from Frank Corden
Kevin: Thanks for taking the time to present an example of the kind of rational decision making that characterizes the administration and the Board of Education in general and Dr. Baran in particular. Though you can disagree on the numbers that one applies in any of these sorts of decisions, the structured process assures that when you do settle on representative/realistic numbers you are likely to arrive on a sound course of action.
Unfortunately, as with any pre-emptive action, you can’t tell how things would have turned out if you had acted differently. The likes of Shultz, Wholean and Powers will be just as quick to criticize Dr. Baran for not seeking an opinion if a situation escalates to a grievance, regardless of the outcome.
Another point you alluded to but didn’t expand on was the “opportunity cost”. There are at least two categories of opportunity cost here. First, the money that is spent on the legal advice helps provide (but not guarantee) a deterent to future costs. The costs of that grievance or litigation is the difference between having and not having a spring sport, or between having and not having public speaking or other comparable after school program. Spending $62 for a bit of insurance against losing one of those after school programs makes great sense.
The second, less recognized, opportunity cost relates to the available time and energy of the administration and the BOE. Every minute Kevin, Dr. Baran and the rest of the Public School leadership spend thinking about and addressing the challenges of the “untruth” folks, is time they don’t have to spend thinking about improving the education of our students.
And for all of you rushing to jump on the band wagon that responding to the public is part of the job, I acknowledge you are correct. But don’t be naive. There is a cost. Further, the ongoing petty, mean-spirited and unsubstantiated attacks perpetrated by Mr. Shultz and Mr. Powers over the years go way beyond reasonable inquiry by citizens.
However, we live in a democracy. These folks do have a right to question the BOE and the administration, I wouldn’t deny them that right. But don’t for one minute think that their actions productive or beneficial or that they intend them to be so. Rather it’s clear that their motivations are very personal and that this community is seriously harmed by their ongoing and vindictive campaign
I think their actions were indeed productive and beneficial Frank, you’re no longer on the Board of Education which is a good thing.
Woodstock Valley Girl, thanks for voicing your opinion.
I’d appreciate hearing your view as to the specific benefits that have come from the actions of Mr. Shultz, Mr. Powers and Ms. Wholean.
Further, I’d also appreciate understanding why you feel that the community is better served by the fact that I’m not on the BoE.
I am also curious to know what benefits have been afforded to the Town by the ongoing criticisms and attacks by Mr. Powers and Mr. Shultz.
WVG, I am also curious to know what these people have accomplished to make our schools better?
Yes WVG, What benefits have come to the town from the irresponsible actions of Powers and Shultz?
Obviously WVG has not been privy to the costs associated with the lawsuits, FOI requests and other actions by Mr. Schultz and Mr. Powers, none of which proved to be productive. I, too would like to see where the actions of these people proved to be of any benefit to the Woodstock Education Community or the Town of Woodstock. As for Ms. Wholean, well the voters said it best when they voted her out of office.
Frank,
It’s great to hear from you again. It is the town’s loss that we no longer have your analytical mind and experience. If you feel like running for office again let me know. I’d be happy to do whatever I can to make sure your name shows up on the ballot. The town of Woodstock has been lucky to have you.
Thanks,
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BoE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BoE in any way.
Frank,
As illustration of your point I recall one particular FOI Demand Action which I believe went all the way in the administrative process …(see Con’s new article. Admin).
To all of the posters here who think Frank is so wonderful an’ all, why is it that the Woodstock Republicans (that would be all of the Republicans, not just the RTC) saw fit to throw Frank Corden off of the ballot this year?
Come on Frank and his loyal followers, there has to be some explanation for that. Seriously, I and the audience assembled here would love to see how you explain that one.
That’s factually incorrect.
Frank wasn’t thrown off the ballot this year; the Republican’s never had any chance to directly vote for him one way or another. There was no run off primary. As we sometimes hear, you are entitled to your own opinion but you are not entitled to your own facts.
He didn’t make it past the RTC’s nominating committee, I would guess because he had a political opponent on that committee.
Thanks,
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BoE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BoE in any way.
I for one, did not mention Frank Corden. I just asked why the work of Craig Powers, Preston Shultz, et al, is beneficial to Woodstock. If someone wants to post that it’s because Frank Corden is no longer on the BoE, that’s not much information. If you just want to make a quick insult, well done. If you want to have a discussion, well, there are folks here who will read what you write, so you might want to back up your statements with some more facts.
Kevin, the “fact” is he was not put back up by the Republicans this year when his term expired. I’m sorry that my words confused you but he essentially was “thrown off” the ticket or slate by the Republicans.
You can try and make it look like it was one person on the nominating committee but c’mon Kevin, you’re not entitled to “your own facts” because everyone knows Corden wouldn’t get the support of the nominating committee, the RTC, a caucus or win a Republican primary. That’s a “fact” Kevin, whether you want to admit it or not.
JK, you may not have mentioned Frank Corden BUT HE WROTE THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE or did you miss that?
Since he did and most of it is just plain a lot of baloney, double-talk and whining, I responded by reminding him that the actions of the people he’s whining about were indeed “productive” in my opinion because he’s no longer on the Board of Education which is indeed a good thing.
I see none of you answered my original question which is why was Frank Corden dumped by the Woodstock Republicans as a candidate for the Board of Education?
Frank sure likes to write a lot and I find it strange that he doesn’t have an answer for me, it’s not like he hasn’t seen my posts here, we all know he has.
C’mon Frank, let’s hear your side of the story as to why the Woodstock Republicans didn’t nominate you again.
You stated that, “why is it that the Woodstock Republicans (that would be all of the Republicans, not just the RTC) saw fit to throw Frank Corden off of the ballot this year?” The fact of the matter is that “all of the Republicans” never got a chance to vote for him one way or another so you can’t know that. You now claim that “everybody knows” that Frank couldn’t get past a primary but you have absolutely no way to know that either, you are pulling that directly out of your posterior.
The fact of the matter is you have absolutely no way of knowing how people would have voted so you use weasel words like “everybody knows” to try to silence your critics when you have no way to back up your claims with evidence or facts. That type of rhetoric might play well with the faithful in your group but don’t kid yourself that by projecting what you want to be true in the real world that the real world will oblige you by agreeing.
Thanks,
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BoE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BoE in any way.
WVG:
You’re just name-calling. Because you call his statements baloney doesn’t make it so. But the fact that you are just hurling insults and gloating over the fact that he was not nominated by the RTC (and apparently insisting that the RTC consists of all republicans in town) says enough for me.
I understand that he was not nominated. But you still haven’t explained why that is a good thing, not have you explained what Powers, Shultz, and others have done that’s beneficial to the Town. So like I said, you’re just hurling insults, and coming up with nothing to explain yourself.
Still waiting for Frank to chime in…..
And Kevin, let’s face it if Frank were to petition for the nomination via a Republican primary, he would have lost. You know it and I know it so please stop trying to “weasel” your way out of that one!
JK, you and I are just going to have to disagree. I think the fact that Frank Corden was not on the ballot for another term on the Board of Education is a good thing and you obviously don’t. I also don’t agree with many of the statements he’s posted over the years here, and I find his performance as a member of the Board of Education to be unacceptable so yes, I’m pleased he’s no longer on that board are so are a whole lot of other people as well.
WVG, you are just guessing on election results. … (see Dean’s new article. Admin).
WVG:
You are obviously not reading what I am writing. I don’t know Frank, and I don’t know enough about him to support him or criticize him. I just asked why you are so happy that he’s not on the BoE and why you are seemingly in agreement with Craig Powers, Preston Shultz, and others who take the same basic stance in regards to local politics.
On the other hand, Frank made specific statements about specific events. Your response was that it was all a bunch of baloney and you did not make any statements to contradict what he wrote. I am not willing to blindly support the BoE or any elected official. I am also not willing to publicly attack someone without providing facts to support my opinion.
We may not agree in the end, but you haven’t said what we don’t agree about. You wrote that it’s good Frank Corden isn’t on the BoE anymore, I asked you why, and you’ve given no answer.
Woodstock Valley Girl:
Because of the Title to this main Comment, I’d like to stick to that subject: What exactly about the comment is “…just plain a lot of baloney, double-talk and whining…” …(see Con’s new article. Admin).
What I think is particularly concerning about this discussion is it originally started talking about the problem with not taking a long term and thoughtful outlook on legal bills and spending in general in town. The point of which as that Powers’, Shultz’s, et al’s attacks on the school once again are poorly conceived and without a lot of foundation.
Now WVG comes in with very inflammatory content and burying the original topic of conversation. I have to wonder if that wasn’t the point all along. Just a thought…
Thanks,
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BoE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BoE in any way.