Board's Investigative Report

Charlie went over what he thought striking from the Board's Investigative report. Here's mine:
  • Another factor that may have contributed to decisions by employees not to take their concerns to the Board was the communication protocol developed in conjunction with the Board and instituted by Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson. The communication protocol was intended to streamline requests for information between the Board and District employees and was not intended to cut off employees’ access to the Board. Although the policy explicitly encouraged employees to bring concerns relating to activities that were not in the best interest of the District to the attention of management and promised no negative repercussions for doing so, some employees, including the internal auditor, believed the policy prohibited employees from having direct contact with the Board or the Superintendent. (bold mine)
  • We also discovered that the Superintendent plays no active role in the budget
    formation and instead relies on CFOO Kennedy to develop an appropriate budget for the Board’s approval. As she explained, she delegated budgeting responsibilities to CFOO Kennedy and trusted him to manage the process.
  • In Feb. of 2007 (before MGJ and Kennedy came), the Risk Manager had warned Fred Stephens about his concerns verbally including fraud. He had also sent a memo to Gary Ikeda. Based on interviews with the individuals who had knowledge of the Memo, it
    does not appear that anyone investigated or further pursued the fraud concerns or other issues in the Memo.
  • Stephens claimed the issues in the memo indicated "sloppy" work, not fraudulent work. He claimed he verbally reprimanded Potter but Potter's personnel file doesn't reflect that reprimand.
  • Interestingly, Stephens and the SPS legal department were looking into a suspect contract and they hired the Sutor Group to review the RSBDP's SWR contracting practices. But, that scope did not include personal services contracts or looking for "kickbacks" or other fraud. It was Stephens who dictated the scope of the investigation.
  • Apparently MGJ, Kennedy and Stephens met in Jan. 2009 to talk about the Small Works program but no one remembers what was said and there are no notes. Two days later Stephens sends an e-mail to Kennedy with the "finalized" Sutor report. It said, in part, "If I understood you correctly, you and the Supt. didn't want us to hand out the report." I think he means to the Board. But he goes on to worry that the SAO could have it as well.
  • Stephens makes it sound like after the Sutor report that he wanted to get rid of Potter. However, the investigation could not find anyone or any document to back up that claim. Stephens also did not include the Risk Manager's memo in addition to the Sutor report in trying to get rid of Potter. "We note that, regardless of whether Stephens actually proposed Potter's termination, the fact that he recalls doing so illustrates the severity of the Sutor Group findings and should have resulted in additional oversight of Potter by Stephens."
  • I get very upset at pages 10-11 which outline the RSBDP budget. Potter hired 3 FTE to work as "counselors." At least one was a friend and roommate. All had personal relationships to Potter and most of them were unqualified to the point where Potter hired someone to train them to be qualified. He did this during a "hiring freeze." Some of them got absorbed into the Capital projects area after the program shut down. I find this highly objectionable and told the Board so months ago.
  • Potter did not, when creating the vendor roster of contractors, pre-qualify firms or check references.
The Money:

Information provided by SPS5 indicated that the RSBDP budget and expenditures were as
follows in the years 2007 to 2010:

• In 2007, the RSBDP budget was $582,614, and the program spent $657,057. Of
that expenditure, $540,560 was spent on personal service contracts.

• In 2008, the RSBDP budget was $850,871, and the program spent $761,796. Of
that expenditure, $494,555 was spent on personal service contracts.

• In 2009, the RSBDP budget was $984,251, and the program spent $1,082,323. Of
that expenditure, $557,929 was spent on personal service contracts.

• In 2010, the RSBDP budget was $848,451, and the program spent $579,303. Of
that amount, $287,463 was spent on personal service contracts.

You'll note that in 2007 he went over his budget by over $100k. He did it again in 2009. How this get miss or why did people look the other way?

Comments

Anonymous said…
http://www.aapp-wa.org/

More RSBDP/Silas

Public School Parent
anonymous said…
Thanks for the link Public School Parent. Hard to believe SPS footed the bill for all of this when it had absolutely nothing to do with educating our children. Unbelievable, really.
The Real Arnold said…
That's a great link Public School Parent! Look - one of Potter's consultant buddies is there. The papers Melissa linked to yesterday talk about a Masika Tech. There he is!
Anonymous said…
Mel & Charlie,

You 2 deserve a Pulitzer Prize...

Oh, that's right you wouldn't qualify as genuine reporters: Downtown Admin wouldn't issue you press passes to their canned media events!

ken berry
Michael H said…
Anonymous posted this link in another thread. RSBDP

This is the page that was linked from the district's website last year before they canned the program (yes, linked from teh school district's website. It used to be rsbdp.com (or .org)).

Whoever is Anonymous - thanks for finding this!!
Michael H said…
Is there a way to capture that webpage (and all its links)before it disappears???
Anonymous said…
Melissa, is the school board's executive session on Tuesday open to the public?

I cannot find it on the SPS calendar.
Dorothy Neville said…
Executive sessions like this would all be private. Personnel issues and all.

As for saving the webpage, your browser can do that.

Crisp and Breezy look so young. And so in love. And so affluent that the don't need irons and woks, but can spend thousands on a honeymoon. I guess they get paid well, at least one of them is. How in the world can she be mature enough and objective enough to be an ed director?
hschinske said…
You'll note that in 2007 he went over his budget by over $100k. He did it again in 2009.

The numbers seem off here: I get about $74K over in 2007 and about $98K in 2009.

Helen Schinske
Sarah said…
Nice link, Public School Parent.

Won't be trusting ANY organization.
klh said…
This is a little off topic, but on another thread I read a couple of references to Fred Stephens and AME. Is there a link to the choice of who got the old MLK Building in all of this too? That is some pretty nice real estate.

Maybe I misunderstood the other references - but with all the things being unearthed, it wouldn't surprise me if this were another part of it all.
Michael H said…
Executive sessions are, by definition, private and not open to the public.

See Executive Sessions
RCW 42.30.110
Michael H said…
I cannot resist posting this again. This is the Potter program website he had created while at the district. Click on the link.

RSBDP
Anonymous said…
It is my understanding that if the supe is voted out by the board, that has to be done in a public meeting.

Does anyone know that to be the case?
Observer said…
Thanks for the link to the RSBDP page, Michael. Potter listed the following groups under "Our Community Partners". They may all be worth a look:

WASHINGTON BUSINESS CENTER
wbc.seattleccd.com
Phone: 206-324-4330
Fax: 206-324-4322
Email: info@seattleccd.com

CONTRACTOR RESOURCE CENTER
Phone: 206-329-7804
Fax: 206-568-5121
Email: CRC5000@yahoo.com

FILIPINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
www.fccpnw.org
Phone: 206-781-7361
Email: info@fccpnw.org

NORTHWEST SMALL BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION RESOURCE CENTER
www.snoedc.org/smallbusiness/osdbu.html
Phone: 425-248-4222
Fax: 425-743-5726

WIN WITH WASHINGTON
www.winwithwashington.com

WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC)
www.washingtonptac.org

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
www.wsbdc.org
Phone: 509-358-7765
Email: info@wsbdc.org

URBAN LEAGUE METROPOLITIAN SEATTLE/CONTRACTOR DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITIVENESS CENTER (ULMS/CDCC)
Phone: 206-323-0721
Fax: 206-323-0793
Email: pikarriem@cdcccontractors.com

TABOR 100
www.tabor100.org
Phone: 206-38-042
Email: webmaster@tabor100.org

He also listed the following people as program sponsor contacts on a subsequent page:

Percy F Jones Jr MCS - City of Tacoma Hub & LEAP Office

Mark Wheeler - City of Seattle Dept. of Executive Administration

Javier Valdez - City of Seattle

Luis Navarro - Port of Seattle

Rene Finnie - Port of Seattle Contract Compliance Specialist/DBE Liason, Engineering Department

Leslie Jones - Sound Transit

Forrest Gillette - Sound Transit Diversity Programs Specialist

James Evans - Sound Transit Diversity Programs Specialist

Pete Wall - Tacoma Public Schools

John Huff - WADOT

Silas Potter - Seattle Public Schools

I thought it would be worth noting the names and contact information, in case the website were to suddenly disappear.
Anonymous said…
Also note that

Fred Stephens is listed as Executive Sponsor.

Po3
Observer said…
Also of note: the website lists both Tabor 100 and the Greater Seattle Business Association as Supporting Partners. It also lists as Sustaining Partners the following: Port of Seattle, City of Tacoma, City of Seattle, Seattle Public Schools, Sound Transit, WADOT, City of Bellevue, and Tacoma Public Schools. Individual names were not listed on this page.

I have no idea what the ties are between these groups and RSBDP, or even if they knew they were listed, and I know the state auditor's report goes into it to some degree. I thought it was important to note this in case the website disappears.
Anonymous said…
Someone asked me about the schools that are seismically unsafe within our school district based on a comment that I made on this blog about the condition of our school buildings. I was sharing my outrage about how this Pottergate money has just slipped through our fingers and still our students are not safe in their own school buildings.

Based on the Meany building, the structural report can be found along with a description in layman's terms on this website, the following buildings are in a similar state of disrepair.

Addams, Broadview, Eckstein,Meany, Salmon Bay, Washington Middle School, Wing Luke, Franklin High School and Ingraham High School.

Last summer the district came in and did work on the roof and did some accessible upgrades but didn't address most of the serious conditions described by the district's own reports on the Meany building so the Meany building along with others are still unsafe according to Washington State seismic codes. I know because this is what I used to do as an architect. Part of my job was to ensure that the buildings that we worked on were seismically safe. In California where I worked before moving to Seattle, all schools have to be up to earthquake code. Unfortunately we do not have that law in our state and must rely on our school board and the levy committee to decide what schools will be safer than others.

The Inventory Summary list can be found on the school's website. I would suggest looking at the Meany number under Seismic Mitigation and compare it to other schools to get a sense of the magnitude of the work that needs to be done at each school.

All the schools listed as requiring seismic upgrade would be closed if we had the same law as they do in California. Also, just to let you know, we are in the same seismic zone as Los Angeles and San Francisco so don't be lulled into thinking that there is no risk. There is.

Until we have folks running the show downtown who have our children's best interest at heart, many of our students will remain in buildings that are unsafe.
Observer said…
The full list of names on the "Contact Us" section are:

Fred E. Stephens
Executive Sponsor
festephens@seattleschools.org

Marie J. Cruz
Administrator's Assistant
mjcruz@seattleschools.org

Stephanie L. Ogle
Marketing & Promotions
slogle@seattleschools.org

Quailen L.. Anderson
Business Development Counselor
qlanderson@seattleschools.org

Eleonor Oshitoye
Business Development Counselor
eloshitoye@seattleschools.org


RSBDP
JSCEE
Seattle Public Schools
2445 3rd Ave. South
Seattle WA 98134

Mailing Address:
MS 22-346
PO Box 34165
Seattle WA 98124-1165
Fax : 206-252-0573

There is also a link to a Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/RSBDP/323584070492?ref=mf


Note the use of the John Stanford Center name below the business name, and the Seattle school email addresses. However, each page has the line "All content is the sole property of the Regional Small Business Development Program. All Rights Reserved © 2010" stamped on it, leading me to believe this was the website for Potter's private business, and not his department. There are no other indications anywhere on the website that this is an official Seattle School website.
seattle citizen said…
Has everyone already seen the list of people ("instructors") who trained people at SBDP trainings?
Their bios are fascinating, and I wondeer what tangled webs are weaved...

Part I:
Instructors:

BARBARA ARNOLD
Arnold Services -
computer and electronics industry.
Bachelor of Business Administration PLU
member of the Board of Directors for Tacoma YWCA
member of the Business Masters Exchange Club of Pierce County
Member Northwest Minority Business Council.
CAROLE BUTKUS
Carole Butkus is the Director of the Washington
Business Center at Community Capital Development.
M.B.A. from Washington State University.
BOBBEE DAVIDSON
trainer that specializes in the Microsoft office products,
instructor-led training for community colleges and
universities for over 16 years.
She has also provided soft skills training for local businesses and produced
specialized courseware for specific audiences.
Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from the University of Idaho.
RON ENGLISH
Deputy General Counsel of the Seattle School District,
where his practice focuses on construction, real property and business matters
DALTON GITTENS
Principal of Gittens Architect
Bachelor‘s Degree in Interior Architecture U of O
Master of Architecture Degree and a
Certificate in Urban Design from the University of
Washington.
Actively engaged in the community he
has been a board member of several community
organizations

DR. CHARLES HORNE
Dr. Horne has an extensive background in various
aspects of Commercial, Socio-Economic
Development and Academic activities including but
not limited to Project/Program Management &
Administration; Budget Analyses and Feasibility
Studies; Pre-Development Planning and Management
Consultation; Curriculum Development &
Presentation; Community Relations and Mitigation;
Planned Community Development & Restoration.
Dr. Horne holds a Doctor of Theology, and Doctor of Divinity from
Hardy Academy of Theology; Masters, Public
Administration from Univ. of Puget Sound;
and Associates Degree in
Social Studies from Tacoma Community College.
seattle citizen said…
SBDP Instructors Part II:

Ralph Ibarra
President of Marketeer Unlimited (a Bruno Enterprises
Company). Mr. Ibarra applies his business development and
marketing skills in culturally relevant ways to achieve his
client‘s business objectives. Principal industries served
include aerospace, health care, law enforcement, and
market-focused commercialization of intellectual
property. Ralph is proficient in crafting strategies for
advancing the contracting opportunities for small,
minority-, women-, and veteran-owned business
enterprises in private and public sectors.
PERCY JONES
Percy Jones is currently serving as the HUB Program
Coordinator, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises
Liaison and Title VI Coordinator for the City of
Tacoma. He has worked in the civil rights arena
since 1973. Mr. Jones has attended the Defense
Equal Opportunity Management Institute, American
Contract Compliance Association Training Institute
and other classes, which focused on contract
compliance. He has conducted training for the
Tacoma Community College on How to Bid on
Government Contracts. He has presented
information at numerous workshops, conferences and
trade shows concerning bidding opportunities with
the City of Tacoma.
ERIN NIELSEN
Program Manager for the Washington State
Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at
the Snohomish County EDC. The program serves
1,000 small businesses per year through agreements
with 8 non-profits. Last year‘s efforts resulted in
over $160 million in contract awards for clients. She
brings experienced from working with hundreds of
businesses and learning why they succeed and fail.
TIMOTHY PINCKNEY
EMT CEO of Environmental Management Training,
LLC. Developed a small consulting firm for
OSHA/EPA compliance and designed a manual
approved by local unions and state L & I. Timothy
has trained over 200 people under the Brownfield
EPA grant in hazardous waste operation, confined
space, and heavy metal awareness. Washington State
Department of Labor and Industries Certified Trainer
Asbestos Initial Workers. His is a member of Bates
Technical College Faculty of Environmental Science
Bio-Tech Dept. Member of Washington State
Biotech Committee for Employment. Vice President
of the National Business Exchange Club of Tacoma.
Featured in ―Black Enterprise Magazine‖ for Hazmat
and Microbial Training of evacuees and companies in
New Orleans for the Hurricane Katrina rebuild effort.

JEROME POLITE
Seasoned Information Technology Project Manager.
His most recent employment was with the
Weyerhaeuser Corporation where he worked for the
past 10 years as a Project Manager, System Designer,
and held other Senior Strategic Planning positions in
the corporate Information Technology Division.
Jerome has over thirty-five years experience in
Information Technology. He is an adjunct Professor
at the University of Phoenix.
seattle citizen said…
SBDP Instructors Part III:

STEVE RAPKOCH
Steve Rapkoch is the President of Pro Prep
Enterprises, Inc. and a part-time member of the
William Factory Small Business Incubator in
Tacoma, Washington. Mr. Rapkoch has over 30
years experience managing and owning small
business enterprises specifically in the building
materials and construction industries. He holds a
Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from
Western Oregon University.
SHELLY ROBBINS
Founder of The QuickSource, Inc. specializing in
QuickBooks® Software. Shelly‘s goal is to providebusinesses with the people, resources, and
information needed to make QuickBooks® a simple
yet powerful tool to effectively manage the
bookkeeping tasks and reporting needs for
businesses. Shelly is a Certified QuickBooks®
ProAdvisor.
ANN ROBINSON
Project Manager with 20 years in Technology and
Telecommunications. Ann has successfully worked
in different Fortune companies, such as, The Boeing
Company, AT&T Wireless, and King County. She is
a small business owner of, Innovative Technology
Solutions (ITS). She holds a B.S. in Computer
Science and a MBA in Engineering Technology.
DARRYL L. RUSSELL
Darryl Russell, President of the Russell Group, LLC, is a
well known and successful businessman in the Pacific
Northwest. He spent 25 successful years in sales,
management, and marketing in the communications and
high technology arena with nationally recognized
companies like Xerox, Honeywell, Exxon, MCI, GE
Information Services, and Focal Communications. Darryl
achieved Presidents Club status with Xerox, Exxon Office
Systems, and MCI. He has earned top sales and
management professional awards on multiple occasions
with these companies. The Russell Group is a business
leadership coaching and organizational development
company. Our business is designing and facilitating
processes that enable our clients to pursue excellence.
MIKE STOCKE
A highly respected and effective trainer and IT hard-ware
expert, with over 19 years of experience in Microsoft
office products, QuickBooks, MS Project, and Adobe
software products. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science
degree in Workforce Education from the University of Southern Illinois
Observer said…
Ron English was one of the listed instructors??

Interesting.
Observer said…
The full list of names on the "Contact Us" section are:

Fred E. Stephens
Executive Sponsor
festephens@seattleschools.org

Marie J. Cruz
Administrator's Assistant
mjcruz@seattleschools.org

Stephanie L. Ogle
Marketing & Promotions
slogle@seattleschools.org

Quailen L.. Anderson
Business Development Counselor
qlanderson@seattleschools.org

Eleonor Oshitoye
Business Development Counselor
eloshitoye@seattleschools.org


RSBDP
JSCEE
Seattle Public Schools
2445 3rd Ave. South
Seattle WA 98134

Mailing Address:
MS 22-346
PO Box 34165
Seattle WA 98124-1165
Fax : 206-252-0573

There is also a link to a Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/RSBDP/323584070492?ref=mf


Note the use of the John Stanford Center name below the business name, and the Seattle school email addresses. However, each page has the line "All content is the sole property of the Regional Small Business Development Program. All Rights Reserved © 2010" stamped on it, leading me to believe this was the website for Potter's private business, and not his department. There are no other indications anywhere on the website that this is an official Seattle School website.
Inside said…
I've had a copy of that Sutor report since it came out. If I could get it why couldn't the board? Stephens hired someone to take over Small Works after that report came out. None of us could figure out why Potter wasn't fired.

When you read it you see that the problem they point out is a lack of record keeping. Stephens said he would take steps to improve record keeping. The question that was never asked was Is the missing records hiding fraud?

Everyone inside knew the answer to that. Yes, MGJ as well.
Chris S. said…
Dorothy, heard some things about NW ed director at last DeBell meeting. That's her, right? Well, she's not. A foot-soldier for the Punitive Culture.
Zebra (or Zulu) said…
This connection to the Tacoma Schools is bugging me. Carla Santorno joined Tacoma Schools about the same time the money started moving towards Potter.

Denmark's rot is wafting from all quarters.

Also, the "firewall" which prevents the Board from talking anyone but a small cadre of insiders is looking more and more like a "plausible deniability" defense strategy. The timing (2009) fits perfectly with the height of the scandal.
Eric M said…
A completely new twist in the scandal, at least to me, from the P-I (remember them?)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/436186_schools27.html?source=rss

School scandal: Mystery man ran companies out of Tacoma house
By LEVI PULKKINEN
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

TACOMA - A non-descript brown house with a heavy door and a "no solicitors" sign stands at the dead end of a south Tacoma street.

It's rental house owned by David A. Johnson and home to two companies - Grace of Mercy and Allstate Surveillance & Security - that, according to the Washington state Auditor, received $353,000 in Seattle Public Schools money spent for reasons unclear.
seattle citizen said…
Here's another list of "instructors" at RSMDP, and also a list of "Our Community Partners" at same. These might be repeats, just trying to see the bigger picture.

Instructors (from RSMDP calendar, March-June 2010)
Nita Conlan
Dr. Charles Horne
Steve Rapkoch
Timothy Pinckney
Presenter: City of Seattle Representatives
Presenter: Tacoma Public Schools Rep.
Presenter: WSDOT Representatives
Presenters: Sound Transit Representatives
Presenters: Port of Seattle Representatives
Percy Jones
Kevin Dingle
Theresa A. Stroisch
W. Larry Williams
Shelly Robbins
Mike Stocke
Dalton Gittens
Stephanie L. Ogle [March 2010 Apprenticeships in Construction program]
[new lead? April 2010] Tony Orange [Apprenticeships in Construction program]
Eleonor Oshitoye
Erin Nielsen
Ann Robinson
Barbara Arnold
Kariuki G. Nderu

LINKS to “Our Community Partners” on RSMDP
WASHINGTON BUSINESS CENTER

wbc.seattleccd.com
CONTRACTOR RESOURCE CENTER
Phone: 206-329-7804
Fax: 206-568-5121
Email: CRC5000@yahoo.com
FILIPINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
www.fccpnw.org
NORTHWEST SMALL BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION RESOURCE CENTER
www.snoedc.org/smallbusiness/osdbu.html
WIN WITH WASHINGTON
www.winwithwashington.com
WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC)
www.washingtonptac.org
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
www.wsbdc.org
URBAN LEAGUE METROPOLITIAN SEATTLE/CONTRACTOR DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITIVENESS CENTER (ULMS/CDCC)
Email: pikarriem@cdcccontractors.com
TABOR 100
www.tabor100.org
Observer said…
I know Johnson is a common last name, but there is connection between David Johnson and a Nan Johnson who is/was a Support Services Coordinator at SPS (who is mentioned in some internal emails by Potter), or a connection to Kathy Johnson, the Facilities manager who originally hired Potter?
tenacious said…
Jackpot!

Here is an Excel Database. It is a small business trade category list hanging on the SPS servers.

Sorry about the weird URL.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=39&ved=0CEwQFjAIOB4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattleschools.org%2Farea%2Fpurchasing%2FAlphabyCo9109.xls&rct=j&q=%22CWR%20Resource%20Network%22&ei=1DVrTY_GLYyisAO16smmBA&usg=AFQjCNEQtB0cML-8-vWOFLp2MInZY9LSfg

If the link does not work then google 'CWR Resource Network' (with quotes) and go to Page 4.

Sort by date and look at 9/1/07. These firms/consultants ALL put their RSBDP applications in on the SAME DAY!

AFAR Associates - Anthony N Orange

Bruno Enterprises dba Marketeer Unlimited - Ralph Ibarra

Contractors Resource Center - James Washington

CWR Resource Network - Charles Rolland

Grace of Mercy Outreach Center - David Johnson

PTAC - Erin Nielsen

The QuickSource, Inc.- Shelly Robbins

Tiloben Publishing Company, Inc - Chris Bennett

Urban League/CDCC - James Kelly

Coincidence? I don't think so!

Signed Tenacious
Anonymous said…
Pottergate. Nice! Hope that sticks.

Anyone wanting to research the MLK school sale to First AME church - which maybe involves Fred Stephens? - there's coverage and interesting comments on the CD News blog, www.centraldistrictnews.com
I smell something fishy here as well. Obviously some in the SSS community have the wherewithal to put the pieces together, even if I don't.
mirmac1 said…
What is bugging the hell outa me is how Potter's manufactured joint venture L4 just happened to pick up a nice chunk of the GC/CM Absher's work on Denny/Sealth. Purely negotiated, no-bid necessary. Presuming they're actually performing any work. Goes to show the GC/CM process is being mishandled by MGJ's Cap Proj Div to the tune of multi-millions of dollars.


SAO, how could your performance audit miss that?!
mirmac1 said…
You know who else has got to go? Holly Ferguson, she's been the biggest apologist, dissembler, you name it.

In fact, who all is on the "Executive Management Team"? There should be a major housecleaning here.

I'm afraid an insider (like Brockman) may not have the balls it will take to get rid of the bad seed.
Anonymous said…
The "David Johnson" in question appears to have had a third, defunct business called Sea Tac & Associates, registered at that same address. The Washington State Dept. of Licensing lists two other owners of that business.

A second entry for that same business license lists David Johnson’s full name as David Anthony Johnson.

The business license for Allstates Surveillance lists a co-owner.

Also: Grace of Mercy’s business license expired on Oct 31, 2008, long before they ceased billing the schools.
Anonymous said…
Mirmac1: why don't you call them and ask them? You don't really expect them to answer you on this blog, do you?
Maureen said…
Reading the posts about Ronnie Bryant under the meeting thread above(1/27 p.m.), I'm wondering how much of this goes back to the HR department? It sounds as though no one was doing background checks on applicants. Is this normal?

I know there have been shake ups in HR recently, can anyone from downtown tell us if they are an improvement? I know posters here have complained that someone named Amy was let go, but was she in a position to have prevented any of these hires? Was she thrown under the bus by those who were responsible? Are the people in charge now introducing higher standards? (Ann Chan? The guy from the UCalifornia system? I HATE the new website-you can't find out who is responsible for anything on there.)
Observer said…
On the topic of scandals involving district office hires, anyone remember Dawnmarie Cooper from 2001? She was another district employee involved in felony behavior. She embezzled over a half million dollars from First AME (yup, the same church that bought the MLK building), who declined to press charges against her. Her supervisor at SPS, Art Kono, at the time determined she hadn't stolen district money, but she was removed from managing money after that. Know where the district put her? teaching language arts at Meany Middle school, where she is still teaching today. Oh, and the church spokesman at the time of all this? Bruce Harrell, current city council member.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20010517&slug=ame17m0

This is tangential to the current news, I know. But it is one indication of just how far back the HR problems go.
mirmac1 said…
Anonymous

Before your post disappears, I just want to point out that rhetoric seems lost on you. I'll spell it out next time.
Observer said…
Sorry, haven't had my coffee yet. Dawnmarie Cooper was assigned to Washington Middle School, not Meany, and I think has now retired.
mirmac1 said…
Okay Anonymous,

On second thought, I think you were referring to following up with the the SAO (not with the Executive Management Team and who has big enough balls or not etc). That's eminently reasonable. I will do that. I have already alerted them to Ron English's lousy rewrite of procurement procedures (opening the door to even more abusive contracting practices).
anonymous said…
Oh there have been a lot of scandals over the years.

Remember the lunch lady at Salmon Bay who embezzled what was it, like $30,000 from SPS.

Then there was the drug and alcohol counselor at Rainier Beach High School who was caught selling drugs during his lunch hour.

And Brad Bernatek caught lying last year about graduation rates

And lets not forget the S.P.I.C.E scandal, where $210,000 went missing.

And yes, of course, DawnMarie Cooper who embezzled $500,000 from the first AME church, while employed at SPS.

Just to name a few.....
Got out myself said…
Maureen

The Human Resources department has been going downhill for years as MGJ replaced competent professionals with those whose only qualifications are that they can sit down, shut up and keep opinions to themselves.

They come from thousands of miles away for the Seattle gravy train and spend very little time actually working.

Mostly big meetings about other big meetings and congrats to each other for how good they all are.
Maureen said…
Ok, I don't know whether or not to get my tin foil hat out of the attic but, does anyone else think it's strange that Patty Eakes did the Board's investigation and Pamela Eakes is on the Board of Directors of the Urban League? I have no idea if they are related.
Jan said…
Observer asked:

I know Johnson is a common last name, but there is connection between David Johnson and a Nan Johnson who is/was a Support Services Coordinator at SPS (who is mentioned in some internal emails by Potter), or a connection to Kathy Johnson, the Facilities manager who originally hired Potter?

Allstate Surveillance LLC -- one of David Johnson's businesses, lists, as its members, David Johnson and Annette Johnson. Nan is a common nickname for Annette -- though whether they are the same person, or related, is pure conjecture.
mirmac1 said…
Maureen,

I made the same mistake. I mixed up Patty Eakes with Pamela Eakes (a very well connected, left-leaning activist).
Maureen said…
I don't have them mixed up. Pamela apparently had two teenage boys when Clinton/Gore were elected, so I doubt Patty could be her daughter, but I thought there might be some relationship. Eakes is not a particularly common name.

Just think how Google would have impacted Nancy Drew!
Dorothy Neville said…
Here's a rough little spreadsheet from the Seattle Urban League 990s. Note that the CDCC is a large program, a good chunk of change. What exactly do that program do?

There is another category of program, employment assistance, separate from the CDCC.

The 990s list the top five paid consultants. I added a list of the which construction oriented consultants are on that list each year.
Anonymous said…
Where is the outrage? The passive attitude about this scam is unbelievable!
Unknown said…
Where is the outrage over all of this. The article is good but come on - this is not a PTA meeting. Some heads need to roll and people need to be fired yesterday for this collosal waste of taxpayer dollars. Attention Seattle school system - you are all much too passive over there.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
anonymous said…
Dorothy, I generally find you one of the more thoughtful, accurate, posters on this blog, but I must say that I think it was in extremely poor taste for you to post a private letter between Kristen, Melissa and you, on a public blog, for all to read.

I will also say that I agree with Kristen to a certain extent. If you have issues with Bree that's fine, lay them out, but surely you can find more substance for discussion than how young and in love she is, how much money she spent on her honeymoon, and the fact that she married an SPS math teacher. That is so irrelevant, and does not have anything at all to do with the job she is doing.

How about some substance now. What, if anything, has Bree done to improve Ingraham, or her other schools? How has she gone about doing it? Are teachers and families happy or unhappy with her work thus far? Why, or why not?
Tommy said…
Mel & Charlie, You 2 deserve a Pulitzer Prize... Oh, that's right you wouldn't qualify as genuine reporters: Downtown Admin wouldn't issue you press passes to their canned media events! ken berry

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