SUPERVISOR HELEN THOMSON DOES IT AGAIN!

In yesterday's Democrat at the end of a story entitled "Mental health service on road to recovery" Supervisor Thomson made an amazing statement. "County Supervisor Helen Thomson said Smith was doing a commendable job in implementing Batchelor's plan and sternly warned those in the meeting not to "shoot the messenger." "I'LL KILL ANYONE THAT TRIES TO SHOOT YOU" THOMSON SAID.

This type of statement has no place in the public debate, wheter in context, out of context, said in jest, or said in anger. Her attitude was similar at the public meeting at Zamora regarding the "Prison Expansion" near Dunnigan.

This type of attitude has surfaced at many public meetings recently, specifically from some of the school board members and other supervisors as well.

Supervisor Thomson will undoubtedly try to explain the statment, but no matter what her response is, she should at least publicly apologize to those she was threatening.

If a taxpayer/citizen made a similar statement in a public meeting they would undoubtedly be put in jail.

YOLO COUNTY TEMPORARILY SHELVES PROPOSED GROUNDWATER ORDINANCE

According to the Sacramento Business Journal of July 25, 2008 "Yolo County has temporarily shelved a proposed groundwater management ordinance and plans to revisit the issue in the fall."

This could perhaps be one of the most important, if not the most important issues to face our County in a long time.

I suspect by the time this issue re-surfaces in the Fall, an even stronger opposition will be seen.

In the meantime the county is hiring a consultant to manage meetings with growers, water managers and others concerned about the issue."

Click on July 25, 2008 above to read the entire story.

How Well are Woodand area schools doing?

In the August edition of Sacramento Magazine there is a 19 page story on Sacramento area High Schools and their statewide rankings, taking into consideration API scores(which take into account STAR testing and other assessments), SAT scores, Graduation Rates and Enrollment Figures. To read the story click here. To help you save time, you can go to the page for your school of interest:

1. Davis Page 2
2. Winters Page 8
3. Pioneer High Page 11
4. Esparto Pages 11 and 12
5. Woodland High Page 12

From Raw Data, schools are rated from 10 to 1, (10 Highest) Statewide Average

• Davis 10
• Winters 7
• Pioneer 5
• Esparto 4
• Woodland 3

Maybe we should be spending our money more wisely where it really counts.

3 DENNY'S, HOW ABOUT THREE NEW THEATRE COMPLEXES?

According to the July 18, 2008 Edition of the Sacramento Business Journal, the Woodland Mall is pursuing yet another theatre complex. This joins the other two that are planned in Downtown Woodland, virtually accross the street from one another. How many theatre complexes do we need anyhow? If we really need a new complex??? it seems the mall would be the best location for one.

What do you think?

WJUSD "IN YOUR FACE"

As adequateley reported in the Woodland Journal the WJUSD Board is going to hold another "SPECIAL BOARD MEETING" tomorrow evening at 5:30 p.m. hoping that no-one from the public will attend.

They will go into "Closed Session" to Confer with legal counsel regarding probable litigation.

In open session the will announce any action taken in closed session (if applicable) Item E.

In item F 1-S Approve an agreement to waive potential conflicts between the district and legal counsel and/or between the district and the former superintendent.

This item F 1-S baffles many, so once again we are forced to speculate what it really means.

1. Is this an attempt to "pardon" legal counsel and the former "superintendent",
who were most probably the principles in the noted Brown Act violations? Does the Board know something we don't?
2. Is this an attempt to find a scapegoat for the violations noted in the Grand Jury Report?
3. Is this just another "In Your Face" move to show how powerful they think they are?
4. Is this a last gasp attempt to absolve those involved?

I URGE ALL TO ATTEND TOMORROW EVENING'S MEETING. BRING YOU COTS.

NEW INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT NAMED FOR WJUSD

At a closed session meeting yesterday, Carmella Franco was named as the Interim WJUSD Superintendent. If you would like to learn a little more about her click here.

Prison Meeting To Be Held In Zamora Tomorrow Evening

A public hearing will be held tomorrow evening in Zamora.

All who are interested in the "Re-Entry" Facility should try to attend.

Tomorrow morning the Board of Supervisors will listen to a similar presentation.

In the meantime, a taxpayer Notice of Motion and Motion for Prelimihary Injunction has been filed in the Sacramento Superior Court (July 8, 2008) to block the funding for AB900. It will argue that it is improper to use lease-revenue bonds to build prisons for a variety of reasons.

For details of this action, go to the Curb Website and read the action and further details.

A PRISON BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL A PRISON

If you had a problem with the information fed to the Daily Democrat in yesterday's story entitled "STATE: THIS IS NO PRISON' you owe it to yourself to go to the Sacramento Bee story entitled "WOODLAND IN LINE FOR 'RE-ENTRY' PRISON ,byline "resulting influx of State funds would help Yolo with its jail expansion" for a good look at what is really going on.

You can also view a webinar from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website entitled Secure Community Reentry Facilities-Conceptual Design Prototypes" which is really an eye-opener. It will provide you with information you might not have including pictures of possible designs. Click on the PDF version to see their statistic tables.

If this is done, we will possibly be only the second County to approve such a facility, the first is to be located in Stockton in an abandoned lady's detention facility.

After reading the story and watching the Webinar, let us know what you think.

Cottingim Gone-But Not Forgotten

In a rare but welcomed 6-1 vote last evening, the Trustees of WJUSD accepted the resignation of Jackie Cottingim. Along with her departure she leaves a legacy that will be hard to follow including participation in multiple violations of the brown act (according to the Grand Jury), throwing 4 of the 7 trustees under the "Recall" bus and the district and taxpayers with $21 Million Dollars in additional debt.

We only hope that the new Superintendent will be aware of this legacy and not repeat her follies.

Go To Democrat Story Here

THE TRUSTEES JUST DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!

$21 MILLION DOLLARS.
In answer to the four trustees' defense regarding the recall, I offer the following:

To Carol Souza Cole:

In part her response of "it is clear that this recall in NOT about, or for, our children-no mention of children, students or schools even appears in the propontent's statement...don't let politics get in the way of educating our children" I offer the following:
1. How could you have best spent $21,000,000, was it on a building to house the district "officials" which has questionable benefit for the needs of the children, students or schools or directly applied to the needs of the children, students or schools?

To Bill Beermann:

1. Your response that "The proponents have listed their grounds for this recall..what they amount to is a smoke screen to cover their real issue. That issue is the acquisition of the new building for the District Offices." This response absolutely amazes me. OF COURSE it is because of the purchase of the Building. It clearly shows that you have not listened to or have ignored what has been said from the beginning.

To Rosario Ruiz-Dark:

1. "I am not aware of any other reason why this recall is being requested other than the people listed on the notice did not personally get what they wanted." While this statement on the surface is true, what they wanted is the issue. Save $21 Million Dollars of TAXPAYER monies and apply it to what matters most; the children, students and schools

To Elaine Lytle:

1. "I am truly sorry for those that would use this avenue at the financial cost to our children instead of the election process in place" it could be said "we too are sorry for those trustees who would, at the financial cost to our children. spend $21 Million Dollars on a building for the District Offices that is un-waranted, un-needed and who's method of purchase/lease has been found to be questionable.

If the four trustees really want to save money for the children, students and schools they should step down.

WJUSD BOARD EATS DIRT!

For those who have been watching the story of the Blue Shield Building unfold, or more correctly unravel, the Grand Jury just released it's report.

While the Daily Democrat would like to put the blame on those who called attention to the
ill-advised lease purchase by publishing a story a couple of nights ago about what the investigation is costing, its going to be interesting to see how they try to twist the Grand Jury findings.

The responsibility squarely lies with the Superintendent and Board Members who voted to buy the building in the first place and not with those who called attention to the Board's doings.