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Article in Detroit Free Press; January 5, 2006
Topic Started: Jan 5 2006, 08:02 AM (596 Views)
rmille26
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Parents in Livonia hire lawyer to fight schools

January 5, 2006

Email this Print this BY ZLATI MEYER

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Livonia Public Schools parents have hired an attorney to help them undo the district's recently approved plan to close schools and reconfigure grades.

Southfield lawyer Mayer Morganroth said Wednesday that he was going to contact the district by the end of the week to explain the position of his client, Citizens for Livonia's Future. If the district will not change its decision, he said, he plans to file suit against the district in Wayne County Circuit Court within 30 days.

"When a board or agency acts arbitrarily and capriciously, it can be overturned by the court," Morganroth said. "In my opinion, they acted arbitrarily and capriciously."

Morganroth has represented Jack Kevorkian and was recently named to attorney Geoffrey Fieger's legal defense team as Fieger fends off a state investigation into possible improper campaign spending.

Morganroth cited numerous issues with the district's decisions, including a claim that the decision wasn't about saving money because the district has a surplus, and that plan the board adopted is more costly.

On Dec. 5, the Livonia Public Schools board approved a plan to reorganize grades into K-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12 groupings, and to close seven elementary schools. Citizens for Livonia's Future wants to keep the current K-6 grade setup.

Citing decreasing enrollment and financial issues, district officials said the changes will save as much as $2 million during the first year alone.

Contact ZLATI MEYER at 248-351-3291 or meyer@freepress.com.
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rooseveltmom
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Thanks for posting. :)
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parentsw/power
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rmille26
Jan 5 2006, 08:02 AM
Parents in Livonia hire lawyer to fight schools

January 5, 2006

Email this Print this BY ZLATI MEYER

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Livonia Public Schools parents have hired an attorney to help them undo the district's recently approved plan to close schools and reconfigure grades.

Southfield lawyer Mayer Morganroth said Wednesday that he was going to contact the district by the end of the week to explain the position of his client, Citizens for Livonia's Future. If the district will not change its decision, he said, he plans to file suit against the district in Wayne County Circuit Court within 30 days.

"When a board or agency acts arbitrarily and capriciously, it can be overturned by the court," Morganroth said. "In my opinion, they acted arbitrarily and capriciously."

Morganroth has represented Jack Kevorkian and was recently named to attorney Geoffrey Fieger's legal defense team as Fieger fends off a state investigation into possible improper campaign spending.

Morganroth cited numerous issues with the district's decisions, including a claim that the decision wasn't about saving money because the district has a surplus, and that plan the board adopted is more costly.

On Dec. 5, the Livonia Public Schools board approved a plan to reorganize grades into K-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12 groupings, and to close seven elementary schools. Citizens for Livonia's Future wants to keep the current K-6 grade setup.

Citing decreasing enrollment and financial issues, district officials said the changes will save as much as $2 million during the first year alone.

Contact ZLATI MEYER at 248-351-3291 or meyer@freepress.com.

Thank you rmille26 for typing this post...since I do not get the Free Press. It helps to keep us informed.
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rmille26
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Your welcome but I am thinking maybe I shouldn't read it this early in the morning. My blood pressure can't take it. The last paragraph is so disturbing. How can the District keep saying that it will save them 2 million when it is going to cost at least that much for all the renovations, and busses and drivers, etc. Maybe the lawyer can stop them from using that quote, since it is not true.
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grantmom
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rmille26
Jan 5 2006, 08:20 AM
Your welcome but I am thinking maybe I shouldn't read it this early in the morning.  My blood pressure can't take it.  The last paragraph is so disturbing.  How can the District keep saying that it will save them 2 million when it is going to cost at least that much for all the renovations, and busses and drivers, etc.  Maybe the lawyer can stop them from using that quote, since it is not true.

Maybe you should contact the writer (his phone # is listed on the article) and let him know the facts. The 1.5 million they say they will save does not include buying new busses...paying for gas to run those busses.....renovating the mega schools to fit the thousand children that will be packed into them, etc. etc.

P.S. Thanks for posting...we also do not get the Freep
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Anna Krome
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They do keep saying 1.5-2 mil., don't they? The reporters quote the "other" side's position to remain unbiased.

The amount seems to change, depending on who you quote--just like the Demo Committee. How many/who was on that thing anyway?

They have to spend MILLIONS to get this up and going. Where are all those fat contracts going? To the fat cats, right? Meow.

The Demos never created a complete financial statement, outlining complete costs. The BOE approved an incomplete initiative, for which they have no idea if/and will save a dime.

It goes something like this: Okay, let's spend millions and maybe reap--oh, that's right--we're really not sure.

Anna Krome
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grantmom
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so true
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Grant1
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We have just begun to fight!
rmille26
Jan 5 2006, 08:20 AM
Your welcome but I am thinking maybe I shouldn't read it this early in the morning. My blood pressure can't take it. The last paragraph is so disturbing. How can the District keep saying that it will save them 2 million when it is going to cost at least that much for all the renovations, and busses and drivers, etc. Maybe the lawyer can stop them from using that quote, since it is not true.

Stop using the quote since it's not true? That has/has not been even proven, so how can they make the statement? They make it to as an estimate and target goal, there is nothing in data to substantiate it. Anybody can make a statement, and anybody can quote it, but until there is sufficient data to support it, nobody should believe it.
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Anna Krome
Principal
Hmmm. Don't believe everything you read? Sounds good.

How do we put a spin on it, and get that message out?

Let's get those Demos together again, and maybe they can put out a slow-moving, fade-in-out, sleepy, stock photo picture show of cute kids (but not Livonians) and daisies?

Maybe HAL from 2001 can be the voice-over once more. And then, we'll all go into shock again.

Anna Krome

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gr1
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Quote:
 
Maybe the lawyer can stop them from using that quote, since it is not true.


The only thing that will happen is they will need to rephrase their cost savings estimate. Instead of saying it will save the district as a whole 1-2 mil. They will need to say it will save the Operating Expense Account that amount of money. The costs for the renovations will primarily be taken out of the sinking fund, which is a very healthy account, but cannot be used for operating expenses. (Prop A...)
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Grant1
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We have just begun to fight!
Anna Krome
Jan 5 2006, 09:27 AM
Hmmm. Don't believe everything you read? Sounds good.

How do we put a spin on it, and get that message out?

Let's get those Demos together again, and maybe they can put out a slow-moving, fade-in-out, sleepy, stock photo picture show of cute kids (but not Livonians) and daisies?

Maybe HAL from 2001 can be the voice-over once more. And then, we'll all go into shock again.

Anna Krome

Good Morning Dave...did you sleep well?
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that
Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye
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Tyler_Parent
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With oil prices roughly double what they were only ~2 years ago, increased bussing doesn't sound like a very responsible path to take. How does one accurately project those costs over the next 10 years? Let's say for a moment that oil prices will double every 2 years for the next 10 years. Sounds extreme, but just 2 years ago, who would have believed what was in store?
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Grant1
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We have just begun to fight!
Tyler_Parent
Jan 5 2006, 10:12 AM
With oil prices roughly double what they were only ~2 years ago, increased bussing doesn't sound like a very responsible path to take. How does one accurately project those costs over the next 10 years? Let's say for a moment that oil prices will double every 2 years for the next 10 years. Sounds extreme, but just 2 years ago, who would have believed what was in store?

Given the rate of increase on the costs of expendable and durable goods and commodities, there is no way the administration can project any viable cost data that would support any future savings.
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Iliveon-Levandownbytheriver
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The kicker for me is....they picked this plan because of the prediction of declining enrollement right? Well, just like the gas prices..you never know do you??!!

If they have no idea what the expenses are and will be...then how can they say they will be saving soooooooo much money? Who's crystal ball are they using anyway?

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Anna Krome
Principal
I've tried to "study" the enrollment numbers. I may be off here.

The numbers do not look dire to me in any way. For some years, the population changed more/less than 10 kids.

Saying that they've "declined" from 30 years ago does not give an accurate picture of what is happening now.

Any input here? Just seems like another soundbite for the masses to hang onto.

Anna Krome
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