UPADATE as of 10:15p.m.
With 8 of 9 precincts reporting the vote totals are as follows:
Proposal 1
Yes 1525
No 483
Proposal 2
Yes 1176
No 831
As of 9:00a.m. today, voter turn-out is VERY low. Total votes were in the low 100's. We will keep you updated as we hear more numbers. Is low voter turn-out good or bad for the bond?
Update/Correction
Those numbers were from the City of Marshall Voting Area
Update as of 10:45am
The numbers for the City of Marshall Voting Area are in the low 200's
Please get out to vote, these numbers are not looking good.
Update as of 12:30pm
The numbers for the Township of Marshall Voting Area are in the mid 250's
64 comments:
I'm not sure if low turn out is harmful for the vote, but the current admin sure is....I voted NO. That is the first time, ever, I have voted against a school bond. I will be happy to vote YES when we get trustworthy leadership. Doesn't it say, on the sign in front of the Middle School, that it is Trustworthiness Month? That's a crock!
I will also be voting for my first time ever "No." I am really saying "no" to keeping Phillips and bad leadership for our kids. We need to fix the problems at the top first, then I will gladly vote for even a bigger bond when we have a new and much better Superintendent in office.
Three of my friends who had told me they were voting for the bond, despite strong opposition to Joyce, have decided now to vote against it.
Janice Darling's arrogance in the Chronicle, Joyce's arrogance and lies, poor planning and priorities, and deception telling people the bond will cost them nothing (a lie) were all key factors in changing their minds.
We need new leaders at the top first! Then a better bond later!
Anything less than a 75% vote for the bond will definately be a vote of "no confidence" in Supt. Phillips and her school board supporters. We will know tonight! I would say 99% of the "no" voters are people protesting bad leadership and bad decisions made by Phillips and the MPS school board.
I voted no also. I went in to vote yes, but couldn't do it when the time came to it.
I know at least 5 or 6 on the bond "endorsement" list that told me they will actually vote "no" as a protest for the board's decision to keep JP. I think the community-wide demand for JP's removal is psreading fast! If the bond fails, JP will have to go!!!
PS: I noticed the bond supporters kept JP as much as possible out of the bond campaign. ;-)
Probably the bond supporters gave her a two week vacation back to Hoosierland! ;)
People who are voting "No" need to get out and vote and not stay home as a protest. The yes voters will turn out.
I was number 500 in my precinct at the church at 4:30.
My no was registered!
The old wisdom was that any election could count on 1,500 no's, so yeses had to exceed that to pass a millage
I just got back from voting NO for my first time on a school bond. I was upset after the last round of bonds in the 90s when the technology and building improvements had many unecessary screwups and delays (computers bought, installed 1-2 years later!). I have no trust or faith in JP, Metcalf, Jones, Vic, Janice and Paul. We need some big changes to rebuild the kind of support and unity for the Marshall schools we once were so proud of here in Marshall.
Will the bond that will do such important things as move the MHS admin offices to the first floor and buy new computers that will go obsolete in five years but we will pay them off over 29 years pass?
Oh yeah, Joyce did not "invite" me to participate on her "citizens" comittee. It must have been an oversite! ;-)
No surprise, the "no tax increase, no cost to you" bond is passing. The Marshall School Board had such little faith in Joyce Phillips leadership that they are only asking for about 15 percent of the need at this time. The way they set it up, they should be getting at least 90 percent of the vote. Anything less than 80 percent can be considered a defeat for Joyce Phillips.
345 vote margin for bond proposal out of over 2000 votes is really not much of an endorsement.
If it were not for Joyce Phillips, the Proposal 2 would have passed with about 90 percent of the vote. Many who want to see Joyce fired voted for Propsoal 2 anyway. Is a recall needed now as step one towards a much-needed new Superintendent? The building improvements will do little if we have to suffer for two more years of bad leadership, scandals, low morale and embarrassment at the top.
The estimated MPS needs are $50-$70 million. The school board had such little faith in community support after three years of problems, scandals and conflict that they only requested about 15 percent of the needs. Then they spread this modest $8.7 million over 29 years! What will that cost us in the long run? WIll we be paying for computers that are long obsolete two decades later? Why are moving the MHS offices a top priority? Why were computers left to get so outdated, and the only new ones were donations? Why didn't Joyce spend any school money for new computers, but lavished money on top admin: herself, Amy and Brian? Why should we trust Joyce when she lies so often?
With Joyce Phillips and Amy Jones in charge, I say "Watch the money!" I do not trust these two at all! I am sure they will be up to something sleazy, and that goes for the regular budget money too.
Joyce likes to hire high-paid consultants and lawyers to do her job for her. Expect little to no input from teachers and is truly considered.
As JPs brochure said this current bond will have zero cost for all levels of homeowners, is this true? Would JP lie about such things to pass a bond?
Of course it was a lie, Can Joyce tell the truth? Oh yeah, she was a "caregiver" for her father for decades (though he lived in another state).
The passing of this proposal is at best at start. Do I think it is at all financially sound? No. I would equate it to the following. If my kids saw a vehicle they wanted really bad and it was 7/8 years old already. Then they would have to seek a loan to purchase it. They would secure a loan for the amount for 5-7 years. by the time they got this vehicle paid off it would be 15 years old, needing repair, probably way before their loan payments ended. This did not make financial sense to me but it is a start towards work that needs to be done. We absolutely must get a new superintendent now so when we want to ask voters for proposal 2 which will up their taxes....these voters will be supportive.
Come on Vic, maybe Janice is living in la la land but you should be more down to earth. Let's join the people of Marshall that voted for you and help move Marshall forward. Let's keep the main thing the main thing....and PUT KIDS FIRST! It is buyout time for Joyce and I suggest it be without her additional bought years of service for that second retirement. I know you do not have that and neither do I - and guess what WE WORK VERY HARD!
If you see
There is a strong consensus in the community, among parents and community leaders, students and probably the school board members that we need to get the Marshall Public Schools back on track.
It seems that things got off track on several levels back in the 90s and have further eroded under the embattled and controversial Joyce Phillips. Even many harsh critics of the Phillips administration turned out to support the school bond. I have personally talked to many of the school board members and I think they would be happy to see Mrs. Phillips move on, the sooner the better. Until the school board finds the will and the way to remove her, or she resigns, we are stuck with Phillips. At minimum the school board needs to keep her out of the limelight, put tight limits on her power, and let the MPS professionals lead the way into the future, that they will a major part of for years to come.
We have excellent staff, parents, students and community leaders that can work just fine together without Phillips stepping in and making problems. Leave her out of the picture as much as possible and I think some real progress can be accomplished. John, Dan, Chris and Ali have all reached out to varying degrees to the staff and parents. I think these four would agree, in private, that Phillips has been a huge liability for the Marshall schools and needs to be replaced. I sense Vic and maybe even Paul are tiring of the headaches that Phillips causes them day after day. Only Janice I would say is a 100 percent supporter of Phillips, for whatever illogical reasons I can't fathom.
Let's all unite and work towards an eventual new Superintendent and do the best we can in the meantime for real school improvements.The school board needs to take charge of Phillips, hold her accountable, keep her on a very short leash, and work around her with the staff (as they do their best towards replacing her, better sooner rather than later!). If the board continues more of the same like during these past few disasterous years, then we will all lose. If the board leads the way towards major positive changes, good things can start happening now!
Very well said!!! :-)
The school board will be pivotal as to whch direction they will lead. They must choose if they will side with the staff and parents for the best interests of the schools, or allow Joyce Phillips to keep pushing them around. They have looked quite weak and at times pathetic during the past two years. We need smart and strong leaders who are willing to speak up publicly, work losely with a wide range of staff members, and to hold Phillips accountable. Phillips needs to clearly be working for the school board, not the other way around. The professionals in the Marshall schools need to be treated with much more respect as equals who work with the school board for needed changes and improvements.
Leadership is... resigning when everybody wants you gone and your departure will greatly improve the organization.
I agree: Leadership is about change. Now I will quote the good doctors article (which she authored) in October 06. "Even in the Marshall school district, as good as it truly is, we do need to be about change." Joyce - I agree wholeheartedly with your statement. If you were to resign today this would be a wonderful change for Marshall. I will continue to quote her article with: "You see, I too welcome opportunities for change!" Now I will end with - finally you, joyce, and I agree on something. I would also welcome an opportunity for change - the change of leadership at Marshall Schools. Then I will endorse any bond that is truly needed. Then I will know it is not going to your 3% increase while all other groups get the 1% 1%. Let's all move forward together. Please resign joyce as you see I too welcome opportunities for change - but am begging this board to give me that opportunity. If I can't get salary increases at least give me leadership I can believe in, trust, and support. To date I have absolutely no confidence in joyce, AMY JONES, or this little ducklings!
The Marshall schools just passed a bond and will start working toward various phases of building improvements to at least start catching up to other area schools. Normally this would make me very happy and content. Why don't I feel this way? Why the lack of real enthusiasm in Marshall? Is it because there are major nonbuilding problems that need to be fixed? Is it because the school board foolishly allows Joyce to wreak havoc on the Marshall schools and they refuse to fix this problem?
The Marshall school board must take responsibility for all of the problems they either caused or allowed to happen these past few years. Then they must start taking actions to solve these problems, including getting a new Superintendent-- NOW!
Why is Joyce Phillips still employed by the Marshall schools?
Good question? Something smells rotten in Marshall (to paraphrase an old saying).
As Janice has indicated to the Chronicle...everyone else is wrong and she is right. With that attitude - does she have any idea who she works for, and in fact, who works for the board?
Janice could care less what anyone else thinks. She tells "prominent" people what they want to hear or gross distortions of reality. She is a big part of the problem. For whatever reason she foolishly thinks that the 300 MPS professionals are wrong and doing a bad job and that JP is great and is busy "fixing" the "problems." Only a fool or someone with bad intentions would ignore 3oo professionals and believe an incompetent and dishonest "leader" from Indiana. Janice's reputation has gone way down during the past few years. Any clues as to the real reason behind this illogical behavior? Is she personal friends with JP and blinded to reality?
Beardslee and Potter are no better than Darling. Stulburg, Varvatos and Webb are all disappointing too, I expect a lot more from these three! Coulter is a great guy but one person cannot get much changed.
Protecting and rewarding bad leaders is not the job or expectations of the Marshall School Board.
At what point is there reason enough for a recall. That is why I didn't mind that Potter and Darling were unopposed and I know others feel the same. They should be held accountable for their poor financial decision last spring of a contract extension for the superintendent. We have not been in the financial balance to be lavishing money on a poor superintendent. As Ramon said (May 15, 2006) we had 48 applicants for the position of superintendent when phillips was hired. But Darling (May 15, 2006) "Giving her the two years is giving her the trust that the job she's doing is the right job". (quoted per Darling at May 2006 board meeting). OK folks - she rated a 3.8 - do you understand that she just received a 3% again this year and that is just the tip of her package upgrade this year. We are not acting like a district that is in financial stress by the lavishing of money on the superintendent but YET WE ARE CURRENTLY CUTTING PROGRAMS. START ASKING QUESTIONS AND FIND OUT HOW YOUR SUPERINTENDENT IS CUTTING THE PROGRAMS FOR YOUR CHILDREN. IS THIS 'KIDS FIRST'?
Performance and leadership problems with Joyce Phillips became well-known the first year she was on the job. The veteran staff especially knew we had a dud from the first six months. Last year the Marshall school board knew very well that there were a long list of problems and concerns about Phillips. They chose to ignore this and play dumb as they extendend Phillips contract through 2009 and gave her a big pay increase. Were they naive? Foolish? Or is something darker and more sinister going on?
The fact is there are many major problems in the Marshall Schools due to the leadership failures of Phillips- along with Jones, Metcalf and Walbeck. These four have been protected fiercely by the school board majority. This has lead to a huge decline in staff morale, massive loss of community trust and confidence, a wide division between the staff and building admins on one side and the board and these four on the other side, and an overall embarrassingly negative environment and bad publicty for the Marshall schools.
A good friend of mine who is good friends with a prominent board member told me that Joyce's main source of negative information about Behrenwald andthe MHS staff is some Home Econ teacher at MHS who is close friends with Joyce. Since Joyce rarely visits MHS, this must be where she gets at least some her her dirt that makes her such an "expert" on the "problems" of MHS with the school board. Is this the clueless (Joyce) leading the sheep (Board)? Are there any idiots out there that would believe Joyce's propaganda over the far more reliable views of 300 MPS professionals? What is the name of the alleged MHS snitch?
Let's not forget about the Band Director who is close friends with Marsha Franke. And to clear the issue - I believe the 1st year home ec teacher is a long time college bud of Amy Jones...not that it makes much diff jones/phillips.
I am amazed at the issues of safety I hear about from employees at the bus garage. Under alittle pressure Walbeck finally authorized one emergency bus evac drill right before spring break. Now the State Dept of Ed recommends you do three per year. At least he has had one since he hired on 2.5 years ago. Now if you look back at the supt. column "Early Hours" and please do understand the accuracy was about 60% on that article....how walbeck is out at 3 am...right...and how he missed the superbowl...right...and how the buses now have additive to put in the diesel engines to keep them from gelling....right (been at our garage for 20+ years - walbeck just needs to enforce the use of it)she ends the article with..."we will continue to keep our children's safety first". Without emergency bus drills....yeah right! FIX THE PROBLEMS - I AGREE CHANGE IS GOOD BUT I AM STILL WAITING TO SEE THE CHANGES THAT WILL GET US BACK TO EXCELLENCE!
This web site has been very informative at exposing the vast corruption, dishonesty, incompetence and scandals of the MPS administration. Phillips, Jones, Metcalf, Walbeck and their board supporters are doing great harm to the Marshall schools! In years past school board members have been recalled for far less serious situations. Any "excellent" school district would have fired these four a long time ago.
I find the level of distrust between staff members very disturbing, but isn't this what JKP is trying to do? She has reduced everyone to looking over their shoulders, pointing fingers and feeling worthless and unappreciated. Way to go Joyce!
About 99 percent of the Marshall teachers are staunchly against JP and all of the terrible things she and her cronies are doing to ruin the schools. We know who her spies are and how they work to undermine their fellow teachers and cause trouble.
There are 2-3 MHS teachers likely for Phillips because they dislike the rest of the staff or are weasels in other ways. So leave leaves only about 95% that want to see Phillips fired.
Can our board call in the Bellvue School Board and get some guidance on how to demote a superintendent? From what I hear Marshall has a whole lot more reason to replace their supt. than Bellvue did? come on Board - what is it going to take? We aren't ostriches are we?
The Bellevue school board, as mediocre as they are, are still much wiser than the Marshall school board. Or maybe just more honest? The Marshall board can easily fire Phillips any day of the week. They can demote her and, believe it or not, Phillips actually works for the school board, and not the other way around! How pathetic the way our school board has handled the entire sad situation. They need to share blame and responsibility with Phillips whom they fail to hold accountable for her many bad and dishonest actions.
Who is in charge of making sure the bond building work is done properly? I cannot think of anyone in central office that is qualifed to do this job.
Joyce and Amy! Oh no!!!
You forgot Josh! ;-)
Being that we are on this subject, is there any truth to Amy's brother's girlfriend getting health insurance while being a part-time custodian. I didn't get insurance and I've been here for few years. Sounds like the Spoil's system to me.
Amy is out of control, Joyce is mean, hated and clueless, Metcalf does almost nothing and Walbeck disappears all day! No wonder the Marshall schools are in such a mess at the top!
Oh yeah, the tech guy, what's his name? Has he ever answered an e-mail, not mine! He is quite good at hiding all day too-- why does he keep getting big raises? Good question! Has he ever been to MHS? Our tech is crap!
Yes, it is true that Amy's brother's girlfriend was part time and did get insurance! As for the tech thing I don't know what Charlie MacDonald does...he sure doesn't show up at our building. The only tech person that I ever see is Cathy Vaught....she does a great job!!! Did she get a pay raise?
Probably not! The disparity between those that do an incredible job but are poorly paid and recognized and those that keep getting praises and raises from the school board for terrible performance is growing greater! In the Marshall schools everything is backwards. The "excellent" are forced out, ignored or treated badly while the "lazy, foolish, mean and simply awful" are promoted, given raises, and praised by the board!
You forgot to mention that the most stupid and incompetent are also promoted, hired and given undeserved raises.
Phillips is not stupid! Incompetent, mean, arrogant, a bad leader, a bad communicator, a demotivator, dishonest and sleazy, but not stupid. Look at how she cons the school board year after year. Who is stupid in this scenario?
There definately are big problems at the top, especially with the Superintendent Dr. Phillips. Are Janice, Paul, Vic and Dan the only ones who still like her?
Ali and Chris have remained somewhat supportive of JP, at least when I have talked to them. John Coulter is fully aware of the massive problems JP causes the Marshall schools. I think he is frustrated that his colleagues are so clueless.
His colleagues are not clueless, they know exactly what they are doing. They try to act dumb or as if they care, but in secret that back Phillips 100%. If they did not, Phillips- no Behrenwald - would be on her way out the door this summer.
I was happy to see in the paper that Ali is speaking up about looking at other areas to cut other than the custodians. I would love to see Ali, Chris, John and Dan form a "pro-Kids" majority that turns on Phillips and her radical supporters.
They are our only hope! I have lost all faith in Paul, Janice and Victor.
I do not have much hope in any of them anymore. Nobody does!
They will be busy firing people this summer.
You mean like an insurance scandal, very low staff morale, lying about the MHS hiring process, forcing good people out like Mr. Behrenwald, forcing out Sam and Bob, scripting school board meetings so they are little more than 7-0 rubber stamp votes in public with no real discussion or debate anymore, big pay raises for poor performance (Phillips, MacDonald, Jones and Metcalf), giving Metcalf basically a year off with full pay to get his doctorate and pay his whopping 24 grad credits, electing a school board President with an arrest record, lying about the threat to MHS studens who were shot at with a BB gun, buying flowers for Phillips the day the teacher surveys were delivered, largely ignoring the teacher surveys, threatening lawsuits against the teachers (MTA) and the Chronicle, targeting Hulkow, Hanson, Voight and Townswned- in addition to Behrenwald- for their excellence, not firing Joyce Phillips who has been a disaster for the Marshall Public Schools, ignoring the pleas of staff, parents and students for change, rewarding and protecting bad leadership at the top, etc etc.
It's been a great year for the Marshall Public Schools! Now two more to go, thanks MPS school board!!!
What a depressing year we have had! Now two more of the same to look forward to. :-(
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