12/5/98
The Auburn Bulletin12/5/98
Letter: An open letter to Mayor Bill Ham
Many irregularities were noted in the recent year-round school survey conducted by Auburn City Schools. We bring only those with which we are closely familiar to your attention as these incidents and problems have significantly biased the survey results.
As these results may well be used by the ACS administration to justify year-round school in Auburn immediately with the upcoming vote by the Board of Education or in the future at a time when parents and citizens may be less watchful, we want you and the Council to have a record of the problems encountered in obtaining the survey data.
We urge you to consider the enclosed information carefully. The survey instrument shows bias in both Sections A and B, the instructions to voters on how to complete the survey were biased, and the survey was conducted with inadequate controls. Consequently, any results from the survey are invalidated due to these serious irregularities.
Please note the Troy State professional review of the survey, noting fatal survey errors.
Problems in any one of the areas mentioned could be considered a fatal flaw of the validity of the survey. The numerous irregularities throughout cause one to question the intent of the survey ors.
These inappropriate actions by the ACS administration have already caused the beginnings of the destruction of the parent/teacher/school system synergistic bond as spoken to by Drs. Steven Kempf and Chris Newland at previous Council meetings.
Many already feel that their volunteer efforts, whether it be spending time helping kindergartners check out books on a weekly basis or donating items to the PTA only to repurchase them at twice (or more) the cost, are not only wasted but entirely unappreciated by the schools when this kind of waste is permitted to continue.
Distrust between the community and ACS is increasing. How can parents trust school administrators when they continue to receive misinformation as evidenced in the two "fact sheets" parents received along with the "Perspectives" insert in the O-A News, which presented information differently than in the two "fact sheets?" Then, to have many parents who received the fact sheets in the mail, not receive the parent survey in their mail i8 unpardonable. One such parent asked Mary Ann MacKenzie on Nov. 25 when she would be receiving her parent survey in the mail. She was not happy when she was told the survey was supposed to have been completed Nov. 19, almost one week earlier. Dave Elton received calls from people inquiring of him why they hadn't received their survey in the mail. These are just a few isolated incidents. How many Auburn citizens did not receive any information regarding the survey and thus, were not allowed to voice their opinion? The breakdown of our community spirit in supporting ACS began with past experiences, and continues with the year-round school program.
Please review the enclosed materials carefully. We believe you will see the insurmountable problems with the survey and the survey process which, consequently, completely invalidate any results obtained from the survey.
We would enjoy the opportunity to discuss this with you at your convenience. Please feel free to call on us with any questions your may have.
Please address questions about the attached report to Dave Elton, who compiled it.
Concerned Parents and Citizens of AuburnC: Auburn City Schools, Board of Education, Auburn City Council
Article: Citizens speak out against YRS, road closing
By ELIOTT C. MCLAUGHLIN Auburn Bulletin
Citizens' communications dominated Tuesday's Auburn City Council session. While addressing the meeting's agenda took eight minutes, the meeting lasted almost an hour-and-a-half. The topics? Year-round school and the closing of Lee Road 159 (Wrights Mill Road) south of Chewacla State Park. The YRS naysayers kept their comments short, bringing to the Council their concerns that a poll conducted by the school boardÛand given to students and parentsÛwas biased toward YRS rather that the traditional calendar.
David Strobel of Longwood Drive expressed another concern that the board was not releasing the results of the poll to the public until its next meeting Dec. 15.
While the citizens opposing YRS did not speak in length, a small group of citizens living on Lee Road 159 did.
Mary Lou Smith first approached the Council asking what the city's plans were for the road.
Mayor Bill Ham replied that the city had considered closing it for many reasons: To extend the life of the Martin Mariettarock quarry by allowing them to dig where the road lies; the quarry is a prospective water source for the city; and there was "quite an array of police and public safety problems that come with that dirt road and the surrounding area."
A manager of Chewacla added that the state could do something nicer with the 300 acres on that side of the park if the road was closed.
Smith said there was no crime problem, and the road-closing issue has been addressed repeated times in the last 12 years, but to no avail. She added that the road was part of a historical area as it is referenced in Jack Simms and Mickey Logue's pictorial history of Auburn.
Smith argued that the road need not be closed for five reasons: 1) It was not in the best interest of the citizens 2) The road is used more frequently than people think 3) The city shouldn't not close an entry into its limits 4) Previous attempts proved unwarranted and 5) The citizens of the would prefer a compromise, preferably a new road leading into town on the other side of the quarry.
Steve Allen of Martin Marietta said it would be difficult to build another road. His geologist said that the quarry could operate five to 10 more years if the road was closed and the quarry was allowed to dig for rock.
"We haul a tremendous amount of rock out of there daily. the only other source for that (type of) rock is Georgia," said Jimmy Starr of D&J Enterprises. "Everyone in Lee County will suffer if that quarry is not kept as a viable business."
Councilman A.L. Dowdell said if he were to vote right then, he would vote to close down the road because of the future water source and those depending on Martin Marietta for employment.
The other council members were reticent as to their opinions, and no action was taken as the issue was not on the agenda.
In other business:
o Julie Franzen of the public safety department was named Employee of the Month. Service pins were given to: Riley Brice for his five years with the public works department; Thomas Carswell for his 10 years with the public safety department; Ricky Holder for his 10 years with the public safety department; and D'Arcy Wernette for five years with the human resources management department.
o The Council gave its consent to a $20.5 million revenue bond issued by the Special Care Facilities Financing Authority in Birmingham. It will go to refund indebtedness and finance improve ments in three retirement facilities. Wesley Terrace on Gatewood Drive will receive $9.1 million of the bonds.
o The city agreed to purchase 15 ruggedized notebook computers for the police department for $38,430.
o The Council passed an ordinance lessening the time period to keep up political signs. It was 60 days before an election and I4 days after. The new ordinance makes it 30 days prior and seven days after.
o The Council agreed to allow down town merchants to hold a sidewalk sale in conjunction with the Christmas parade Saturday. It also voted to allow a street closing on West Magnolia Avenue for a Jan. 10 concert.