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Post by WeNeed3 on Sept 25, 2009 9:36:12 GMT -5
Dear Indian Prairie School District 204 Community, As Indian Prairie parents and taxpayers like you, we know that the financial health of our school district is important for our children and our community. That is why we volunteer our time as members of the Indian Prairie Citizens Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC). The CFAC is a think tank comprised of business and financial professionals charged with advising the District 204 administration. The committee focuses on factors affecting revenues and expenses, looking for ways to improve the District's financial health. We examine how existing activities and programs are funded and look for innovative ideas from education, government, and business. Our emphasis is on performance and improved financial efficiency. Given these tough economic times, the CFAC is looking for community input. We are seeking forward-looking, creative, and innovative ideas that could lead to greater financial efficiency and cost savings. You can share your ideas online at www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=36WCeEWnEwAC8IMTVoziBg_3d_3d through October 15. While we will probably repeat this opportunity in the future, you can help the most by making a suggestion right now. Thanks in advance to all those taking a few minutes to share their ideas at www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=36WCeEWnEwAC8IMTVoziBg_3d_3d. Sincerely, Indian Prairie Citizens Financial Advisory Committee
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Post by asmodeus on Sept 25, 2009 10:46:16 GMT -5
Meaning "don't re-hash or complain about the MVHS debacle"
Meaning "don't suggest cutting teacher or admin salaries or benefits" (which represents the VAST majority of the total spending)
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Post by wvhsparent on Sept 25, 2009 12:26:42 GMT -5
This sounds like this should be right up Crockett's alley.
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Post by title1parent on Sept 26, 2009 6:25:44 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1790734,D204-seeks-input-deficit-NA092609.article D204 officials looking for inputSeptember 26, 2009 By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com Facing a potential $8 million deficit in 2011, Indian Prairie District 204 is appealing to its residents for some help. The Indian Prairie Citizens Financial Advisory Committee sent an e-news notification to residents Friday asking for community input. Specifically, the committee is seeking "forward-looking, creative, and innovative ideas that could lead to greater financial efficiency and cost savings." "It's a bright community with a variety of backgrounds," said Dave Holm, assistant superintendent for business. "Why not tap into that?" According to the e-news message, the CFAC is a think tank composed of business and financial professionals charged with advising the District 204 administration. The committee focuses on factors affecting revenues and expenses and looks for ways to improve the district's financial health and efficiency. While the district and committee have already started thinking about ways to balance future budgets, it is hoping to get ideas from residents. "It's exciting to think of what people might come up with," Holm said. To share an idea, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=36WCeEWnEwAC8IMTVoziBg_3d_3d through Oct. 15. "That doesn't mean we won't ask again," Holm said. After Oct. 15, the committee will discuss the suggestions and investigate the ones deemed most viable. Holm said it may not be one big solution, but several ideas that help the district. "We're interested in any idea anyone has, and we'll give it every consideration," Holm said. While the district recently approved its 2010 budget, which showed a slight surplus, initial projects for 2011 show an $8 million deficit. The board will receive an updated financial forecast Oct. 5. "We plan on doing everything we can to get that budget as balanced as we can," Holm said. "And we want to think it through an do it right."
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Post by wvhsparent on Sept 26, 2009 8:06:56 GMT -5
OK Crockett, Huang, etc.........Time to step up. You all had some great ideas, time to share with the rest.
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doc
Frosh
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Post by doc on Sept 26, 2009 11:31:55 GMT -5
OK Crockett, Huang, etc.........Time to step up. You all had some great ideas, time to share with the rest. Like they haven't been telling them all along...but too late for most of them Did they listen to not spend $150M they didn't need to ? ( adding transportation and operations costs annually as well). Did they listen when people told them do not pour expedite millions into MVHS now that you know the real attendance numbers ? Did they originally deny there was another $8M spent on bond rates not included in the cost of MVHS- they now have to admit to ? Did anyone listen when Mike showed the potential to be $74M in the red within a few more short years ( using the SD's own charts) - nope- blew it off as nonsense. So they're going to listen to what now ? The they by the way is sans one member who has tried for years to get someone to pay attention that we were headed this way. btw--fairly good source says that $8M is really closer to $16M when all is said and done which is why panic has set in.Well here it comes - to be followed by referendums and a huge interest bubble on the loans in 2014 that will boost taxes enough to upset everyone. ----------------------- What's done is done however so now they will need to sell real estate ( and adapt to real capacity numbers) and cut workforce to make dents in future deficits and no one wants to hear that. Spending money on ES A/C cannot be done any longer - that ship has sailed.
Smoke and mirrors time is over, and it affects us all. Let's hope someone has some great ideas as we have mismanaged our way into to, someone needs to help bail out- and really everything needs to be on the table now before this spirals worse than it is..
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Post by warriorpride on Sept 27, 2009 9:44:16 GMT -5
OK Crockett, Huang, etc.........Time to step up. You all had some great ideas, time to share with the rest. Like they haven't been telling them all along...but too late for most of them Did they listen to not spend $150M they didn't need to ? ( adding transportation and operations costs annually as well). Did they listen when people told them do not pour expedite millions into MVHS now that you know the real attendance numbers ? Did they originally deny there was another $8M spent on bond rates not included in the cost of MVHS- they now have to admit to ? Did anyone listen when Mike showed the potential to be $74M in the red within a few more short years ( using the SD's own charts) - nope- blew it off as nonsense. So they're going to listen to what now ? The they by the way is sans one member who has tried for years to get someone to pay attention that we were headed this way. btw--fairly good source says that $8M is really closer to $16M when all is said and done which is why panic has set in.Well here it comes - to be followed by referendums and a huge interest bubble on the loans in 2014 that will boost taxes enough to upset everyone. ----------------------- What's done is done however so now they will need to sell real estate ( and adapt to real capacity numbers) and cut workforce to make dents in future deficits and no one wants to hear that. Spending money on ES A/C cannot be done any longer - that ship has sailed.
Smoke and mirrors time is over, and it affects us all. Let's hope someone has some great ideas as we have mismanaged our way into to, someone needs to help bail out- and really everything needs to be on the table now before this spirals worse than it is..sorry, maybe I missed something, but what's this post have to to with "forward-looking, creative, and innovative ideas that could lead to greater financial efficiency and cost savings."
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doc
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Post by doc on Sept 27, 2009 10:55:28 GMT -5
Like they haven't been telling them all along...but too late for most of them Did they listen to not spend $150M they didn't need to ? ( adding transportation and operations costs annually as well). Did they listen when people told them do not pour expedite millions into MVHS now that you know the real attendance numbers ? Did they originally deny there was another $8M spent on bond rates not included in the cost of MVHS- they now have to admit to ? Did anyone listen when Mike showed the potential to be $74M in the red within a few more short years ( using the SD's own charts) - nope- blew it off as nonsense. So they're going to listen to what now ? The they by the way is sans one member who has tried for years to get someone to pay attention that we were headed this way. btw--fairly good source says that $8M is really closer to $16M when all is said and done which is why panic has set in.Well here it comes - to be followed by referendums and a huge interest bubble on the loans in 2014 that will boost taxes enough to upset everyone. ----------------------- What's done is done however so now they will need to sell real estate ( and adapt to real capacity numbers) and cut workforce to make dents in future deficits and no one wants to hear that. Spending money on ES A/C cannot be done any longer - that ship has sailed.
Smoke and mirrors time is over, and it affects us all. Let's hope someone has some great ideas as we have mismanaged our way into to, someone needs to help bail out- and really everything needs to be on the table now before this spirals worse than it is..sorry, maybe I missed something, but what's this post have to to with "forward-looking, creative, and innovative ideas that could lead to greater financial efficiency and cost savings." which is why I split the post into two parts- perhaps in your zeal you missed that ? remember at one time the first part of the post WAS forward thinking and it shows they will not pay attention to facts anyway. There WERE other forward thinking financially related ideas that belong to people like Mike and Jerry ( since they were conjured up here by WVHS parent and I did not take that request as facetious, I ( and they) took it as a serious request) however some prefer to have people without financial experience it seems. Of course hard to explain that to people who know it all. I have sent in a list of forward thinking items - have you ? The fact is we did not HAVE to be in this position but some refuse to learn from the past. Ignoring it or trying to call it out as irrelevent is ignoring important facts. So yes you'd be missing a lot.
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Post by warriormom on Sept 27, 2009 11:05:21 GMT -5
My take on this...the school district puts out requests like this to "look good" to give the impression they do listen to the taxpayers.
When its all said and done they will do as they please "claiming" they had input from the community.
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Post by momto4 on Sept 27, 2009 11:08:13 GMT -5
My take on this...the school district puts out requests like this to "look good" to give the impression they do listen to the taxpayers. When its all said and done they will do as they please "claiming" they had input from the community. So what do you think they have already decided to do? I honestly don't think they'd waste the time getting community input if they didn't intend to at least listen to the ideas. Certainly not all suggestions can be incorporated but I am glad they are looking to the taxpayers to suggest some solutions.
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Post by macrockett on Sept 27, 2009 18:41:20 GMT -5
My take on this...the school district puts out requests like this to "look good" to give the impression they do listen to the taxpayers. When its all said and done they will do as they please "claiming" they had input from the community. So what do you think they have already decided to do? I honestly don't think they'd waste the time getting community input if they didn't intend to at least listen to the ideas. Certainly not all suggestions can be incorporated but I am glad they are looking to the taxpayers to suggest some solutions. Seems like that is exactly what the District did the last time they took a survey. They certainly ignored the preference of the statistically significant sample which preferred adding on to existing building to satisfy our capacity needs.
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Post by macrockett on Sept 27, 2009 19:03:50 GMT -5
This sounds like this should be right up Crockett's alley. I've already given Dave Holm one suggestion re bonds, hopefully the District has already figured that one out though. I'm working on suggestions in Finance, Physical Assets, Employees, Contracts and I even have some suggestions for the Board. Shouldn't take long. They will be posted on the blue boards when I finish. By the way WVHSParent, it seems to me you have things backwards. I would think all the District cheerleaders, and those that fought so hard for MVHS, including you, should be the leaders in providing answers to our fiscal issues. I hope some of you have read some of the things i have written on the blue. Hopefully you at least understand about the $17 million in funding for MVHS that was taken out of your pockets without explaining what was actually done. I also hope you understand exponential math and the % of our budget that belongs to salaries and related costs. Finally I hope you understand that, based on my conservative calculations, we are spending in excess of $4 million dollars per year on debt service that would not be necessary had the District only listened to those survey respondents back in 2005. Oh and don't forget the addition operating costs for MVHS, i.e. admin, maintenance and utilities, etc.
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Post by warriorpride on Sept 28, 2009 12:09:06 GMT -5
sorry, maybe I missed something, but what's this post have to to with "forward-looking, creative, and innovative ideas that could lead to greater financial efficiency and cost savings." which is why I split the post into two parts- perhaps in your zeal you missed that ? remember at one time the first part of the post WAS forward thinking and it shows they will not pay attention to facts anyway. There WERE other forward thinking financially related ideas that belong to people like Mike and Jerry ( since they were conjured up here by WVHS parent and I did not take that request as facetious, I ( and they) took it as a serious request) however some prefer to have people without financial experience it seems. Of course hard to explain that to people who know it all. I have sent in a list of forward thinking items - have you ? The fact is we did not HAVE to be in this position but some refuse to learn from the past. Ignoring it or trying to call it out as irrelevent is ignoring important facts. So yes you'd be missing a lot. Your view of the history of how we got to where we got today is well-documented. Thanks for taking another opportunity to document it again. Sorry you're so unhappy. What are you hoping to achieve here?
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Post by warriorpride on Sept 28, 2009 12:11:22 GMT -5
This sounds like this should be right up Crockett's alley. I've already given Dave Holm one suggestion re bonds, hopefully the District has already figured that one out though. I'm working on suggestions in Finance, Physical Assets, Employees, Contracts and I even have some suggestions for the Board. Shouldn't take long. They will be posted on the blue boards when I finish. By the way WVHSParent, it seems to me you have things backwards. I would think all the District cheerleaders, and those that fought so hard for MVHS, including you, should be the leaders in providing answers to our fiscal issues. I hope some of you have read some of the things i have written on the blue. Hopefully you at least understand about the $17 million in funding for MVHS that was taken out of your pockets without explaining what was actually done. I also hope you understand exponential math and the % of our budget that belongs to salaries and related costs. Finally I hope you understand that, based on my conservative calculations, we are spending in excess of $4 million dollars per year on debt service that would not be necessary had the District only listened to those survey respondents back in 2005. Oh and don't forget the addition operating costs for MVHS, i.e. admin, maintenance and utilities, etc. Um, the ref passed, mvhs is open - why spend time talking about things that cannot be changed?
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doc
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Post by doc on Sept 28, 2009 14:38:53 GMT -5
which is why I split the post into two parts- perhaps in your zeal you missed that ? remember at one time the first part of the post WAS forward thinking and it shows they will not pay attention to facts anyway. There WERE other forward thinking financially related ideas that belong to people like Mike and Jerry ( since they were conjured up here by WVHS parent and I did not take that request as facetious, I ( and they) took it as a serious request) however some prefer to have people without financial experience it seems. Of course hard to explain that to people who know it all. I have sent in a list of forward thinking items - have you ? The fact is we did not HAVE to be in this position but some refuse to learn from the past. Ignoring it or trying to call it out as irrelevent is ignoring important facts. So yes you'd be missing a lot. Your view of the history of how we got to where we got today is well-documented. Thanks for taking another opportunity to document it again. Sorry you're so unhappy. What are you hoping to achieve here? trying to continue to educate and eventually persuade ( there are occasionally new posters here occasionally correct ? ) that maybe better decisions can be made if we just pay attention to facts That is wasted on some, but maybe not all..so what are you so afraid of ? If the 100 words or so are too much to handle once every month or so - skip over them- simple enough. I surely won't be offended
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