[Vision2020] Weitz is a HERO

Tue May 8 17:42:21 PDT 2007

Mr. Ivie,

  You are correct that about 15% of the wealth and 25% of the people in Latah don't pay into the Moscow School District. I disagree with you that it was not the financial strapping of MSD that prevented LHS from being able to receive much needed funded for its operations. The City and County can only increase their budgets by about 5% a year, not true for the MSD. So the funding has been all tapped by the MSD. 

  If  teachers have to go, it should be the ones that perform worst. That is the way the real world works. They can always cut down number of the administrators before teachers also. 

  I don't care what the vote was. If it was an illegal vote, it shouldn't count. Can we vote to discriminate against Tom Ivie or Tom Hansen? Vote Blacks off the bus, Catholics out of health insurance? It isn't a fair vote. Second, I don't even agree with the principle that 51% can vote to raise the taxes on 49% of the population. I believe it should be at least 60%. I also find it a conflict of interest when it is the MSD Administration that runs an election that impacts how much money the MSD Administration gets. It is kind of like George W. Bush getting to be in charge of the 2004 election for President. 

  "If money was misappropriated and negligently handled, as you say.  Wouldn't Dr. Weitz be just as guilty as anyone else?  Under common law, generally every public officer is bound to perform the duties of his/her office honestly, faithfully, and to the best of his/her ability,. . ."

  It is perfectly possible to be incompetent and not corrupt. It is possible to misappropriate and be negligent out of incompetence, not ill will.  Which is my contention with the MSD administration. 

  Your argument with Dr. Weitz raises three possibilities while he was on the board. 1) He knew about the improper collection of funds and said nothing, and later changed his mind. Or 2) He didn't know about it until later on. 3) It was opposed to it but didn't say anything until it got real bad. 

  In either case he did the correction action. If he participated in an activity he knows to be incorrect, anytime after of changing his mind and letting the public know is better than saying nothing and letting it get worse, right? If he didn't know, then he could not have said anything at the time or until he was able to recheck with a person who could confirm his suspicions. 

  I agree with Teddy Roosevelt when he said, "No Man Shall Stand So Tall As When He Stoops To Help A Child." As did Gerald Weitz. 

  Dr. Weitz gives many children a skill, which will feed them for their entire life. 

  Best,

  Donovan 

Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
  First of all, not all of Latah County pays into the Moscow School District.  I will agree with you that Latah Health Services closing was bad.  I disagree that it was because of Moscow School District.  In the last two years, there have been many retiring teachers.  In turn, the school district hired new teachers.  Those new teachers now have no contract until the suit is taken care of. Like it or not, a simple majority voted to accept the levy.  

If money was missappropriated and negligently handled, as you say.  Wouldn't Dr. Weitz be just as guilty as anyone else?    Under common law, generally every public officer is bound to perform the duties of his/her office honestly, faithfully, and to the best of his/her ability, in such a manner as to be above suspicion of irregularities, and to act primarily for the benefit of the public.  Under the common law, a public officer occupies a fiduciary relationship to the political entity on whose behalf the public officer serves. 

  Why didn't he come out in the open and say something while he was on the school board?  

  I believe he has done some good things for the school district, in the past.  What will the future hold?  I won't attack his business, I can honestly say that I like seeing Brian and Dusty as much as anyone "likes" seeing a dentist.  

  As far as "Hero" and "Hypocrit" are defined.  I believe that the merit of each person should be measured wholly and individually.  That is, without comparing to someone else. Unless you are a religious person and depending on your belief system, we could ALL be seen as lacking.  But that is another debate.

Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:     Tom Ivie,

  What is more important, extra goodies for kids, or teaching them that stealing is wrong?

  You know, it is the MSD that has strapped the Latah Taxpayer to the breaking point. They are the reason that Latah Health Services shut down and why the county could not afford to continue and has turned their backs on the elderly and those most in need. Many elderly in our community, for lack of money, have been forced to leave the county and die away from their families in a foreign county or building as a result. The sin doesn't stop there. Many of the people that worked at LHS for 10, 20, and nearly 30 years do not get one dime in retirement pay. Imagine if that happened to you? It is an abomination to humanity in my view point. 

  I agree that the school buildings need help. I agree that teachers should start off at more than $31K a year and get merit based pay. But it isn't because Latah isn't forking it out, Latah forks all they can, and them some; it is because 

  Dr. Weitz, on the other hand has actually done something for the school district. He gave them an entire school building. He provided young men and women with useful, employable skills and a brighter future. He served on the board, he donated money, time, and resources to an institution that gave him NOTHING in return. And now that he believes a law has been broken, violating the trust and rights of the people of Moscow, others, who have done nothing for the MSD, or anything for Moscow, actually have the gall to attack him and question his motives?!?

  I challenge anyone who calls Wietz not a hero, to demonstrate to the community their past level of service as being greater than his. Otherwise, I say expand your mind and vocabulary by trying to find the definition of "hypocrite".  

  Best, 

  Donovan

  Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
  It also has required the school district to freeze all funds.  That means no field trips, Big Deals (a quarterly incentive program used by some teachers to encourage good behavior, performance, etc.), and no contracts for teachers with 1-3 yrs experience.  Luckily, the school district's lawyer is from the firm that has written the book on education law in Idaho, literally; The Law of Education in Idaho by Anderson, Julian & Hull, LLP.  Unfortunately, it negatively affects the kids NOW.  Any donation to your local public school or class of choice would probably be well accepted for those end of the year activities.  

Something else that concerns me is that the three names that have been cited in connection with this attack on our school district (Jerry Weitz, Jim Demeeleer, and Brian Thie) are all listed on the "leadership" of the Greater Moscow Alliance.  Does this action represent the "Alliance" or is it just a coincidence.  I would add that I would be just as critical or at least question it if the same happened in regards with the Moscow Civic Association.  I don't happen to be a member of either group.  They say that business and politics don't mix.  There is a good reason; you can lose business!

Bill London <london at moscow.com> wrote:           G-
  your question: "If Dr. Weitz's claim has no legal merit, then why would MSD have any concern?"
  my response: a huge amount of administrative time and a sizable chunk of money (as in paid by local taxes to the district) will have to be used to fight this suit.  Of course the district, and its patrons, are concerned.
  BL
    ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Glenn Schwaller 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:10 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] Weitz is a civic terrorist?

Ms. Emerinemix,

I don't know if there is any merit to Dr. Weitz's claim.  I believe that the foundation for any argument is "is this position valid?"   With something as complex and potentially dangerous and damaging as the illlegality of a tax-based ballot measure, I have no problem with someone questions its validity.  Dr. Weitz has wisely chosen to use the law to determine if his claim has merit.  Many will discount this as "frivolity" and cite a laundry list of reasons based on gut-wrenching emotion (oh the poor kids!  The poor teachers!  The poor administration!) and avoid considering a more insidious outcome of allowing a group to unfairly and inappropriately tax the public for whatever it is they want (be it schools, roads, parks, athletic centers).  This potentially could set a precedence by which any group could do the same thing.  If Dr. Weitz's claim has no legal merit, then why would MSD have any concern?  I for one would rather see the law surrounding this issue clearly
 delineated than to see some other, possibly more unsavory group, use the same tactics to fund their particular interest.

Schwaller

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall on you"
     Mark Knopfler

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