The MCAS versus the Parks Department |
The MCAS versus the Parks Department |
Mar 24 2008, 11:15 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,426 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47767.69
QUOTE Under MCAS, City Loses Again It appears that the Michigan City Area Schools can't stand success. Look at all the great press recently. Students attacking each other, attempted poisoning of teachers, 50 percent drop-out rate, and now what very little is left of a growing girls basketball program is being squashed. I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder toward the whole school system employee protection system. I am an entrepreneur, and a business owner and in my world if you don't get things done to go forward you lose your gig. Period. Our school system seems to embrace laziness, apathy and greed. I am an Elston graduate and have lived here most of my life. I have personally directed hockey camps here with Chicago Blackhawks and NHL All Stars. The Michigan City Park Department, led by Darrell Garbacik, helped put together these great opportunities for our local kids, and he and his staff have a great attitude toward our city and, from what I read, they have helped with Mr. Butler's Girls Basketball Academy. I would guess that Mr. Butler spends countless hours of volunteer time and effort to do something positive. He has built this program to the regional level and should feel very proud. Guess what MCAS, you are breaking Mr. Butler's heart. Do we need to do an economic impact study to show the economic benefits this town, its residents and business of this program. It brings young athletes and good people to town and they spend money. I suppose MCAS isn't interested in the girls basketball team selling more tickets, which create revenue and increase the fan base, which is a positive thing. I hope it isn't too late to fix this. MCAS should roll out a red carpet to Mr. Butler and furnish the best gym and facility we have for this program, and if not, Mr. Butler's phone will ring from a neighboring town and they will roll the red carpet out to him and Michigan City loses again. We wonder why we can't grow our town and bring good people here to live. Until we fix our school system and its attitude, the downward spiral will continue. Mr. Butler, "Keep Diggin", you have a great program that needs to continue. Tim Jahnz Michigan City http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47767.69 QUOTE Schools Wasted Cash Fighting Girls I have previously shed light on the Michigan City Area Schools' decision to block our Michigan City youth girls basketball program (Michigan City Basketball Academy) from using gyms while never actually telling our program why we were being denied. Out of courtesy to MCAS I left out a few details hoping that they would come to their senses, but I see that was a pipe dream. I am curious if the taxpayers of Michigan City know just how much of their money was wasted by MCAS and its legal staff fighting to ensure a group of MCAS kids would not be allowed to use facilities that they allow other MC Park and Recreation programs to use freely without question. I ask the school board president to release that information to the public so they can truly get a picture on this waste of money. They had no problems forking over thousands to their attorneys to ensure these kids could not use an empty gym, I guess their attorneys are more important than our kids, as it would have cost them nothing to let them play. Now I see that School Board President Clyde Zeek has fingered MCHS Athletic Director Robert "Bear" Falls as the person responsible for our program's demise. Given all the conversations I personally had with Mr. Falls related to this issue I find it ironic that he always claimed to support our program, and was working to see we got gym time, as he believed our program was a great feeder system for our MCHS Lady Wolves basketball program. Something sure smells funny surrounding this issue to say the least. He was in favor of our program, saw its relevance, and yet has sought to deny us access to gyms sitting un-used? Seems somebody needs to figure out which story they are going to tell. I cannot believe MCAS can do business this way, or does morality have no place in our school administration now? How can we expect students to respect a school system when this type of action is allowed to take place? Roger Butler Lady Wolves Basketball Assistant Coach Organizer, Coach Michigan City Basketball Academy |
Mar 28 2008, 02:27 PM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,426 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
Good for Chuck stepping in and trying to fix this. Hopefully we see more of this leadership.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=11492 QUOTE Oberlie Talks To MCAS, Parks Agreement reached, and girls basketball program may be back on the courts soon. Jason Miller The News-Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY - The recent dust-up between the Michigan City Parks Department and the Michigan City Area Schools looks like it will come to an end soon. Mayor Chuck Oberlie mediated a sit-down between representatives from both institutions Thursday. "I feel very good about the meeting," MCAS School Board President Clyde Zeek said Thursday as he walked out of an hour-and-a-half meeting in Oberlie's office. "Given the circumstances, I'd say this is the best resolution for the situation." Oberlie, Zeek and Park Board President Phil Latchford met in the closed-door meeting Thursday to hash out a disagreement between the school and parks department. That rift caused the stoppage of a local girl's basketball program. The school district recently stopped allowing the Michigan City Girl's Basketball Association to use school gymnasiums in what park officials called a breach of a long-standing contract. The contract allowed organizations under the park department umbrella to use school facilities for free. School officials have yet to explain the move, but Oberlie said the trio came up with an agreement that will "straighten everything out," and allow the girls to get back on the court. "I'll have a draft of a conclusion this week that the three of us will sign, then it will have to go before their respective boards," Oberlie said. "I believe we've found a proposal that is good and in the best interest of everyone involved." Last week Zeek told The News-Dispatch MCAS Athletic Director Bob "Bear" Falls was handling the issue, saying he'd had nothing to do with it. Latchford had said Zeek and school board member John Kintzele had been involved in negotiations aimed at resolving the issue. Both men said Thursday, however, the other had been helpful in dealing with the issue that, until handled by Oberlie, couldn't be settled. "Mr. Zeek has always returned our calls and has been willing to meet," Latchford said. "He's been a gentleman." Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com. |
Mar 28 2008, 06:56 PM
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Really Comfortable Group: Moderator Posts: 1,658 Joined: 26-July 07 From: Michigan City Member No.: 482 |
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Mar 28 2008, 09:25 PM
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Really Comfortable Group: Members Posts: 627 Joined: 9-February 07 Member No.: 41 |
Gee, two days after my "take them to the woodshed" post. I'm really beginning to really think city hall reads this board. Well Oberlie sure must not pay attention to his monthly meetings with his dept. heads. They surely brought this to his attention months ago. If not, why are they still his dept. heads? That would be like sending Al Walus to Arizona during Super Bowl week on an education junket after the hiring debacle in the Sanitary dist. oh wait he did send him....... never mind. |
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