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- Chief Highknocker
- You aren't local until you have at least three generations in the cemetery.
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43 comments:
The School Board has been unable to reach a consensus about Markesan or Princeton or Montello, so they’ve hired Krusty the Clown as an attorney to negotiate a football merger with Sheboygan or possibly Eau Claire.
Someone told me yesterday that the school board and parents voted and that GL football would be joining with Princeton. Princeton makes more sense than Markesan, it is much closer for the kids (and parents) to drive back and forth.
Perhaps we could also share Princeton's new principal/administrator! This is not uncommon for school districts to share. Sounds like a win/win idea.
What's the latest with the school land out at the ABA?
The School isn't getting anywhere but their lawyer's cash register keeps ringing. Lindenwood has had just about enough of the School's games and wants the County to step in and settle it.
Careful what you wish for there, Ted Dominowski. Your demand that the county "settle" it could get you a result you don't like.
You folks at Lindenwood Development need to learn to play nice in the sandbox. You want alot from our town and county (and formerly from the city, before you jilted them) - like bonds to pay for your roads and maintenance costs now that the roads will be public. So rather than demanding this and demanding that and suing to get something else, you should consider how you can do something good for our town and county. Then maybe we'll want to do something good for you.
See how it works?
Lindenwood HAS done something good for our town and county. It's called housing. This increases the tax base by millions of dollars and could bring new families to the school, which is desperately needed.
See how this works? But for a few hotheads in our school and community, that’s not good enough. These people want the developer to “pay” because of sore feelings about annexation and lot sizes. It’s pure arrogance.
This company does not “owe” the school prime development land just to satisfy the county. Other reasonable land offers have been made to the school, but the school would rather ring up legal bills with their nose in the air, trying to force the developer to give away the most valuable land. That’s not the spirit of the county ordinance.
Instead of falsely accusing anyone on this blog who sides with Lindenwood as being Ted or Doug, maybe the school could admit their mistake, apologize to the public for wasting so much money, accept a different land offer before getting nothing at all, and move on to something of actual importance.
How about focusing on education rather than real estate? Plenty of public lands are already available to students. Snake Creek, White River Marsh, Grand River Marsh, Green Lake Conservancy lands, and more, I’m sure.
WHO is Lindenwood going to sell these lots to in this market????
Can't see anyone with kids buying in there now.
This current market will not last forever. There are folks who were smart enough to slide assets into cash before the economic down turn, so for them, life go on. True, there will not be as many buyers at the start, as there would have been a couple of years back, but there still will be buyers. The Estates of Lawsonia is a one of a kind development opportunity.
The rest of us are thinking about a second job or trying to find one for the one we lost, so we can put our kids through school and pay the winter heating bills. We're the ones who will not be buying. Heck, we can't even sell what we got. Recent economic figures show we are not spending right now either.
When's the last time you heard of a doctor or lawyer losing their job?
I can't wait to see all the kids from Lindenwood heading for Green Lake Public. We heard that Maplewood was going to do that, too, plus create all these jobs. What a bunch of hooey. And I want to see if the new tax base weighed against the new maintenance costs really result in a benefit to the area, a benefit that balances out the loss of wooded land that tourists formerly came here for.
Just another bubble.
You're right about the kids. The type of buyer who would be looking for a home in the Estates of Lawsonia, more than likely, has already raised their children and are now empty nesters. That argument is, as you say, a bunch of hooey.
The developers have agreed that they will build the roads to Township standards. With the amount of use those roads will see, my guess is the expense for road mainatnenace in this area will be very minimal for the TOB for many years to come. There will be some up front cost for signage as well, but that's about it.
There will be creation of mostly service sector jobs, i.e. landscapers, housekeeping, in time even construction, painting, new roofs needed, tree work, etc.
What other expenses do you see?
Very interesting column by Mr. Bates in this week's paper about the Lindenwood mess.
What did the article say?
It said all the fault is Lindenwoods. Like the school doesn't have any responsibilty here for pushing their own agenda. The school just looks greedy. What the heck is all that land needed for? You would think we needed an acre for each high school student...while the school has no money, and needs our taxes raised to meet their budget. Spend money on teachers and students, not land!!!
You hit the nail right on the head. Here is part of what Ken Bates said in this weeks newspaper:
...we have devoted a substantial amount of time and resources identifying property that is suitable for our school, and that is also harmonious with the development. The school district has pursued cooperative negotiations as directed by the county, although often meeting resistance from the developer who has tried to argue that it is not required to make such a dedication.
**********
So it seems that the only land that is "suitable" for our school has multiple home sites upon it and is also on the lakefront!
After a lot of other blathering rhetoric with which he puts all blame on Lindenwood and haughtily exonerates any wrongdoing by himself on behalf of the school, Ken Bates ends his column by stating that "we cannot arrive at a negotiated resolution unless Lindenwood participates in the negotiation process.
What an arrogant f_ckhead!
Chief -
Please remove that last post. This type of language and name calling should not be part of any public discussion - and it particularly should not be part of a discussion about issues involving children.
Thank you.
If you can't handle a swearword with a missing vowel then you have a problem. Grow a pair. What part of this issue involves children? This issue has nothing to do with children and you know it. Whatever happened to freedom of expression? What country do you live in?
When did the "freedom of expression" become the freedom to be offensive?
If you can't express yourself intelligently without resorting to swearwords, perhaps you have the problem.
I think people respond better to civility than they do to potty-mouthed language. Remember the old adage: "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."
Very chivalrous of you to step in and save the day. If you will note, the expletive in question was not actually directed at any certain individual, it was only implied.
I like honey and vinegar.
And yes, we do have the freedom to be offensive. It's good we clarified that. Fragile people can learn to deal with it.
people that find it necessary to use foul language in everyday conversation just show how ignorant they really are. they cannot find the right word to say so they swear. goes to show you the green lake school system is really sinking.
For Ken Bates to suggest Lindenwood is refusing to negotiate is blatantly untrue. The developer has offered over 11 acres. Read the paper. The developer’s most recent offer was explained in detail. Members of the Bates Brigade are mad because Lindenwood isn’t handing over the most valuable land, and therefore, by the school’s logic, is “refusing to negotiate.” Interesting how 1 plus 1 makes 3.
The school is distorting the issue by saying Lindenwood has cut off communication. Granted, Lindenwood has not responded to the school’s latest “counter offer” for Woodland Court, but that’s because THE SCHOOL HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD Woodland Court was not on the table. Funny how Bates leaves that part out. The developer isn’t interested in wasting more time with people who cannot be reasoned with, so he has rightfully given up and is seeking county intervention. Good for Lindenwood! I hope the clowns running our school end up with nothing. That’s what you get for acting like the world owes you a diamond at the taxpayer's expense.
Keep digging that hole, Green Lake school! We’re at 10 grand and counting just for legal fees in this quagmire. Can’t wait to see the final tally and watch the School Board squirm.
I am not ignorant or uneducated. I rarely use foul language, especially in every conversation. I deliberately used "that" word and not because I couldn't think of the "right one". That one was the right one to convey my feelings. I left out the vowel so as not to hurt any of your tender eyes. While I did not mean to offend the readers of this blog, I did fully intend to convey my emotions through the use of one well thought out word. I hope this resolves this issue once and for all.
Excellent blog from 11:35
Why hasn't the Green Lake paper reported on this issue?!?!?!
What a silly question. The Green Lake paper has no use for issues of local concern. That paper has far more important matters to cover, such as the artist of the month at the library and what our third graders like on their pizza.
Attention bloggers - be sure to attend the school board meeting when this issue is addressed. Citizens, we must EXPRESS CONCERN about the way our school board is handling this matter and the desire for 30 plus acres in Sunnyside. What a waste of grant dollars! Where is the concern about our student's education. More time and money is being spent on land purchases than educating our kids!
I too have wondered why the GL paper is ignoring this huge issue. Are they’re trying to hide something? Our school administration is always crying about state revenue limits etc. to explain why we need a referendum and cut teachers, but then they waste thousands of dollars on land that was supposed to be free. It seems the school is bent on having their way, so to hell with what we citizens want, right?
Chief, how about a thread on why the Green Lake paper can’t seem to wake up and write about this?
It is not accurate to say that the school board is in agreement on how Lindenwood is being handled since there are board members who do not agree with the demands being made. As for the Sunnyside property, it should remain on the tax roll and not be placed in the hands of the school district. Here is an excellent opportunity for the community to attract new residents, possibly with children, which is exactly what the school REALLY needs. And the expanded tax base would also ultimately benefit the entire community.
I agree with 1/15 1:42. The school owes this community an apology for the way this situation has been handled. Oh and for wasting $10,000 of our money without asking the residents if we even wanted this ABA land. For a school that whimpers about revenue caps, this is an extravagant waste.
I think Lindenwoood Development owes this community an apology.
Ever since Lindenwood Development was brought to this area by the ABA, they have repeated the same pattern again and again. If they are not given exactly what they want, they throw temper tantrums, start smear campaigns, make threats and use all types of media (including this blog)to spread their angry messages. If that doesn't work, they file law suits.
Just one example is their decision to reject Brooklyn and try to annex to the City. The local newspapers were filled with quotes from Ted Dominowski about how they had tried to negotiate with Brooklyn, but had decided that Brooklyn was not smart enough or grateful enough for the gift of their development, so they were withdrawing the offer and looking elsewhere.
Read some of the posts above and see how what's happening with the schools is exactly the same thing - lots of talk about how bad the school board is, lots of talk about how mad Lindenwood is and how they plan to file a law suit if they don't get what they want.
I sure hope that our community doesn't fall for this same behavior one more time.
Oh Jeez you have got to be kidding! Do you think anyone is going to fall for this jive? That is all water under the bridge. The issue of the "free" school land at Lindenwood has nothing to do with any of their past history. This is entirely a separate issue so don't try to cloud the issue or cast the blame elsewhere. Ken Bates and the president of the school board do owe the public an apology, but we will never get it. They are too egocentric to admit their mistakes. Ken Bates should resign and leave with any amount of dignity he can muster. Good riddance.
Every administrator we have had for the last 10 or 12 years, except for Zarnott, has been run out of town by angry people. What's going on here?
The board hired the man. Give him his three years and then review his performance. If it isn't satisfactory, or his vision is not what the community wants, then let him go.
This endless screaming is juvenile and not productive or good for the school. If the board is continually hiring administrators that don't reflect the interests of the community then a new board is in order.
I’m beginning to see why the school is demanding the most valuable land without compromise. It’s clear the administration and certain Board members have a vendetta against Lindenwood. Seems to me the school is the one trying to orchestrate a smear campaign right now. Just read the above posts that side with the school. They do nothing but dredge up old memories instead of addressing the matter at hand. Those posts are clearly written by members of the administration or Board, because no citizen in their right mind would support this waste of time, money and resources.
The school is trying to throw Lindenwood under the bus for the school’s own waste of several months and over 10 grand. Instead of defending the school’s own actions, the administration and Board are trying to shift the blame. Rather than admitting their own mistake and accepting a different land offer, the administration and Board want to make it look like Lindenwood’s fault based on unrelated events that happened a year ago.
Yes, the annexation attempt was a headache for everyone. But that’s old news, people. So is the court order to approve the plat (The developers won because the law was on their side). But certain people running our school are still sore about this or that from long past, and now they want the developer to pay for it.
I challenge the school to defend their own actions and spending rather than merely bringing up the past.
Great blog! You have it exactly right.
"If the board is continually hiring administrators that don't reflect the interests of the community then a new board is in order."
This is exactly right. We currently have 3 board members that are worth keeping, Amy Pipho, Dennis Deyo and Harley Reabe. The rest need to be replaced ASAP. Just look at who has been running the board and you will see where the problems lay. Enough is enough. Why not resign, Wendy? You've done enough damage, and I am sure your family needs you more than the community does.
We need board members who will run a tight ship and get back to the basics of education. Let's return to running a good old fashioned school and send the three ring circus back to Ringling Brothers.
Anonymous wrote:"That is all water under the bridge. The issue of the "free" school land at Lindenwood has nothing to do with any of their past history."
Only fools ignore past history. We all learn from experience. Are you saying you expect the people of Green Lake to just pretend nothing has happened up til now between Lindenwood Development and anyone around here?
When you say "That is all water under the bridge" you have chosen the wrong saying.
The better saying for this situation is:
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
This "free" land deal is a completely separate issue. Quit trying to cloud the matter and point fingers in the wrong direction. Lindenwood should give their land to a group that is deserving and appreciative. Lindenwood doesn't owe the school anything. The law requires that part of the development is set aside for "green space". Instead of graciously accepting this gift, the school has made incredibly stupid demands.
HOLY SMOKE .... I noticed Lindenwood has a huge color ad in this week's Ripon Commonwealth. Check it out. It explains month by month exactly what has happened with the school since early summer. It has fascinating details of the school's arrogance. The ad is on the back cover.
Chief, how about a fresh post about this? It's going to create alot of discussion.
I thought this section was about the "School Sports Programs". Again I think we got side tracked??
Why don't we keep to the subject??
The school sports issue has already been resolved. The school "free land" issue is not resolved and very relevent to discuss. The nice thing about this blog is that we can go off on tangents. People obviously want to talk and read about the school land issue. That is, everyone but the guilty parties involved. I read the information in the Ripon paper, a chronological accounting of Lindenwoods activity with the school on the land matter. Brilliant move on Lindenwoods part.
The only question that I have now is: When can we fire Ken Bates and find a competent adminsitrator/principal for our school?
I'm confused. Why would Lindenwood Development spend money for an ad?
I thought Aaron Becker of the Ripon Commonwealth was doing a good job of reporting the whole story, telling both sides and giving both groups an opportunity to comment in his articles.
I agree – a brilliant PR move. Articles are all well and good but Lindenwood obviously wanted some space of their own to explain the situation. Hey it’s only fair. Ken Bates used his entire column the week before to make the school’s case.
Aaron Becker of the Ripon Commonwealth has been doing a great job of reporting the story. Good job Aaron, keep up the good work. But in these articles, the school is trying to shift blame and twist the truth. Lindenwood has now set the record straight, and I commend them for this. Ken Bates should know that everyone can see through his desperate attempts to make himself look good. It's far too late for that.
I heard that Green Lake High School was going to do the Music Man in honor of Ken Bates. I can't think of a better person to play Harold Hill.
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