need to make sure you do not give them anymore ammunition. So, stay off the internet for personal reasons. Do not check your personal email or order your prescriptions on line. Use it solely for work. Do not come in late or leave early. Do not take an extra five minutes at lunch or at break. Even if it’s going to snow and you want to gas up the car at lunch for your commute home. Stave off the desire if it might make you late. And by all means do not, under any circumstances, work overtime for them. If they are going to squeeze you, why would you help them when they are in a pinch? If they say you cannot keep up with your work load, show them the log of what you do on a daily basis to show you are not goofing off.
Quitting: If you do quit, make sure it is to your advantage. If you haven’t taken all of vacation, sick, or personal days, take them. The District has a problem giving people what they are owed. Also, if you want to minimize the impact of paying for your health insurance on COBRA, make sure to work at least one day of a new month. Your benefits will be paid for the month you quit and the next. If you have to wait for three months for your new coverage to kick in, you will only have to put out one month’s worth of payment!
Step Five: Never forget how to play the game.
Things are cyclical at the District and once bitten; you are more likely to be bit again. When you see the political winds begin to change, prepare yourself. You will get better at predicting when the storm will hit and be ready for another round. You will strike back at them harder, faster, and will be far more clever and fearless as you have become a seasoned player. It is after all, it’s a game that never ends, so you must play to win.
Step Six: Print this Manual
In the spirit of Abbie Hoffman’s Steal this Book, print this manual and keep it and/or share it with your District colleagues. It was written to help you save your job, screw with HR before you leave if you so please, but most of all it was written to confirm your suspicions that the District is the most dysfunctional place you have ever worked so you can survive the berating. The goal here is to reduce the impact any investigation may have on your self esteem and personal life as it will take a negative toll on your psyche. You are not as bad as they paint you out to be. In fact, you are a far better person than they will ever know, because they never give you the chance. That is not what they do. Do not be your own worst enemy and believe the load of crap they shovel out. Do not be afraid. FIGHT BACK and choose not to be their whipping boys and girls. As Abbie Hoffman would say, "POWER TO THE PEOPLE!"
Editor's Note: Thank you to another guest contributor. This is the final part in a series of three.
I have been reading a certain agreement between Cypress Equities and the Edmonds School District for the current Lynnwood High School site across from Alderwood Mall. Unfortunately, I haven't yet made it past page 20.
Section 10. Environmental Contingencies
Notwithstanding Developer's approval of the condition of the Real Property during the Feasibility Study Period, Developer shall have the right to terminate this Agreement due to either of the environmental issues described in this Section 10.
10.1 Should the Developer discover Hazardous Materials contamination (not caused by Developer) on the Real Property between the Phase II Termination Date and the Closing Date, and, in Developer's reasonable, good faith business judgment such Hazardous Materials contamination cannot be remediated or eliminated in a timely and economically feasible manner by Developer's use of commercially reasonable efforts, then Developer shall deliver written notice of same to Owner ("Developer's HazMat Notice"). Within forty-five (45) days after the date on which Owner receives Developer's HazMat Notice, Owner shall deliver written notice to Developer stating whether or not Owner agrees to remediate or eliminate the Hazardous Materials contamination at issue, at Owner's sole cost and expense ("Owner's HazMat Response Notice"). Should Owner elect to remediate or eliminate the Hazardous Materials contamination at issue and such remediation or elimination will be completed by Owner no later than one hundred eighty (180) days after Owner's HazMat Response Notice, Owner shall promptly proceed to perform such remediation work and Developer shall have no right to terminate this Agreement. If Owner elects to remediate or eliminate the Hazardous Materials contamination at issue but does not complete such remediation or elimination within one hundred eighty (180) days of the HazMat Response Notice, then Developer shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by delivering written notice of termination to Owner within sixty (60) days after Developer's receipt of Owner's HazMat Response Notice. If Developer timely exercises its right of termination under this Section 10.1, this Agreement shall terminate on the date on which Owner receives Developer's termination notice, all Earnest Money (including any portion of the Earnest Money previously released to Owner, which portion shall be returned to Developer without interest) shall be returned to Developer, and the Parties shall have no further rights or obligations under this Agreement except for those that expressly survive the termination of this Agreement.
What this means is that if the Developer hits contamination, the District must rush in, correct the problem and cover all of the expense for doing so. They must also remediate the contamination within 180 days - not an easy thing for a public agency to accomplish. Unless District management has a friend waiting in the wings with their engines running.
Two problems surface here.
First, I hope the District does not include such language in their lease for the Maintenance and Transportation site. The problems at that site couldn't possibly be corrected in 180 days. The cost for such remediation would quickly gobble the lease proceeds for a number of years and crossing into the 181st day could dissolve your ground lease.
Second, why wouldn't such a Hazardous Materials clause be included in the purchase of the new Administration site? Afterall, if its good enough for the private sector, why not use it to the advantage of the District? It's almost as if the District wasn't interested in protecting public resources.
Editor's Note: Section 10.2 covers environmental conditions, like an excessively high water table, that could result in a similar termination of the Agreement, release of Earnest Money and departure of the Developer - though without an opportunity for the District to correct the problem. Termination would be at the discretion of the Developer.
Somebody needs to tamper with this witness. He isn't doing the District any favors and quite frankly, how much worse can it get? Here is the latest from an on-going email conversation.
[Anonymous]
There are now some concerns being voiced. Apparently, the Edmonds School District was burned by their transaction. What happened there?
[Arnie]
I guess there were some misunderstandings.
They asked me for an invoice and then sent me a purchase order for some pianos, and then a check to pay for them. Then they wanted the check back, though I could never figure out why.
I think they were rightly disappointed that my 5 year store warranty for the new Kawai made Diapasons that they bought will not be honored because I had to shut my store down.
So, now I am wondering. Why send a check and then ask for it back? How was this vendor selected from the long list of piano distributors that would have been happy to treat the District right? Just how much money did the District pour down this hole? I thought this hole was a friend of management. What happened?
Step One: Acceptance
As an Edmonds School District employee you must accept the fact that at some time you are going to fall into disfavor with your direct supervisor. As Superintendents and Principals come and go, and Directors and Middle Managers change, so will the political waters you swim in wax and wane with danger. You can work years under the same administrator, or even under several administrators, and be considered a rock star in your arena. All it takes is change at the helm and “you know what” will roll down hill. Your once OK boss will turn on you in a second for a minor infraction to deflect blame and attention, or the new regime brought in to “clean house” has you on a target list given to them at hire.
Step Two: Recognition
Take a look at your current boss and evaluate their demeanor. The four personality types most apt to put the screws to you at the drop of a hat are the following:
The Megalomaniac: This is the micromanager from Hades. They are a control freak and micromanage certain operations they perceive as most important to the current regime and their goal is to ingratiate themselves with the Superintendent and School Board. They make what ever the Supe and Board wants happen at any cost. They insult your intelligence by asking you do to the inane, and outrage your at their less than ethical behavior. This manager is a bane on society, wasting tax dollars to build their empire of power. They see their job as influence peddling, not education.
The Supe or Supe Staff Wannabe: This is the manager who has reached a dead-end in their career. They are insecure to the point of arrogance and worry about their reputation. They secretly fret that they aren’t good enough, smart enough or well-liked. The thing is they aren’t and they will turn on you once you do anything to burst their bubble of denial. They are vulnerable with every school board election and change in administration. This manager is particularly dangerous and vindictive because they are over emotional and take things personally.
The Passive/Aggressive Do-Nothing: This manager is a cruising deadbeat. They are either ready for retirement or got their job because one department wanted to get rid of a bad apple before there was too much damage from its rot. They say anything in meetings to appease the powers that be and then retire to their office, bookstore, or coffee shop, to do literally nothing. If you rock the boat in any shape or form, especially if you point out that they aren’t doing their job, watch out. The only good thing about this manager is that they are so lazy they will not have their ducks in a row to actually do you any harm. You will though, be tormented and miserable through the process.
The Unqualified Yet Promoted or Hired: This manager is not qualified to do their job. They have no education, experience, or training to do their work nor are they remotely cognizant that they are in over their heads. They frequently make blunders, engage in unprofessional behavior, and make you roll your eyes once they leave the room. At a distance their antics are laughable, but dealing with them day in and day out is a real drag as you live with their stupidity and the consequence of their mistakes. They are the most likely to be the fall-guy in a shake down in management and will do anything to save themselves. So watch out, when it hits the fan, they will make sure it flies by and hits you because they are desperate.
Step Three: Ask yourself do you really need this job?
Really, do you absolutely have to have this particular job with the School District? There are plenty of jobs out there, even state jobs, you just have to look. While you are still employed you can use Work Source in Lynnwood to help you search. Its free and an incredible resource. Do not pigeon hole your self to one employer and one job. The upcoming "Millennials" do not, why should you? They know there are more jobs out there than people. Follow their lead!
But if you feel boxed in because you’ve given 20 or more years to the District, have kids and like the schedule it affords your family, or are near retirement, take heart, you will more than likely not be terminated when the nonsense starts. Remember, you only get fired if you have sex with a student, know of someone who had sex with a student and not report it, steal, or kill someone AND then brag about it. However, after weathering the process, your chances of advancement will evaporate and you will forever be a “stained employee.” Get used to 3% raises, mid point adjustments, and crappy terms for your union contract or bargained agreement.
The only exception to the above rule is if you whistle-blow. You are screwed. Prepare yourself for constructive termination by having an employed spouse, savings, or a generous relative. It is highly recommended to start a blog or contribute to this one to vent your frustrations as you look for work.
Editor's Note: Thank you to another guest contributor. This is part one in a three part series.
Step Four: Play HR using one if not all of the following tactics.
All of the following are fair game whether you plan to stay or are actively looking for a job with the exception of the last which only applies to those who have found other employment. Remember, if you are looking for another job, the District is only allowed to confirm your employment period, your title, your salary, and whether or not it was a voluntary resignation or not or a layoff. Any innuendo, “off the record” disparaging comments are against the law. So for those of you planning to leave, enjoy the game of “Playing HR” to the hilt.
Document: Once you get wind that you are a target, start writing EVERYTHING down. This is your primary ammunition for up coming events. Keep a phone log of all your conversations. Keep a daily record of all your accomplishments and take notes at all your meetings where work is assigned. Ask questions to make sure they clarify what they mean when they speak. Simply ask, “Now let me get this straight, you want the following….” When your boss or another colleague starts acting like a jerk or bully, write down verbatim what was said. Record the times, places, and the names of people in the room. Write down not only your verbal response, but how it made you feel. What was your reaction? Are you feeling dread, fear, or anxiety? These are tools to be used later in the game. If you have trouble writing it all down, just jot down the pertinent facts in a small notebook and ask a family member or good friend to ghost write or type for you as you tell them your story. Most importantly, keep none of the documentation at work. There is no lock that cannot be opened. Your desk is not your private property. Keep everything on your person, lock it in your car, and take everything home with you.
Compare & Contrast: In your documentation be sure to write down inequities between how you are being treated as compared to other staff under the same management. Point out blaring or gross indiscretions that were over looked by the same manager because of favoritism. Look for the egregious acts such as time fraud, L&I fraud, harassment of any type, and theft. Make sure you have evidence. Use that camera on your phone if you have to! Cloud the waters and distract the “investigation” to another topic. It will dilute their energy, point them to real issues they cannot ignore and bog down the system.
Clarify at Nauseam: During the “investigation” you will be asked some of the most demeaning questions meant to break your spirit. There will be accusations from the mundane to the ridiculous, all to raise your ire and break your composure. They want to instill fear and provoke an inappropriate outburst. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS. Pause at every question. Drink water if you have to. Start out with, “I want to make this clear, you are asking me….” Then paraphrase what they say. Then ask them on what basis they would make an accusation, ask them, “Why do you think I did ….where did you get the idea I did…what is your source of information...who is your source…?” Ask for documentation. Is there a memo written, an email, a recording of a voice mail message? Ask for dates and times. Ask to see the evidence. If they don’t have any, be sure to say “Really?” Pause again. You can then ask them why you are there. If they do have “evidence,” tell them that the situation may have occurred but your understanding of the facts are different and/or to your knowledge, have been twisted. Reveal the fact that you have been tracking everything; that you have an electronic or handwritten journal. DO NOT have it with you at your first meeting. When you do bring it in, only photo copy or print out the pertinent sections to prep you to discuss the issue at hand. Verbally feed them details of your counter argument bit by bit over several meetings. This gives you time to think and prepare between meetings. Work it slowly to your advantage. Counter every argument in writing to be filed in your personnel file. In fact, never let anything negative get into your personnel file without a written rebuttal; take the time to write a reply to a poor evaluation. Tell your side of the story. It is also critical that you do not give them copies of your original journal, only formal written documents summarizing the meeting and your argument. If you do give it to them, they will peruse it to find gaps and build a counter argument to use against you. It is not a work product; it does not belong to them. It is your ace in the hole. Play the long game. Bog them down. This is all on the clock, so it doesn’t matter if you are actually working or spending your time in HR.
Editor's Note: Thank you to another guest contributor. This is part two in a series of three.
A quick-thinking reader reminded me that according to the District's lawyer, they no longer retain copies of checks. [Read this entry] The question I am being asked now is, where did these recent copies of the Seattle Piano Gallery checks come from? Well, I don't have an answer for you, but I have a response that would likely come from the District - if we could wait 30 days for a response.
One of the checks - the one that was actually deposited - was apparently provided by the Bank of America after a district manager made a request. It was faxed to the District on November 14, 2007 at 11:54 am. This would support the premise that copies of checks are not retained by the District, but of course they are just a telephone call away.
The second check - the one that was not deposited - may not actually be a "retained" copy, but rather a copy made after my request for such. I suspect the original check is still laying around the ESC somewhere. Perhaps it is waiting for a legal conclusion through the courts or the passage of time.
Clearly, the whole picture is not evident here. The next request should be for "All communication between the District (or any of its agents, representatives or designees) and the Seattle Piano Gallery (or any of its agents, representatives or designees) since August 4, 2004". That might reveal a tiny bit more about how public funds are expended.
Editorial Note: Hey! Arnie's not responding to an email sent yesterday. Did somebody tamper with my witness?
Question: Why are you blogging?
Zandberg: After more than six years with the Edmonds School District, it became abundantly clear that staff was being targeted for abuse by management, incompetent leaders were making monumentally stupid decisions, and there was no effective way to bring about change while still working within the District.
Question: When did you decide to do this?
Zandberg: As my voice of opposition slowly elevated to a point where management could no longer tolerate vocalized dissent, my position was rendered useless and I was forced to decide between taking public funds for doing a fraction of my actual job or leave the District at once. Any person with morals would have chosen the latter.
Question: Are there things in the district you'd like to see done differently?
Zandberg: The District needs a system of checks and balances. To keep an organization functioning at its optimal level, you need intelligent people asking well-articulated questions. Currently, there is a lot of fluff and illusion. Simple deception goes unchallenged and in fact is frequently praised by people who have absolutely no understanding of fiscal responsibility.
Question: What is the biggest challenge the district faces right now?
Zandberg: Incompetence.
Question: What things have you observed from your kids being in district schools?
Zandberg: I don’t have children but if I did, they would be in private school.
Question: Are there new things you'd like to see done in the district?
Zandberg: I would like to see board policy applied constructively, to start. Then I would like to see the Auditor actually look beyond the official, District cover sheet. There is a whole lot of waste going on and our region’s children deserve much better.
Question: In a tight fiscal climate, what would be your spending priorities?
Zandberg: My priorities regarding spending would be first and foremost in support of students and the District’s mission statement. I would not make it a priority to enrich friends or professional colleagues or enter into unfavorable business arrangements to the detriment of District objectives.
Question: What's one of your hobbies?
Zandberg: I live and breathe for public service. While some may think reading is a hobby, I consider it something you do on the train between stations. My hobby is uncovering corruption wherever it hides and rooting out evil business practices that negatively impact public agencies.
Question: What are you reading right now?
Zandberg: I am reading some internal documents from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.
In an effort to get to the bottom of this piano scam, I asked for the following: "One legible copy of any and all checks from the Seattle Piano Gallery dated after August 4, 2004."
I received a copy of a check numbered 8277 from the Seattle Piano Gallery to the Edmonds School District in the sum of $4,617.36, dated August 31, 2005 for what is described as a Diapason #118506. I will confirm if this piano number might be among the pianos listed on the "lease" agreement between these two entities.
I also received a copy of a check numbered 8716 from the Seattle Piano Gallery to the Edmonds School District in the sum of $1,740.80, dated February 1, 2006 for what is described as "Profit refund on Diapason 118506". This check also had the following information printed on the reverse, "Negotiation of this check constitutes an accord and satisfaction and a release of all claims against maker."
The District's legal counsel states that check number 8716 was received but "not deposited or otherwise cashed by the District." I suspect it has everything to do with the statement typed on the reverse side of the check. Is there a problem? I thought Marla and Arnie were friends. Why would Arnie be reluctant to pay the appropriate amount due to the District? By my calculations he's just a bit more than $100,000.00 short.
Appeal to Counsel: This transaction doesn't look very good. Is there something for which I should be asking? Is there something missing? An "RCWs don't apply to me" card, perhaps?
I asked for and received the entire collection of review requests from Snohomish County since the arrival of the new Planning and Property Management Specialist. There was a sum total of three.
