D100 gives it to Paisans

[OakParkSpartan]

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc514.html

I still wonder how some of this stuff listed in this thread qualifies as a reimbursable expense?

[Ted]

Brian, what re-imbursements specifically are you referring to?

[Ted]

FYI, I just sent an email of apology to Stan Fields.  I thought more about what I did and I was wrong to not investigate some of these expenses or ask about them before reading my statement before the board.

  I should have investigated the cleaner's expense and some of the other expenses first before reading my statement.

Ted

[OakParkSpartan]

Brian, what re-imbursements specifically are you referring to?

Specifically, the Dunkin Donuts.  But I don't know all the details of the charges.

[Boris]

FYI, I just sent an email of apology to Stan Fields.  I thought more about what I did and I was wrong to not investigate some of these expenses or ask about them before reading my statement before the board.

  I should have investigated the cleaner's expense and some of the other expenses first before reading my statement.

Ted

What has me interested and upset is the Christianist Cult indoctrination sessions that he's making employees go to at the Willow Creek Center.

[buzz]

What has me interested and upset is the Christianist Cult indoctrination sessions that he's making employees go to at the Willow Creek Center.

Me too, but that quip about standing in the garage is stinking arrogance.

I see no reason whatsoever for Ted to have apologized; quite the opposite.
Instead, Stanley should be explaining all those expenditures.  Inquiring minds want to know.

[Ted]

What has me interested and upset is the Christianist Cult indoctrination sessions that he's making employees go to at the Willow Creek Center.

Me too, but that quip about standing in the garage is stinking arrogance.

Boris and Buzz, I suggest you send a letter to the editor of the Life newspaper if you are unhappy with D100 training being conducted at Willow Creek.

  The email address to send a letter to the editor is to Matthew Hendrickson at:

mhendrickson@shawmedia.com

[Ted]

For the record, here is the statement I read last Wednesday:
  ...  On October 1, 2011, a charge to Pikus Eye Care in Mundelein for $125.00. ...

  A former board member emailed me and stated that this is part of Stan Fields' contract. 

[mustang54]

  I agree that Ted didn't have to apologize but I'm not surprised he did. When Ted and I attended 201 meetings we would agree to disagree on some things but when one of us was wrong on something we admitted it. So I'm not surprised at all. What IS surprising is that Fields could have told this to Ted IN PUBLIC at the meeting instead of going to a newspaper. But it was probably smart on his part cuz the paper doesn't do follow up questions. That would be real reporting. Plus he can pick and choose from Teds questions and not answer certain ones at all. Thats why most so called doctors of education are more politician than educator. I'm sure there will be plenty more questions for Ted to ask in the future now that he has opened the door for people to start complaining to him because they themselves cannot go public.

[Ted]

 Thanks, Mustang.

  After I read my statement, no one responded to it.  But, there was an agenda item called "Social Media".  I was not there when that topic was discussed but I heard from people who were there that Stan Fields stated that what was being posted on social media sites such as BTF were all budgeted items.

  There was nothing stated that addressed any specific expense item, according to people who were at the meeting.

[Ted]

"Obviously Mr. Korbos isn't interested in obtaining factual information," Fields said. "He stands up in a public forum and accuses me of using public funds to clean my laundry; that tells me he's not interested in getting factual information."

One more point and then I will stop.  The Life reported that Fields said I accused him of the $20 cleaning fee.

I actually did not say that in my statement.  My statement was about all charges by executives and employees in the district.  I did not know who actually submitted the cleaning fee.

Here is what I said:

The problem is more widespread than just meals being charged in.  There are several other charges that I find questionable.  For example, on September 21, 2011, a purchase $55 worth of DVDs from "Seeds New Life in Christ." On December 21, 2011, $2,270 was charged in for expenses to Lake County Press; On October 1, 2011, a charge to Pikus Eye Care in Mundelein for $125.00. $20 was charged in on April 25, 2012  for O'Brien's Cleaners; $151.00 on April 25, 2012 to Two Bros Roundhouse,  a brewing company in Aurora.

  Why should be the tax payer be footing these bills?  I wear glasses and I pay for my eye care out of my own pocket.

  Why should the tax payer be paying for clothes being cleaned at O'Brien's Cleaners?  Wouldn't those clothes have had to be cleaned no matter what?  Why is that a reasonable charge that the tax payer should pay for?

  Public officials are entrusted with the tax payers money. They should spend that money wisely. They should not be spending it for their own selfish personal reasons.  The executives and employees of this district have violated the public trust.


So, Fields is incorrect to say I accused him personally of the $20 cleaning charge.  I did not accuse Fields specifically.

[Wilson]

Ted, I don't think you need to apologize.  Even if these expenses are legitimate, they should be listed with explanations so there is no question.  For example, O'Brien's Cleaners - $20 for cleaning of table skirts in board room.

When they provide no explanations it only creates further distrust.

I commend you for standing up and being heard.  The public needs to know where our tax dollars are spent.

[buzz]

yep !

[Ted]

... The public needs to know where our tax dollars are spent.

Thanks, Wilson.

But, MarkBerwyn is right.

All of these charges are a pittance.

The $1336 spent at Willow Creek is a pittance.

The $85 in DVDs from "Seeds New Life in Christ"  is a pittance.

The weekly lunches at Paisans are a pittance.

The $5 cups of coffee are a pittance.

The $93 O'Hare parking lot fee that I believe Apple should have paid for is a pittance.

  Even if you take all these charges away, the district is facing a deficit in the millions of dollars.

  That's why the referenda next March need to pass.

  As angry as I am when I think about my tax dollars going to a fundamentalist Christian organization or as angry as I get hearing about my tax dollars paying for what I consider to be regular every day meals, I realize the district is in trouble.

  This district is in worse trouble than D201 ever was, even in the mid 00's.  At least D201 had $50 million in its reserve funds at that time to cover a $5 million dollar deficit.

  District 100 has only $12 million in its reserve funds to cover a $6 million dollar deficit.  If the deficit is over $4 million, the district goes on the state financial watch list.

  The district needs the money.  That's why the referenda needs to pass in spite of all this crap.

[markberwyn]

... The public needs to know where our tax dollars are spent.

Thanks, Wilson.

But, MarkBerwyn is right.

All of these charges are a pittance.

Just to be clear, the amount spent doesn't matter as much to me as whether the expenditures were above-board or not. If the school district spent five cents on pornography last year, that's five cents too much.

The money given to a religious institution strikes me as exceedingly strange for a public school district, regardless of the amount spent. The superintendent's claim that there's no connection to the leadership summit and the church proper doesn't wash with me, and the Life reporter should have pushed harder on it. Perhaps, as he says, lots of people around the world attend and respect the conference. But if the conference exists to, as its website says, "transform Christian leaders around the world with an injection of vision, skill development and inspiration for the sake of the local church" (http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/)---that is way out of the ambit of a public school district, if not actually illegal.

There are a gajillion leadership summits out there---many of them specific to the education community---that the district can spend its "pittance" on. Demand clearer answers from the superintendent as to why he felt it was important that his staff attend this one, and how he squares his professional presence at a conference with a explicitly stated religious focus with his position as a public-school leader.

The man says anybody who has questions about this should call him. Do it.

[buzz]

Has anyone seen those leadership conference DVDs ? other than the sublimates ? 

[chandasz]

What happens if we go on the financial watch list? Will the state actually give us back the 11% that it took away?

[Ted]

What happens if we go on the financial watch list? Will the state actually give us back the 11% that it took away?

I think (but am not sure) that the district has to submit a deficit reduction plan (I think that is what it is called) to the Illinois State Board of Education that shows how over the next few years the district will rectify the fiscal situation.

[OakParkSpartan]

Has anyone actually gotten Stan Field's number?  Or did he mean call him at the office?

[exPROPer]

Thank you, TED, for your post regarding the D100 crooks!