At the school district’s annual award’s ceremony last evening, Cindy Christopher, Tom & Mary Jane Correnti and I were presented with the Distinguished Service Awards.
I’m not a big fan of awards. They’re nice, but receiving them is always a bit awkward. I’m sure there are many deserving volunteers out there haven’t had anyone spend the time to submit an awards package. I admit that it’s nice to be recognized for service to your community, especially when I was chosen for the same award last year. When I received a call last Friday from the district’s Community Relations’ Department informing me of my award, I told them I’d be there.
Imagine my surprise to receive the following e-mail from Mehlville School Board member Karl Frank, Jr. on Wednesday, the day before the awards’ ceremony.
Cindy, Mike, and Tom,
I know I am the last person you ever care to hear from on issues such as this, but I am writing with a request. Let me first say that I can really care less about the Distinguished Service Award, and whether or not you guys receive the award. I do what I do for the outcome, not the recognition, which is why all of my awards and certificates are in a box in my storage room downstairs.I know that you did not solicit recognition from the district either. I know that you were nominated by a supporter or supporters and the committee, upon which I served, scored those nominations the highest of the other seven nominations. Therefore, you are the winners of the DSA.What I am writing to ask you is that you consider refusing the award, not on my behalf, or on the behalf of other board members, but on behalf of progress for the Mehlville School District. Cindy, you were always the first to say that this is about the children, and it is, especially this request. While if we operated in a bubble, and had all of the funding we needed, and the greatest of personnel in place to educate the children of our community, things would be a lot easier, but as you know, we do not. We do not operate, nor educate, in a vacuum.Right or wrong, your acceptance of the DSA will cost this district an enormous amount of political capital, and that is not capital for my sake, or the boards sake. It is a political capital that has been built over time that has allowed us to communicate our message of education effectively, and is largely responsible for our ability to secure an additional $5 million a year for operations. All I am asking is that we set personalities aside, to be magnanimous, and to truly put the district ahead of all of our needs. Please don't reject this idea out of hand. Think on it for a little bit. Weigh the pluses and minuses.I hope that you will see this the way that I do for all of our benefit.Sincerely,Karl-- Karl Frank, Jr.karlfrankjr@gmail.comOwner - Karl Frank, Jr. Consultantshttp://www.karlfrankjr.comDirector - Mehlville Board of Educationhttp://mehlville.karlfrankjr.comCell. - 314.518.7352
Karl was right about one thing. He the last person I care to hear from! I wish our school board all the luck, but with Karl aboard, they’re going to need it.
16 comments:
I know the names of Heins, and Correnti, but little else about your specific volunteer activities. I am more than willing to accept the judgment of the committee that you are each deserving of this award.
Cindy Christopher I DO know personally and have had ample opportunity to witness the time, energy, creativity and compassion she has devoted to this district and our children.
While we are not social buddies and don't exchange Christmas cards, I have spent a great deal of time in her company over the years and, if my life depended on it, I could NOT tell you what political party she favors or for whom she may have voted in any election.
I consider this a GOOD thing. Even when I disagreed with her on specific plans or policies, I have NEVER had the slightest inkling her actions were motivated by any political or religious agenda or anything else other than what she believed might best benefit the children in this district.
I don't give a damn about people who would use this award to make political hay. I can probably name some of those who will. I care even less about them or their opinions.
Karl Frank, Jr. is a legend-in-his-own-mind idiot. He was an idiot when voters elected and then re-elected him. I have every expectation he will remain an idiot for the foreseeable future. If Karl were truly magnanimous, if he wanted to do what's best for the district he would resign his sorry ass from the school board effective immediately.
By the way, congratulations on your awards.
Thank you. I believe you summed it up pretty well.
Mike
again Karl is talkig like a man with a paper butt
Karl the Kommunicator doesn't write that well....wonder who penned the email for him? Either way its foolish, when will "they" quit beating a dead horse?
I think Karl and Stonedick both have paper butts and probably both have touched one and another:
Lets discuss the Call,Karl F, Arron H,and Jimmy S. The relationship between the people is shocking Karl can do no wrong in the calls eyes. Karl may not put all his awards on his wall but he never misses a chance to prove that he has no clue about loyalty to the district. I myself think boards are a waist of time seldom do they produce anything but coffee talk and forums for malcontent uninformed individuals to feel important about themselves. If the local boards were truly concerned about tax issuse they would spend more time informing the public about where the tax dollars are going. The boards i.e. fire and school district should present budgets to the tax payers, flow charts that project the cost of education for up to five yrs. niether group has even attempted this. Always put it to the voters if the district needs something like computors for class rooms r a new firehouse show the community the costr and why we need it. dont threaten with cuts in staffing or busses, ambulance service. dont argue with the unions work on a simple forum of we can give this but it has to go to a vote of the community. No more slanderous editorials by Mike & Bill its a low budget paper that uses the boards to promote discontent. We must remember that these boards r just lowlevel polititions who serve us the voters. whether we agrre with them or not it is us who really control the out come of mehlville not some whiny ass board member who is trying to plug they're name for a higher postion in politics. The call is what its is a paper of opinions and half truths. Mike Anthony and Bill M and I guess J.S. Have combined forces to try and keep the voters from thinking for themselve through. false positives and the distruction of certain entitys. I know that the board had nothing to do with these so called awards that were given. The commitie was made up of parents. whos hearts were in the right place. though the Truth Spot would like to say different. The truth is the commitie made they're decision and has to live with it. But the board did not have anything to do with it. What is a Distinguished Service Award anyway. Maybe Mike Anthony thinks he should get it because he has made nice kissie face with the school board again. I truly dont care all Karl Frank does is beat dead horses and repeat common information if he ever had an origanal thought his head would explode
oldsailor, while I admire your penchant for transparency, we simply can't go to the voters for every darn thing. It's costly to put issues on the ballot for one thing. It's also impractical in tems of making timely decisions.
What we NEED to do is very carefully select the people who will represent us on these boards.
We need much more community involvement and attention to what is going on. Too many people sit on their asses for years on end and too many who do go to the polls are unduly influenced by the last flyer that lands in their mailbox as they are backing out of the driveway on election day.
Also the fire board needs to be composed of seven people like the school board. Three people have been able to destroy the Mehlville Fire District. Had there been seven, at least dissenting opinions would have been expressed.
Otherwise, I agree with nearly everything you say about The Call,
Karl, Hilmer and the rest of the dimwitted and/or corrupt bunch you mention.
Anonymous Thank you for your response. I may have aggagerared the taking everything to the voter part. I know the members of the board I try not to look on them personally but ergo Karl paint. a pretty picture of himself. maybe the board could start publishing more of a cost evaluation to the public. Maye pick three improvments
technology, acedemic, and physical more exercise. get the information from local schools who have outstanding programs who will show the way to or district in getting up to speed. The superintendent has showed a keen interist in a wireless communication for the district. also I've mentioned text books on dvds with updates from websites. Im putting my wife through med school right now and belive me ive spent enough on text books. It seems that the price of oil and education run about the same always changing. I would run for the school board but with my disabilities I cant. But I do S upport the board even when it seems they make mistakes. I think mehlville has a great repore with the teachers as well as most of the parents. Is there room for improvment,always I think the board members should address the taxpayers as one unit if they dont agree with each other thats fine. If that cant make a decision on something they should tade notes look over each others ideas and come to a compromise. being timly is one thing but covering all angles is more important. especially when you have a loose cannon like Karl frank in the group. he has a direct line to the call. and I find that irritating and nonproductive. nothing should go to thwe call with out being previewd by our public relations office. this is to show that may not always agree but at least they r unified in the service of the district.
I am guessing one reason we don't have textbooks on cd is because some of our kids don't have reliable access to computers at home. I would certainly welcome the option of renting cd textbooks for home use if only so my kid wouldn't have to carry 60lbs of books (no exaggeration, we weighed it) back and forth; especially since they slashed the bus routes and he has to walk much further than he did 5 years ago.
And before some old codger jumps in with how tough HE had it back when...yeah, so what?
You also didn't have child car seats and polio vaccines. And, yeah I know, you survived. Well, at least SOME of you did.
The whole idea is to make things better for our children.
that is a dilema about the computors May the Mr Frank being so astute with computors can find away to get laptops for the school district at a reasonable price. I myself have rebuilt old ones for my kids saveed a few hundred. But I have a good friend who helps.
Something new from the truth not
Its seems aanother defendent has been arrested in connection with the former MFPD empolyees Murder for hire trial. Now pls let me explain he just worked for the department, and yes he was the vice president of the union. But that had nothing to ndo with the crime at hand. The hams better realize that this is a trial. not some promotional ad campainge to promote themselves and fool the uninformed public of the true nature of this investigation. No other fierman or administration from the union has been hauled in as a suspect. this has nothing to do with MFPD or Local 1889. said persons involved are innocent till proven guilty and in all positive ways. Both MFPD and The Union should avoid making comments, and seperate themsrlves from this and let the courts handle it. Murder is a crime but so is linking a certain group who had nothing to do with this crime. Bad businiess and the firefighters deserve more respect then that. would the owner of this blog pls place this appropriately within spot of truth south county
steven mueller ran against Hilmer and was originally endorsed by local 1889.
True but the fireman refused to support him, I grew up with Kornhardt and he was never much the whole family was nuts. im not defending the union r trying to upset the apple cart but maybe its time for our fier fighters to come clean and defend themselves from this new damaging evidence from the truth not. Since they seem to know more about the investigation then anyone. Im saddend by the so called connection to the firemen but they have to give an apprirate response to the alligations before the truth not puts the final nail in the coffin of a proud group of individuals. Im sorry gentelmen but this latest response is truly gut wrenching. I feel kind of awkward supporting a group of individuals who allowed this to happen on theyre watch. Kornhardt has sank you and it will take alot to come back from this. your union needs to go public with everything.
Sailor,
Seems you've jumped into the barrel with everyone else and have convicted Kornhardt, Mueller and now the fire union in general before the first two get their day in court. Allegations of wrong-doing are just that - allegations. They mean nothing without proof and accusations are never proof. There is nothing for the fire union to respond to. You've just implied there is some kind of conspiracy within the union to withhold some kind of knowledge that likely doesn't exist. It's very much like trying to prove a negative. How can anyone reasonably expect the union to be able to prove they know nothing about these events to people who are already overwhelmingly biased to believe they must have known something and/or are somehow guilty by association. The union has, in the past, spoken with and evaluated many people who have expressed an interest in serving on the district board of directors and have made decisions concerning who they might support based on those discussions. I feel comfortable that one of the questions asked isn't, "Have you conspired to murder someone in the past or plan to become accused of such a conspiracy in the future". If Mueller was in fact evalated by the union and was considered for endorsement (or was indeed endorsed), he must have appeared to them to be the best person to be able to do the job and support the mission of fire service - to protect life and property.
They did Not endorse him
10:55 Im just stating that the firefighters need to separate from this attempt again from Stonebraker and Anthony, Im fully aware of everyone is innocent till proven guilty. but I also belive this is a court matter and both the board and the union should stay wee away from this until the suspects are either found guilty or not. I have jumped to no conclusion about anything.
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