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It takes a Village card room…
Just a rough estimate, "Ed and Co" must have violated the Brown act hundreds of times. And that would include John McCann, the only unindicted member of the Sweetwater Board of Trustees (prior to the current appointees from the County B of E). Gosh!! Conflict of interest--Kevin O'Neill (owns property close to Third Avenue; not a resident of the school district--David Malcolm; not a teacher--Burt Grossman was appointed specifically as a teacher; Pearl's appointee, Jim Delgado, did not attend either of the two meetings. Who is left as standup members of the committee? Isaura Martinez, Carmelita Vinson and Doug Kerner. We must stop the Sweetwater steamroll. It has been mentioned, why be in such a hurry to get rid of property now when things are on the upswing? Wouldn't it be better to hold on to L street, because the values should get better due to the Bayfront project? Just whose interests **are** being represented by Tom Calhoun and the district at this time?— November 2, 2014 12:05 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Yes, Ms. Luzzaro, I pulled up your article from Dec. 21, 2013, and it has all sorts of goodies. To recap, at the 11/18/13 Board meeting the board decided it needed a district advisory committee, AKA a 7-11 committee because it is supposed to have between 7 and 11 members. Appointees were made by the trustees, Ed Brand and Ramon Leyba. Susan noted that the ed code specifies that the committee must represent "the community demographically and have a teacher, an administrator, a parent, and people with real estate expertise." I remember that this article boggled my already Sweetwater-boggled mind, as several items were pointed out: 1. It would have been in line with usual ways of doing things to have people apply for spots on the committee--but no, Sweetwater would appoint. 2. There was no discussion (that we know of) on board approval of the appointees. "But at the December 9 meeting, Lopez had to ask Calhoun to tell the board the names of all the people who had been appointed--and who had appointed them". !!! 3. Which was "the same night the district was finally giving the presentation on surplus property that Lopez had been asking for over a year". 4. And my very favorite**"Meanwhile, the 7-11 committee had already met twice and concluded their business, declaring the Third Avenue property surplus.** As Susan went on to point out, there were many problems with those who were appointed--they did not really fulfill the requirements as stated in the ed code. (Residency requirements, one was supposed to be a teacher and was not, etc.) Just another hurry-up and slide things through from Sweetwater--rules not followed. Conflict of interest situations not mentioned. Oh, yes, and there is supposed to be community involvement before any property is declared surplus. It looks to me as though lots of projects have been in the works for quite some time, and we taxpayers are the last to know, even though we are and will be paying for all of them. *Really, this sort of thing needs to stop happening here in Sweetwater. We want and expect ethical behavior from those that represent us, not outright thievery.* Tom Calhoun, are you paying attention? P.S. There was also a mention of L Street, bought when Brand was first superintendent in 2005. **"The same day the property was purchased, the title was transferred to a "nonprofit" named California Trust, which is also Plan Nine Partners, LLC. The proceeds from the sale of other district properties must, according to an exchange agreement, be used to pay down the debt on L Street."** So, when Ed Brand said this stuff needed to be unwrapped, or some such term--he was the one all along who had wrapped it up. Just how is it that he gets away with this?— November 2, 2014 11:38 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Does anyone remember who Cartmill named to that 7/11 committee?— November 2, 2014 6:58 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Yes, the figures are beginning to emerge from the mist. We are starting to see what this bunch has been hoping to do. And we cannot let them do it.— November 2, 2014 5:50 a.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Ohhh, yes, what committee was it that McCann named Malcolm to? Anyone remember?— November 1, 2014 6:37 p.m.
Enough nepotism and cronyism
Makes me wonder what has been happening with the funds/grants that this group has at their disposal. Looks like it's all among friends.— November 1, 2014 4:35 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
anniej, maybe just maybe Calhoun has an advanced degree in "Pie in the Sky". Because he sure keeps trying to sell it to us.— November 1, 2014 12:30 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Maybe I missed another change in the city plan. Maybe the new thought is to get a booming red light district going.— November 1, 2014 12:27 p.m.
It takes a Village card room…
Might this mean that Tom Calhoun will be reined in just a tad? Anyone know why he has been acting like some sort of independent operator--or at least someone operating independently from what Sweetwater officially would have him do? Because it sure looked to me as if Calhoun was trying to pull several fast ones over on all of us prior to year-end and the new board being seated. And to be honest with all of you, that just doesn't seem very honest to me.— October 31, 2014 9:19 p.m.
Good ol' boys' and girls' club
About those robo calls--I didn't get one, and I don't know anyone who did. So, anniej, I suspect you are correct in determining that may be a claim that will remain unverified. Just who is Tom Calhoun, anyway? He isn't the CEO, is he? Isn't he supposed to be the functionary of the superintendent, doing what he is told? Who would have told him to schedule these meetings at this time? Is he still loyal to some departed players? Is he determined to fulfill all the requests of Ed Brand? Is this attempt to get meetings in before the elections are over and counted up merely a way to try and shove a few more Ed Brand projects through? Are there deals involved? I would be very suspicious of anything Mr. Calhoun does, especially if he is trying to slide something through before a deadline. Let's just say that I am not sure the district's best interests have ever been involved in what Mr. Calhoun does. Maybe Ed Brand's best interests. Maybe the best interests of some real estate brokers and developers. Maybe the best interests of the attorneys we here in Sweetwater are paying for unceasingly. But not the district's best interests. So can anyone tell me why Tom Calhoun is still here? Who is supporting this person?— October 31, 2014 5:03 p.m.