more evidence for a state takeover of the Florida Keys school district
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There is a Launch of Mystics, Madmen & Muses Facebook group post today at goodmorningbirmingham.com.
And, there is a I was told yesterday that some of the gay members of the Conch Duplicate Bridge Club in Key West think I’m homophobic post today at goodmorningkeywest.com.
Meanwhile, in the blackboard jungle wing of the Florida Keys State Mental,
Nashville J replied to yesterday’s terminally dysfunctionally insane Florida Keys school district in crying need of state take-over post:
Sloan:
At least the School Board is teaching the students that they can cook the books and violate any damn accounting law or regulations that are ever put in front of them without worrying about going to jail – IF – they are working for the School Board or other government agencies. I expect the School Board will probably appoint a “committee” to look into all this and make recommendations that they will promptly but in a drawer and never read.
J
Sean Kinney at the Keynoter sent an article I was unable to find online:
Kinney, Sean (skinney@keynoter.com)
3/10/13
To: sloan bashinsky
Outgoing schools executive Kinneer fires back
By SEAN KINNEY
Posted – Saturday, March 09, 2013 10:30 AM EST
School District Superintendent Mark Porter’s decision to notify administrator Michael Kinneer that his contract won’t be renewed June 30 has been met in kind by Kinneer deciding to terminate the deal effective April 5.
And it’s apparently freed Kinner to speak his mind about what he feels are behind-the-scene efforts to trash his reputation.
In a Monday e-mail to Porter, Kinneer wrote that “your decision to not renew my current contract with the district has put me in an very untenable position at great risk to my personal reputation and career opportunities during the next four months.
“Already, the naysayers and bloggers have started to hypothesize about sabotaging the district and its operations by the walking dead, speculating that those of us who are not going to be renewed have motivation and reason to work against the interest of the district.
“This is absolutely untrue but knowing the way that this contingent operates, it will be only a matter of time until the subject once again arises and is spewed across the county.”
Porter responded: “I knew I ran the risk of lame-duck perceptions [in not renewing the contract], but felt it was the right thing to do. I don’t know that we should let the opinions of a true minority, despite how vocal they are, dictate our actions.”
Porter hasn’t said why he won’t renew the contracts of Kinneer, the district’s operations director; Finance Director Ken Gentile (expires April 18); and Human Resources Director Cheryl Allen (expires June 30).
But something happened between November, when Porter lobbied the School Board to grant Kinneer an extension, and now. It could have been some School Board members demanding action after telling Porter on Feb. 26 that no one’s been held accountable for four consecutive poor annual financial audits from the state Auditor General’s Office.
Kinneer is the district’s point man on all things related to the $39 million rebuild of Horace O’Bryant Middle School in Key West, which has been plagued by board scrutiny of contract amendments and change orders and is slated for a June 1 completion.
In his e-mail to Kinneer, Porter said he is “reluctant to leave the district shorthanded at such an important stage.”
Before Kinneer’s departure is finalized, Porter wants district legal counsel to weigh in.
“If/when there are definitive and agreed-upon departure dates,” Porter told the Keynoter via e-mail, “we will put in place the steps necessary to assure continued effective operation of the School District.”
Friday, Porter said he had not begun the process to replace Kinneer, Gentile and Allen.
Kinneer initially told Porter he wanted to stop working on March 5, drawing on 30 accrued days of sick, vacation and personal time to fill out the month. He didn’t say why he changed his mind.
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Forward of email from Larry Murray to the school superintendent and school board:
Thought you might find the following interesting/amusing.
From: Lawrence Murray <citizenlarry007@yahoo.com>
To: Mark Porter <mark.porter@keysschools.com>
Cc: Ed Davidson <captecoed@aol.com>; Rob Smith-Martin <robin.smith-martin@keysschools.com>; Ron Martin <ron.martinsb@keysschools.com>; John Dick <John.Dick@KeysSchools.com>; Andy Griffiths2 <andy@fishandy.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 9, 2013 4:13 PM
Subject: Who Was The Finance Director?
Superintendent Porter:
I have just been reading the “Executive Summary” of the District’s response to the Auditor General Report. In response to Finding No. 1, the District informs the Auditor General that it “hired an additional staff accountant in September 2012 and Finance Director in December 2012.”
Presumably, the “new” Finance Director as of December 2012 could not possibly be held responsible for any of the District’s financial problems prior to that date. That being the case, could you tell me who was the District Finance Director prior to December 2012 and who consequently might be found responsible or accountable for any of the District problems before that date, including those identified by the Auditor General?
Larry Murray
Dr. Larry Murray
Fiscal Watchdog and Citizen Advocate
Also uplifting from Larry yesterday:
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:49:44 -0700
From: citizenlarry007@yahoo.com
Subject: Budget Amendments
To: andy@fishandy.com
CC: mark.porter@keysschools.com; captecoed@aol.com; robin.smith-martin@keysschools.com; ron.martinsb@keysschools.com; John.Dick@KeysSchools.com; andy@fishandy.com
Andy:
Since I have been following the exploits of the School District, the process of submitting and approving budget amendments has been rather simple and straightforward. The superintendent sends to the School Board a transmittal document outlining the change, attached to which is a document identifying the particular adjustment to be made. The process is the essence of transparency and easily understood.
That is all changed with the Budget Amendment portion of your March 12, 2013 agenda. See Consent Agenda, No. 18, specifically Items a. and c. Item a., “Approve Budget Amendments (Board preapproval)”, presumably calls for Board “preapproval”. Can you explain to me what a “preapproved” Budget Amendment is? Additionally, Item c., “Approve Budget Amendment (January combined post-approval)” presumably calls for Board “Post-approval”. Can you explain to me what “post-approval” of a Budget Amendment is?
The “time frames”, pardon the pun, are confusing to say the least. How can the School Board approve something, e.g. Budget Amendments, both before the fact and after the fact? Is there a new Board procedure afoot for dealing with Budget Amendments? Does any of this relate to “post hoc, ergo propter hoc”?
I would not be requesting your assistance were the supporting documents clearer. There are no transmittal messages outlining the changes. There are no line items identifying the specific changes proposed in the sense of moving money from account A to account B as is usually the case with a Budget Amendment. Rather, there are pages and pages and pages of inexplicable financial data. Is the overwhelming body of data intended to obscure what is transpiring? Is the School Board or other interested parties expected to separate the wheat from the chaff and discover what is intended?
Any assistance that you can provide to help make sense of this will be most appreciated.
Larry
Dr. Larry Murray
Fiscal Watchdog and Citizen Advocate
I replied to ALL:
I wonder how the Board can pre-approve a budget item without violating the Sunshine Law?
Larry replied to me:
Good question. Better yet, how can they post-approve?
I replied to Larry:
Maybe they will explain it in the board meeting. Where is it being held?
Larry replied:
In Key West on Tuesday. Check the District website for time and agenda.
This is on the website:
- School Board Workshop – KW Admin 3:00 PM
- School Board Meeting – KW Admin 5:00 PM
That’s at Trumbo Point, Key West. Maybe I will take it in. It’s been a while since I made rounds in the school district wing of the State Mental. I will try to make it late to the Audit & Finance Committee meeting today. Late, because I have heaps more writing to do for the terminally dysfunctionally insane Florida Keys school district in crying need of state take-over post at goodmorningkeywest.com. So, maybe I won’t make it to the AFC meeting, and the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the citizen volunteers the school board never took seriously before, so why should that change now?
Sloan Bashinsky