I stand by my word

On Aug 15, 2013, at 3:57 PM, Andrew Snyder, of the Allen American wrote:

Is it true you no longer plan on posting on your Unofficial Allen ISD blog? Did you tell the board you would take it down at the end of Monday's board workshop and allow Master to speak for the board in the future?


Response:

To honor my word this will be the last email with you. I told the board that I would not post about our discussions and that I would not talk to the press about board dealings, thus this is my last email informing you of those actions. I wholeheartedly agree that the President needs to speak for the board, and would actually prefer it. In exchange, I was assured that there is an investigation being conducted through the audit committee, and that they will be looking into the potential impact Scott Weber has had on the district finances. If anything comes out of that investigation, then I'm sure the board will address it.

Given the circumstances I was faced with, when I took the seat, I lost faith in the boards ability to patrol its own dealings. But, that faith has been temporarily restored given the insurance that the audit committee is investigating the relationship between the ISD and Scott Weber's actions. Let me repeat that -- I do have faith in my fellow board members. Plus, with the changes being made in the administration, I feel we have a fresh start in front of us. My actions were based on a fear that the lack of past communications between the board and the ISD, was influenced by the accusations of fraud and mismanagement. Without that faith, and trust, forced me to act on my own ethical guidelines, all of which is based on a notion (not proven) that the criminal activity may have been a lot worse than what the board was aware of, or what was being presented to them. Given the environment of millions of dollars in bond packages, it has been my experience that the sharks will come out and circle the cash. Such fraudulent accusations are usually only a hint of what lay just below the surface. We have no choice but to trust in the process. In the end, my intention is to do whats right for the school district, and our kids, by looking after the finances and correcting what I can.

Time will tell.

I gave my word that I would not post about our discussions on my blog, and I will stand-down and let Ms Masters speak for the board....the district needs it and so do the kids.

Dr Michael Myers




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It is what it is.....now lets get on with it.

In response to the Allen news article: Now can we do what I have been asking and see if the accusations of fraud have impacted the school district in its financial obligations, especially those accusations of ISD administration manipulating board approvals? Of which, some of those approvals may have involved the bond package for the district. If this individual, who is being accused of fraud, was part of the leadership team for the districts finances, and may have had ties with other ISD staff, and board members, could it also be possible that he was part of the procurement process associated with the bond package? This was why I requested the procurement information from the ISD, and furthered my action for legal clarification. I did this because I felt I was not provided the information requested and was being stalled by board politics.

From what I have researched, which lacks any real depth, the impact of fraudulent activity associated with bonds and procurements, with large contractor arrangements, can carry some stiff penalties for the district. My request to create a bipartisan, and non-ISD related, committee to better investigate, and research the topic, is what I am hoping we can accomplish, so we can set the course straight.

In the end I did not create this mess, I am only highlighting facts about the possible mis-management and manipulation of the system put in place. The reason I speak out is because, I believe, there may be something we are missing, and the fact is, it is too important for the district to just push it aside. The drama of the service center is not the issue.

It's unfortunate that I had to come into office under such contentious debates, but my heart is in it for the district -- you can be assured of that. I will not just sit idle in my board seat and rubber stamp votes because others believe in taking the easy way out. Look at it this way, if I hadn't said anything you would know nothing about it. What would we have done then? You can think anything you want about me personally, but the fact is I am the one sitting in the seat now, and don't think for one minute that I do not feel the pressure of the situation the district is facing. We aren't talking about a new bus barn....we are talking about activity that could undermine our whole bond package, a bond package the district could be forced to repay if the relationships are true, which would mean higher taxes for the community. What would you do?

One more item from the article, and just my personal observation, if Dr Helvey had just taken over leadership in 2006, and this Scott Weber was employed for 9-years, that would mean he started 3 years before Dr Helvey took over as the Superintendent. If there was a lack of management controls during his tenure, that would have capture this, did Dr Helvey inherit it? What other activities went on before Dr Helvey? Knowing Dr. Helvey I find it odd, given his character, that he would purposefully enact such a deficient system of mismanagement, especially when a district is growing at leaps and bounds. Hopefully such a committee would be able to clarify such things as well.

It's unfortunate that Dr. Helvey was the one holding the bag on this, plus, it's definitely not good for the district. In my personal view, I was hoping that, with Dr Helvey's leadership, he would have stayed on to help see the district through this, but I can understand his decision to retire. The situation we are in today was started some years ago, and, as I stated, it is what it is. I am only doing what I swore I would do when I took the oath. I can't speak for anybody else in what they would do.



Dr. Michael Myers

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Transparency: Email exchange with the press. If you want to be quoted correctly then you let the people read.

FYI – The following email exchange with the media I have listed below. I do this for the transparency of the process. It's more than just the "bus barn".

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:13 PM, Andrew Snyder of the Star Community Newspapers wrote:

Can you explain this to me? 

You asked for "any and all information related to the management of the bond package for the ISD" on three separate occasions. Are the two where you went further two additional or two of the three?

"It should be noted that on three separate occasions I specifically asked for any and all information related to the management of the bond package for the ISD. On two occasions I even went further by requesting information on the service center itself. On all occasions, accept for two, I was not provided the information I requested."

Response:

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:15 PM, Dr. Myers wrote:

"My request was based on any and all data relating to the bond package to include actual data on the drives (which at the time I did not have access to); any processes associated with procurement; the management of the procurement team; the process of reviewing the potential contractors; and the review process associated with the awards. On top of that I also asked specifically to Mr. Tharpley, face-to-face, for the same process and the cost estimates associated with the Service Center - mainly because I was being asked to vote on the release of $32 Million from the bond package. What I received was a few comments back from staff in email stating they would get the data together; a quantities cost estimate on the service center; and a lot of flack in my pursuit for the information (mainly from 4 tenured board members). Mr. Tharpley provided me the cost estimate for the service center and spoke to me about the management team who reviewed the bond package -- of which he stated he was part of that team. I did manage to see some more material after the last board vote in regards to past board analysis of the potential service center locations, but no where in the data was there any relevant information about the entire procurement process, selection criteria, approval processes or reviews."

On Aug 6, 2013, at 12:33 PM, Andrew Snyder wrote:

In what way specifically do you think district administrators violated state law?

"It is this process, and the knowledge there of, that this administration, in my interpretation, was in violation of the law. I requested an investigation by legal council, but have not received anything as of today."

Response:  August 6, 2013, 12:38:14 PM CDT Dr. Myers wrote:

"The law, as was pasted into my write up, is what I am referring to. What I am asking for is a bipartisan committee of non-ISD related personal to conduct an investigation of the entire bond package most specifically as it relates to the potential fraud accusations in the charges being filed. From what I am getting, and the heat I am taking, suggests hints that something is amiss. What that is I don't know, thus my request. If there was any hint of a connection between the fraud accusations and a $360 Million bond package, most specifically as it relates to the procurement and award of that bond, would be in jeopardy. The impacts on the school district from such behavior would be devastating to the ISD and the taxpayers. My goal is to seek out what I can and get the process validated so we can move on."  

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The message we send to our kids -- not in our kids best interest.

It's official I've been provided my own factcheck website. Now I am someone of importance and my stature in this community rises -- even if their intentions are of ill intent -- I believe any press is good press when you are trying to get the message out. After all if I wasn't hitting the right nerve, why would they even care -- I'm just a Trustee. It takes a majority vote the last I heard and I'm not much of a threat. Next stop a community organizer, the Senate and then the Presidency.

It's always easy to point out the bad in things, but it's harder to point out the good. If I didn't have faith in the Allen ISD school system I wouldn't be living here.

To tell you the truth I was quite surprised of Dr. Helvey's retirement announcement. I myself was expecting something else, but what is done is done. I do wish him well. It is not easy managing a ship that increases in size every year since the captain took command. When the ship gets large, its hard to manage every nook and cranny. Regardless, things are changing now. Although I do not stand behind the board's past judgements when it comes to prioritizing the issues, I am in support of the model to which we conduct business moving forward -- even if we have a ways to go. But, I for one, would not feel comfortable with a board that "gets along all the time". The basis for the board is the individuality of its representatives and I am under the belief that managed strife (or managed conflict) fosters and creates new ideas.

It is a fact that many, on both sides, can talk about what is good in the community and what the Allen ISD has to offer, but the important point to understand is that we have two sides and not just one. It's not a West versus East thing. Be assured even though there are those "message board enthusiast" who insist on infighting between communities, I have been to neighborhoods in Dallas, and other states, that make the entire Allen area look like the slums. If you believe that the material well being of the individual is what separates our communities, then you are ill advised and morally questionable. The fact that we highlight the two-sided view of what our school district looks like is proof enough that change needs to happen.

The statistics of the Allen ISD can be viewed in many formats, but the fact remains the same, we are below what we can achieve when it comes to SATs and minority success -- and these are just a few. No matter how much we personally believe our school system is the best, it can be proven over and over again that we may in-fact be viewed as just mediocre when it comes to our neighbors. Every school district needs improvement. If you believe the Allen ISD is perfect -- then you are blind. If you are steadfast and believe the message that our school system is the best -- then you aren't listening. The fact is we need improvement. Everyone needs improvement all the time. It is evident that we have started to put pressure on the seams, and it will only get worse before it gets better. We need to limit the impact on the student body, especially within the high school. No matter how much one may not agree, we must understand that 5700+ kids in one high-school is not the norm. But most importantly we need to send a message to our children as to what their real priorities need to be.

Side note: Personally, I like the makeup of the elementary schools, although I believe there are alternatives to splitting up neighborhoods. The fact is we need to adopt a philosophy for the school district that encompasses the need to protect our neighborhoods and the relationships of neighbors. The school district is not in the business of economic development for the city -- that is the cities mandate. We should not be splitting neighborhoods across geographic boundaries just to balance economic standings, once again that is the business of the city. There is nothing stopping the development of the East side of Allen from turning into the next Highland Park of North Texas. It just takes some ingenuity and clever economic development to make it happen.

By focusing more on the sports programs does not provide incentives for our teachers to excel. It also does not send the proper message to our children. I'm not saying that sports is not important -- what I'm saying is that we need to better balance the message to our children and the community. Why is it that we pay $10,000 stipends to athletic directors and only $300 to certain teaching programs? Why is it we buy a multi-million dollar stadium and crush our freshman class into an old 1950 era facility? What message are we trying to convey? If you are a parent is that what you want your kids being confronted with -- the belief that the sports programs are more important than their education. It's great that we win State Championships, but, to me as a parent, it would be better to boast about our number one rating in SAT scores or advancement scholastic honor systems. Don't get me wrong, I played many sports in high school, and had I attended high school in the United States, I would have most likely played college level as well. But I was not afforded that chance.

My mother was a single mom with three kids, going to school full-time and working two jobs, before she met my step father who provided us the means to see the world -- I was 11 at the time. My real father left us when I was 4. My Uncle used to tell me that there was two people that came back from Viet Nam -- those that were in body bags and those that weren't but might as well have been. My father was one that might as well have been. To my immediate family I was always going to be the blue collar job guy. "Nothing wrong with blue collar work" she say. "Maybe you just aren't designed for school like your brother".  What do you tell a 18 year old who was somewhat successful in sports, but ultimately was faced with working part-time jobs? For me I was lucky enough to find the military.

While in the military I maintained a family; worked 12 hour days; was constantly in the field or on travel; went to night school and attending as much schooling as I could on weekends, all while our Nation, at the time, was conducting war. For those that have never been in the military it will be hard to understand, but does that sound familiar? It should, I am just like the majority of those students who will share the same course and fate, but, for others, instead of the military it may be part-time work, it may be a craft, it may be marriage, or it may be prison. If we don't provide them a better message towards success, they too will have to struggle to make ends meet. Granted struggling is not bad all the time. It gave me the common sense not listen to the nay-sayers and to funnel that lack of confidence into what I could achieve. Today, I am the most educated person in my family. No I wasn't the poster child for advanced education, but, when time permits, I would love to hear about where you obtained your PhD. I'm sure it was a much better place than where I went. Regardless it was what I could afford, plus a dissertation approved by the Academy of Professionals is complex no matter where you went.


Dr. Michael Myers

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Bond Vote for the Service Center and the painting of a "Combative"

It always begs to question why a newspaper would utilize adjectives, such as “combative”, when explaining a story, unless of course they want to generate discord in their viewing audience. It’s not like we haven’t seen the use of such tactics in the last 6 years of politics. For me, though, it represents my status as a Veteran.  As a Veteran I offered a good portion of my young life in the defense of the newspaper’s right to publish. To me “combative” was as an essential part of my early training in life. From what I can ascertain this newspaper doesn’t know the meaning of combative. Regardless, such newspapers are under attack by the social media anyway. This blog represents that social media impact and how it does more than just convey a message -- or a message that supports an agenda -- it conveys the true meaning of the writer’s intent and thus reveals more of who I really am (not someone else’s meaning of what I say). Never underestimate the intelligence of your audience is what I say.

There is something the community needs to know about the related accusations of ISD involvement, and the disclosure of information, which relates to my “NO” vote on the $27 Million portion of the bond package allocated for the Service Center. It doesn’t matter how the press wants to portray me as an individual, especially a newspaper that has been a supporter of the administration and the sole-source of the ISD’s press anyway. I understand the notion to “do whatever is necessary for your team to win” strategy. The fact is I have only spoken up on this matter due to this administrations actions being in direct conflict with the law – or as I interpret it. For someone to paint me as a “squeaky wheel” or “combative” only goes to support my notion that they exhibit a bias towards the way it used to be done. I put an emphasis on “the way it used to be done”.  Plus, it generates readers for my blog, so I’m good with it.

First, the community must understand that the Board of Trustees are grounded in the basis of state law and the policies set forth. Those laws and policies are found in the ISD Board Manual and are located on the Texas Association of School Boards website (http://pol.tasb.org/Home/Index/305). Every decision that we make as a board is based on the actual edict written within that Manual. It’s crucial that the Board adheres to, and scrutinizes, the manual for any and all decisions that we must consider when it pertains to the administration of the school district funding.  We are obligated to the community in doing so. The State dictates that we must conduct all votes in front of the community; the state mandates that it is the community that elects us to our position; it is the community that we must abide by. But there is one other item that is equally important…the access to information.

It is the law:

BBE (Legal)

An individual Board member has an inherent right of access to records maintained by the District when the Board member requests the records in his or her official capacity. Atty. Gen. Op. No. JM - 119 (1983)

When there are competing confidentiality or security concerns, it may be proper for the Board to establish reasonable procedures to preserve confidentiality, but the District may not absolutely prohibit an individual Board member from viewing records involving District business that are otherwise properly available to the Board as a governmental body. Atty. Gen. Op. No. GA-138 (2004)

It should be noted that on three separate occasions I specifically asked for any and all information related to the management of the bond package for the ISD. On two occasions I even went further by requesting information on the service center itself. On all occasions, accept for two, I was not provided the information I requested.  This material was to prepare me to cast a vote on the $27 Million expenditures. It was clearly stated to all the board members that I was not in receipt of any information regarding the bond, or the service center, until a few weeks before the board vote. But, the information provided to me was a deficient cost estimate for the service center – a cost estimate, I may add, that was only based on quantities and did not specify any great detail. The night of the board vote, I was presented, as was all the board members, detailed information of the service center and the application of the bond package to move the vote forward. It is this process, and the knowledge there of, that this administration, in my interpretation, was in violation of the law. I requested an investigation by legal council, but have not received anything as of today. I draw your attention to how the law is written:

BBE (Local)

Responsibility of Records

A person, including a Board member, commits a criminal offense if the person:

1.     Knowingly or intentionally destroys, conceals, removes, or otherwise impairs the verity, legibility, or availability of a District record in contravention of Local Government Code Chapter 202. Local Gov’t Code 202.008;Penal Code 37.10

2.     Willfully destroys, mutilates, alters, or removes public information without permission as provided by Government Code Chapter 552 (Public Information Act). Gov’t Code 552.351

3.     Distributes information considered confidential under the Public Information Act. Gov’t Code 552.352

You should note that this law, as written, does not state “misdemeanor” it clearly states “criminal offense”. Without the access to information not only detracts from my ability to perform my job, as was indicated, but it also directly detracts from the benefit of the community – no matter what side of the issue you stand on. The Board is not a newspaper that can decide to represent one point of view over another. We in fact are “supposed “ to be held to state laws no matter what.

What I’ve come to learn is that the entire process, and the relationship, between the board and the administration, was indeed very, very, flawed -- as was indicated by my fellow board members and the forced nature of this past vote -- not me. Being new to the Board I could not take a stand on the condition of the relationship between the ISD and the Board.  All I can stand on is what has transpired since joining the board and those actions directed specifically at me. Those actions are the reason I continue to bring the issues to light. I am just as much part of the problem if I don’t stand up and say something…. as are you.

Dr. Michael Myers

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Board Vote on the Roundabout -- why I voted NO!

In the last board session, before the community, I voted against the money being allocated to the City to help build a Roundabout at the planned Bray Central and Bossy Boots intersection. My intent during my discussion was to highlight a question as to whether or not the Roundabout was part of the ISD property. I got mixed answers in that a majority of the board (you notice that I sit on the right side of the board and not the left) stated that it was not part of the property and was in fact a "gesture of good deed to the city". I don't have an issue with showing some support for the city. What I do have an issue with is the following:

• BAA (Legal) RESTRICTIONS ON BOARD POWERS AND DUTIES
• 
  
•  The Board may not:
• 
  
• Enter into an agreement authorizing the use of District employees, property, or resources for the provision of materials or labor for the design, construction, or renovation of improvements to real property not owned or leased by the District. Education Code 11.168 [See CE]

The text above references "BAA (Legal)". If you go to the Allen ISD Trustee website you can look up the "Manual" that we are suppose to follow. In short, anything with the term "Legal" means that it is actual law and is dictated by the State....not this board. Anything labeled "Local" means they are additives to the State law and were put in place by the board. The board can't change the law in any shape or form.

With that said, and getting back to what I was saying, if the ISD doesn't own the land we can't spend money on it.....its written in the State Law. So, that means even if we wanted to make a nice gesture to the City we can't.

The point I was trying to make is that in the prior board meeting I was under the impression that the reason for building the round-a-bout was due to our expanded property line and the fact that we impact the traffic patterns...regardless of my personal belief that we shouldn't even be considering the Service Center at this point in time or not. But, what I got was that the payment to the city was a "good deed gesture" and not actually part of the ISD property, which makes it illegal for us to consider......ahhhhh.

Personally I don't think that the Service Center should even be on the table for discussion until we meet the higher priority, and direct, needs of the overcrowding of the High School and the sub-par facility of the Lowery Freshmen Center, which by the way, per State Law is doable with the current bond allocation for the Service Center. But now we have a more pressing issue.

With the obvious mismanagement, and accusations of fraud, the decision process of prioritizing what the ISD should be focused on, is in my opinion, flawed and in fact may have been manipulated by the administrations prior financial dealings, so much so that it influenced what items the board should be considering when pursuing contracts for the student body --- thus the reason to question why we would even be considering the Service Center at this time. Don't get me wrong, I am not stating that the board was in fact flawed...I am stating that it may have been influenced and thus flawed.

The real truth is that anybody put into the situation I was asked to be involved with, would, or should, ask for further investigation and discussion on the topic as to obtain further clarification before any further board votes on expenditures, especially those expenditures related to the bond approved by the voters -- thus my NO vote on the $27 Million to start construction.

To further the cause I have asked to freeze all current activity and to form a bipartisan committee, made up with non-ISD related staff, to look into all that has transpired. Let's see what happens.

Dr Michael Myers

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Yet another...time to take control

Here is just nother. Anyone can do a google search and find a plethura of frauds committed against ISDs across the state. We need to take hold of this and put a stop to it here in Allen.

http://eagnews.org/tornillo-isd-superintendent-placed-on-leave-amid-fraud-allegations/

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Why we should take a look

Yet another case of Fraud.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20120602-dallas-isd-alleges-500000-in-additional-fraud-by-tutoring-firms.ece

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Why its imperitve that ISD contracts must be scrutinized

Just another reason why it important that an ISD manage its processess and procedures for catching fraudulent activity when it starts.

http://kfyo.com/woman-pleads-guilty-for-stealing-thousands-from-lubbock-isd/

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