School Comm Feb 9th
https://vimeo.com/154811649

Check this out, starting page 69 from last night's School Committee meeting:

http://melrosecityma.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2543&Inline=True

$75,767.38 NUTTALL, MACAVOY & JOYCE legal bills

Page 82:
$7,125 HOLLENDER & CAREY, LL more legal bills


Even crazier, Biz mismanager claimed he hadn't received any of the bills until just recently. CKK asked about date-stamping from August monthly through present w/ PWL Assistant Superintendent's signature. Biz mismanager either couldn't or wouldn't answer and pretty obvious that it's probably a mix of "don't care" "don't know" "hiding because it's politically a hot potato."

WTF?

And while Rome burns, the rest of the committee just keeps ramming through their idiotic meaningless garbage agenda.

I'd like to know exactly what the legal services were relative to. I would hope that "attorney-client privilege" cannot be claimed, since WE are the client!

Of course they are going to claim attorney-client privilege or whatever other nonsensical thing they can latch onto if it means they can avoid disclosing what they're obviously trying to hide. Why else would they be claiming that all this time to CKK (who actually IS the client, or one of them at least)?! Read the excellent articles by Aaron Leibowitz about all of that, the Public Records Appeals to the Secretary of State's Office that list the ludicrous "opinions" of the city's great legal minds, deeming "attorney-client privilege" among their other stellar examples of representing the public good (not!). [For truly appalling examples of their work, read the OCR Findings document and understand just how badly the community has been screwed with their incompetence, arrogance, and continuing bad conduct.]

Look at this from the previous meeting:
http://melrosecityma.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2539&Inline=True

"We recently received 5 months of legal bills, which will appear on the warrants in February. The bills are attributable to recent legal proceedings. Attached to this memo is the detailed breakout of the legal invoices by category and month. In anticipation of our ongoing legal expenses stemming from the special education cases, the Office of Civil Rights investigations, and ongoing union negotiations, we took the necessary action early in this fiscal year to allow us to absorb these costs within the FY16 budget." Oh sure, tell us more fairy tales about all the "necessary action" taken!

Page 121:

Breakout of Legal Invoices 7/1/15 -11/30/15
(not including the $84,000 referenced from last night's mtg in the previous post)

OCR Case # 01-14-1259 $16,942.00
OCR Case # 01-15-1203 $13,953.50
SPED $30,640.84
Regulatory Counsel $ 2,064.00
Misc $ 769.80
Grievance $ 1,462.00
Training $ 2,107.00
Total 67,939.14

"date-stamping from August monthly through present w/ PWL Assistant Superintendent's signature"

If they were signed by this woman, then they were received and in-house. No excuse. Bills from August being withheld didn't just happen that way. There was an override and now a budget process, both of which have included a lot of false representation about the finances (and the spin machine just keeps churning it out). They want to proclaim that they are doing everything right and that the only reason holding anything back is because they don't have enough funds. Now they want to punish those who voted against the override and continue try and force accountability, on top of their chronic opacity when it comes to keeping the figures as vague as possible.

With SPED they have been screwing up for many years now, and yet they want to try and portray it (did you hear CT last night?) that it's basically those awful parents who keep being insistent and demanding services for their undeserving Special Needs children that is the real cause of the big expenses of the district, not that THEY have failed to do what they were required BY LAW to do all along but willfully refused and/or neglected?

So it's quite obvious why these bills weren't brought forward before now, and why they are being buried in hundreds of pages of garbage documents instead of being presented in a straightforward way. Add to that the normal arrogance and contempt of those responsible for managing these things, and you have the total cluster-you-know-what.

Why, exactly, though is PWL the one signing off on those bills, AND the one [re]appointed to manage civil rights issues, when she is the one who was supposedly responsible for the failed "investigation" that was so roundly condemned in the OCR case (the first one)???? Are they really that incredibly, beyond-the-pale in-our-faces so contemptuous that they think none of us has noticed the outrageousness of their actions????

Yes.

"Defending" these vile acts of overt racism and charging it all to the taxpayers does not seem the least bit reasonable."

There is the central point....They are defending THEMSELVES because they know THEY are the ones who did the ultimate vile things by refusing to take appropriate and legal administrative action and choosing instead to keep the violators on staff, deflect the blame onto the students and teachers (which they are actively continuing to do), and just hide it all, presuming that Melrose would be true to form and not care enough to stand up for what's so obviously right and what was/is so obviously wrong.

Mr. Mroz was correct Tuesday night when he remarked that it isn't the students or teachers who broke the laws and violated civil rights, it was the administrators, so therefore it is wrong that all the remediation is being directed at students and teachers instead.

So far, the administration's cynical presumptions are correct. With the exception of some of us who read and post here and are trying in our own ways to confront this evil system, most of the community remains mute and preoccupied with all things superficial, as per usual. Perhaps the tipping point has occurred and more still finally step up with the appropriate and lasting outrage that is needed if meaningful action is to take place.

Watched the replay, at about 1 hour CT tries to explain how SPED bills get so high. It is outrageous because she basically lays the blame on us.

Of course she is blaming the families. It is in her interest to have families of "typical" kids place blame on the families of the special education students. The SPED kids' families don't have enough problems, after all. I love how she acts like this is just so unpredictable, and how everything is just due to the whims of the crazy SPED families. I have worked in school systems for over thirty years. I can tell you that well-run school systems know how to avoid going to court, because they are skilled at dealing with parents to find acceptable ways to compromise if they are not in agreement with what parents want for their children. Even the most demanding parents do not WANT to go to court. They want to feel like people are legitimately working to help their kids. They want to see some creative problem-solving to give kids what they need. The number of actual cases that go to court should be very small. It should be a priority to keep these situations from going to court and incurring legal bills. In Melrose, there seems to be no skill set in this area. Families routinely feel backed into a corner with no options other than to go to court. We should demand that the administration do a better job of meeting the needs of the families and students without involving courts.
The rest of the discussion around this is just embarrassing. The bills are outrageous, and the mumbling, stuttering CT at the helm inspire no confidence that any attempt was made to keep costs down.

What a self-righteous bunch of crap from 'parent." Perhaps all of us are sick and tired of you whining losers coming on this board crying poor pity me. Believe this...there has been no tipping point; just the same guy showing up at all of the meeting saying the same thing. Talk to parents in this town. There is an "evil' force out there but it is NOT the SC and it is NOT the administration. It is a bunch of loser parents that have made different choices for their kids and use this site as a bully pulpit to take potshots at the city. We don't care that you chose to send your kid to private schools, really, we don't. We are just fed up at all the nonsense out here. We would certainly see more than just GM showing up at the meetings each week if there were any merit to the nonsense spewed on this board. Either show up and state your case or stop whining.

Spoken by a true city hall hack! Go back to the mayor and tell him you did his dirty deed for today!

Yeah sure, Vuvu, ClownClapTrap.

And the 2 OML cases are just the result of "whining," too. Just the silliness of the Federal Office of Civil Rights, after all. No biggee. $84,000 of fresh new legal bills on top of the tens of thousands already, to say nothing of those to come, are also just the result of the "whiners" and "haters," especially the parents of those whining little special needs children who are just so glad to have their families having to sacrifice basic needs, groceries, needed home repairs, needs of other children in the family in order to pay attorneys and see their parents anguishing over the endless fights just to get basic services met or fight against the illegal retaliatory harassment that has become a hallmark of this Exemplary administration.

Now what was that you were saying about that override that went down in flames with an almost 2 to 1 margin? That was just the small ineffectual band of malcontents (who "never accomplish anything") with CKK and Mr. M at the helm, who killed that ballot measure, right? But meanwhile your precious "experts" have been so incredibly effective at making Melrose Public Schools "good to great" (sinking down from all Level 1 Schools to Level 3 and wavering back up after 3 years, but only to Level 2)!

Go take some more Ativan with a martini chaser and call it a day because you are pi$$ing in the wind as the obvious malevolent and ridiculous blowhard that you are, "nonsense"!

SPED parents end up hiring lawyers/advocates only when they are first illegally victimized by the superintendent, asst. superintendent, city solicitor or one of the other administrative sociopaths working at MPS. They are not asking for a whole lot, they just don't want their kid stuck in a small room with all the other SPED kids receiving no education, Seriously, you didn't know that is what they do with the SPED kids at MPS?

Children's Lives Matter!

or should!

This is all so disgusting and discouraging. For those of us with younger children, it's harder to grasp the full meaning of the mess. Those with high school kids and graduates have obviously experienced much more and seen first-hand the fuller extent of the picture. With younger children we mostly are only given access through other parents or the organizations like Birth to Five or Mel Ed Foundation, which apparently are promoting the administration's views exclusively. It's hard to understand how these more connected parents who have access to the officials and politicians would want to be aiding the enemy, as it were, since it's clear that there is a boatload of nefarious trouble plaguing the system. It isn't a situation of innocent mistakes. The more that gets uncovered the more obvious it is that there is a real conspiracy to keep the truth from the public here in Melrose, in ways that wouldn't have been allowed in other communities where some of us have lived. If the "power parents" who are helping the mayor and superintendent run things (into the ground?) know on some level that there is great harm being done, how can they look the other way and continue supporting this political structure when it is harming even their own children? How can anyone read the OCR documents and not see the truth of what's going on and not be first outraged and ashamed and then frantic about the need to correct such an ugly and dangerous situation for our children and our community? What does this say about Melrose if these awful things are and have been taking place under our collective noses and yet there is no sufficient reaction to begin addressing it? Seriously, many of us who are slowly (regrettably) beginning to understand this are thinking we made a big mistake to invest in homes here.

Why don't all those that complain on here just show up at the meetings? There seems to be only a few brave souls.

You did, but you were lied to at every turn, starting with the boatload of real estate agents who are actively involved in this charade. All they care about is sales, and if they have to lie to you about the state of the City, and especially the school department, they do so eagerly and willingly. One in particular stands out, and most everyone in Melrose knows who she is.

Really, though, they are just vultures picking at a rotting corpse for their own benefit. The real villans in this pitiful drama are the elected officials running the show, starting with that disgusting individual in the big office at City Hall. For him, it's all about gaining and retaining power. If kids and families suffer as a consequence, to him it's just acceptable collateral damage.

So now you are beginning to realize how you were snookered. What are you going to do about it?

They don't show up because they don't exist.
This recent override was not the first time an override was defeated in this town and had nothing to do with the MM whiners or their favorite elected officials. The override did not pass because Melrose will never go for a non-specific override. In the future, it the need arise and if the city leaders do a better job laying out their need for the funds, the citizens will respond as they have done in the past.
Regarding the lack of public speakers it is simple...they don't exist. Take for example, the raise for the Mayor's position a few years ago. This site was full of whiners and conspiracy theory enthusiasts. Yet, when it came time for public participation the chamber was full of Dolan supporter and just 1 or 2 detractors. The same with all of the other issues out here. There is an avalanche of whining on this site but just the same guy showing up at PP each week. A bunch of nonsense really.
And with regard to having buyer's remorse for buying in Melrose...you are in luck. Realtor.com recently listed Melrose as the hottest zip code in the US. Put your house on the Market and it will be snapped up in no time and you are free to go where you would like.

Typical - nonsense from nonsense! Now go back to your city hall job!

Typical knee-jerk response from one of this site's lead whiners. Sorry to disappoint but I haven't stepped foot in City Hall since I joined the legion of folks that showed up to support the 26% raise for the Mayor's position.

Thanks for clarifying John McLaughlin.

Despite what Realtor.com (now THERE'S a trustworthy source) says, the real estate market in Melrose is like a ponzi scheme, because the values are built on a pack of lies. When the scheme collapses, which it must eventually do, if you're one of those who become instantly upside down on your house because you got conned into buying into a bubble market, there won't be a single thing you can do about it. And guess who's going to make a ton of money no matter what your value turns out to be when you sell? The realtors, who take their 7% no matter what the sale price ends up as. If you're going to bail out, do it now, not later, unless you can afford the hit you're going to take if you wait.

So, I read this message board, I watch the SC meetings, and I try to form an opinion about what is going on here. I think it is clearly more complex than either, "Everyone is plotting against us" or "Things are fantastic here, and there are no problems." I understand that is the case on most issues. However, in terms of the legal costs associated with the OCR and SPED cases, I am more convinced that this is one time where it seems that we are just getting screwed, and the SC is not being transparent, and CT is behaving like she certainly has something to hide. It seems like families have been mistreated, and nobody wants to take responsibility, and there is a PR firm involved to spin the whole thing. It just feels wrong.
Nonsense, I understand that you support the city, so much so, that you were in favor of giving the mayor a raise. Clearly, you are someone who sees the best in this city at all times. What are your thoughts specifically about these legal costs/OCR cases/lawsuits? Is there a way to look at this (your point of view) that makes this all okay? I can't find a way to look at it and not feel like there are shady things going on, and that my taxes are being wasted to cover up incompetence.

I also showed up to give my approval for his raise - but later found out the real truth about that so called salary survey that our prestigious PR put together - we all found out later that statistics can be manipulated by very clever and devious people. Unlike you - I have learned my lesson!

So much nonsense to attack here I really don't know where to begin. Let's start with the real estate point. Is Truly claiming that a real estate bubble exists only in Melrose because of our lying realtors? Is that a serious post? Take a look around our neighboring communities...values are up there also. Do they all have a similar bunch of lying thieves there also? What a joke.
And no, I am not McGlaughlin. But I do laugh at the fact that any anonymous post that has a positive message about Melrose is immediately met with a number of attempts to identify the poster. It is a funny and predictable sign of the insecurity of the gang of whiners out here. Why is it that those that like Melrose really to give a sh*t as to who is posting the all of the nonsense out here?

nonsense, will you answer my question? I am really looking for the positive spin to the lawsuits. Really, I am. If I am being duped into thinking that the SC is a shady and corrupt group, tell me how. You seem to know.

And they want us to believe they have managed all of this "appropriately" (one of Driscoll's favorite and most misused terms)!

Location, location, location.

The realtors in this town, cheesy Babbitts that they are, have nothing to do with the bubble. The fact that it's the first heavily white town with nearby subway access does.

When the government runs out of money to subsidize housing, we'll see which are the communities taking the biggest nosedives in value.

There is a "Melrose bubble". One poster wrote she was beginning to understand that she made a big mistake buying here. There are a whole lot of people who paid an inflated price for their homes based on their perception that we have a first-class school system, said fantasy being hyped unceasingly by the realtors, and by one in particular. Do you really believe that if realtors were honest about the real state of the schools that prices here would be as high as they are? Yes, real estate values have increased almost everywhere (interesting how you tried to spin that to imply I was saying it was only in Melrose that values have increased), but the fantasy of a first class school system existing in Melrose has inflated values here even more than they would have risen otherwise. That, my friend is a bubble - when prices are higher than they should be based on inaccurate market perception.