Communication with School Board Members

[Steve Kaminski]

On Monday, October 31, 2011 I sent an email to the School Board members using the email addresses I found on the School Board's webpage.

On the same date, I sent an email to the Mayor and to my Councilman. The topics were similar.

My question for the school board was "What will be the effect of SB 5 on Lakewood School System?"

My question for the Mayor and my councilman was "What will be the effect of SB 5 on Lakewood School System?"

My councilman, Shawn Juris replied promptly. The mayor replied in a reasonable time frame.

On Friday, November 4, 2001, I re-sent my email to the same email addresses that I used on October 31, 2011.

Then this morning I re-sent my email notifying them of my disappointment of not getting a reply.

I have not received a reply from the school board to any of my emails.
I find this quite odd, since this was an election year.
No automatic email reply was generated.
No out of office reply was generated

Is this the way a school board should treat a constituent?
Is ignoring constituents acceptable behavior?
If my question was out of line or if there was something posted on their website, I would have expected a simple email to look here or there or please contact Jane Doe at ....

Am I expecting too much?

[Ryan Salo]

Steve,

You are asking too much. When all it takes is a paperclip to win how much can you really expect once they are there.

The real hard working school board candidates generally aren't part of the "inside team" and most of the time it is because they challenge things and are not get along go along kinds of people...

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule and we have some great elected officials as well, you mentioned a couple already.

Just my thoughts on it.

[marklingm]

Steve,

Upon review of my school board email account, your question to the Lakewood School Board Members was actually:

Good morning Board Members,

What will be the effect be of SB 5 on Lakewood City Schools?

How much money can be saved in 2012 and in the future?

How positive of an effect with SB 5 have on finances, continuation of current classes and programs, effects on quality issues, changes to sizes of classes, cooperation with various employee unions, etc...

Respectfully,

Steve Kaminski
***
Lakewood, OH 44107

Had you posted your questions on The Observation Deck, as you did your original post, I may have said something like, “There are so many variables involved in S.B. 5 and school finance that I do not even know where to begin in answering your hypothetical questions. I suggest we wait until the voters decide whether S.B. 5 will even exist before we delve into any academic analysis.”

But, as to ….

My question for the Mayor and my councilman was "What will be the effect of SB 5 on Lakewood School System?"

My councilman, Shawn Juris replied promptly. The mayor replied in a reasonable time frame.

… I’m very curious as to how Mayor Summers and Councilman Juris answered this question since neither the Mayor nor City Council has anything to do with running the Lakewood City School District ... as a matter of law.

Could you please share their email responses here, on The Observation Deck?

Matt

[Shawn Juris]

The question to council was the impact on the city, not the schools.

[Edward Favre]

I did not receive the email, sorry.

[Steve Kaminski]

Matt,
Thanks for your reply to my post.

The point of my post was to express my frustration with the lack of replies from the school board. Not a single member of the board had the common courtesy to reply to my inquiry.

However, my council person and the mayor replied.

My question for the school board was:

Good morning Board Members,

What will be the effect be of SB 5 on Lakewood City Schools?

How much money can be saved in 2012 and in the future?

How positive of an effect with SB 5 have on finances, continuation of current classes and programs, effects on quality issues, changes to sizes of classes, cooperation with various employee unions, etc...

My question for the Mayor and my councilperson was:

What will be the effect be of SB 5 on the city of Lakewood?

How much money can be saved in 2012 and in the future?

How positive of an effect with SB 5 have on finances, continuation of current services, changes to service levels, cooperation with various employee unions, etc...


Matt, Why didnt you or ANY the other board members reply?

Is this the way you treat a constituent?
Is it OK for elected officials to ignore my inquiry?
Is it OK for elected officials to ignore the 2nd inquiry?

From my perspective, NO!!!

Your (lack) of attention speaks volumes

[Steve Kaminski]

I did not receive the email, sorry.

Mr. Favre,
I am sorry that I did not include you on the emails.
However, I did send the emails to the following address:
"asklakewoodschools@lakewood.k12.oh.us" <asklakewoodschools@lakewood.k12.oh.us>

I would ASSume that this email address would be forwarded to somebody that is responsible for inquiries. Silly me for ASSuming...

I realize also that I had omitted the Superintendent from my inquiry.

[Will Brown]

I would hope that the board members had better things to do than respond to a rather vague yet broad hypothetical inquiry. What makes the OP think he has the right to demand that they give him their opinions? And his pressing of a moot point seems akin to a temper tantrum.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I would hope that the board members had better things to do than respond to a rather vague yet broad hypothetical inquiry. What makes the OP think he has the right to demand that they give him their opinions? And his pressing of a moot point seems akin to a temper tantrum.

Will

I believe that the entire school board and new members are in
Columbus this week at some kind of retreat.

.

[Thealexa Becker]

I did not receive the email, sorry.

Mr. Favre,
I am sorry that I did not include you on the emails.
However, I did send the emails to the following address:
"asklakewoodschools@lakewood.k12.oh.us" <asklakewoodschools@lakewood.k12.oh.us>

I would ASSume that this email address would be forwarded to somebody that is responsible for inquiries. Silly me for ASSuming...

I realize also that I had omitted the Superintendent from my inquiry.

Wait, so you sent them not directly to the school board, but to the mass email?

Why are you blaming members for what is clearly a tech or human error?

Sounds like you are making a big deal out of something that isn't.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I did not receive the email, sorry.

Mr. Favre,
I am sorry that I did not include you on the emails.
However, I did send the emails to the following address:

Steve

I can agree that I have not got messages back from some, but Matt and Ed have usually
not just been the first to respond, but pretty spot on with their information.

I cannot answer why, but Markling has spent 4 years trying to bring accountability, and
openness to the board actions and decisions.

I know that if there is one thing we can count on is the new members continuing Matt's
openness and build on it. I am sure they will take notice and answer all questions coming
there way. Standing invite to any and all at an Observer meeting and coffee.

The one thing I am sure of they will take this perfect opportunity to take bold new steps.
I bet right now they are taking of ways to cut, yet get more for each dollar. It is great that
the board members do this to get the new blood working with the old blood immediately.
With the retirement of Rick Berdine, and this being the second time Dr. Madak quit the
school system to go back to California, which I completely understand especially after
my many conversations with him. We will need some of the best and brightest minds of
not falling back into the same old thing again!

Yeah Matt will be missed, but I am sure the new kids realize, the path to openness,
accountability, and positive forward movement is ahead.

.

[Justine Cooper]

Well two of my votes went to Kristine and Bill because although very different, they are two names/people I am familiar with and know they have a passion and love for Lakewood.