School Director At Large
4 Year Term
(Vote For No More Than Three)
Meredith Cox Sloan
J. Scott Webermeier
Marie C. Richardson
Diane M. Rastatter
Mike Miller
John Baudek
Larry Pesses
Bob Richardson
The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation… The hand is the cutting edge of the mind. Jacob Bronowski
IT IS WORKING
THINK ABOUT IT
TAKE ACTION
VOTE !
Monday, October 29, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
REPORT CARD SW
Scott Webermeier is running for the school board?
That fact flashes scenes from the movie “Dumb and Dumber”. We can clearly see Scott with his tongue stuck to the flag pole in the middle of winter, because Richard Kastendieck, Mike Smith or David Taylor told him to do it. We are not laughing with you Scott, we are laughing at you. Where has Scott Webermeier been the past four years? It is history, it’s in the books, your friends are convicted crooks, if you don’t believe me we will book a field trip on visitation day, and you can ask Richard and Mike and Mary Lou yourself. You were responsible and we did not forget! Accountability!
Scott is very proud of the fact that he went through the District Three school system; went off to college, came back and took over the family business. Scott has been involved with the schools for years. Scott lends his restaurant to the Rotary for meetings, and is active in the community. The Estes Parkian commends Scott for his community intentions and his past service. When you left office, and the ugliness was uncovered, some sympathy in time could be past your way; you allowed yourself to be used, some people have this need to be liked at any price. We could collectively excuse you for being duped, with phrases like “the path to ruin was paved with stones of good intentions”.
Your “come back” speaks of a different political motive and surreptitious agenda. The tendency to allow Scott the benefit of the doubt has passed, as we wade through the thousands of pages of evidence that convicted your friends “Mike Smith and Richard Kastendeick”. Scott voluntarily pulled the “Bull’s Eye” tee shirt back on. The motives are endless and undeniable; is it ownership, entitlement, friendship, or getting rid of evidence (relocate the bodies so to speak), you have a huge mortgage at FNB (the ugly underbelly of Estes Park politics), take your pick.
To evaluate you as a manager/school board member, the desire to serve is negated by your lack of skills. You failed to manage the managers. In the past, candidates for the school board were few and far between, and you relished the opportunity to be the big fish - in a small pond. The results of your “intentions” are unpardonable, inexcusable, and unforgivable.
Some “new” highlights of Scott’s management of the Schools:
A subsequent state audit by the school board has discovered additional unauthorized checks written to, Craig Belshie and John Wahler.
An additional state audit also uncovered failures by the Special Education program; under the direction of Scott and Richard Kastendeick, and current school board candidate Bob Richardson, who directed the Special Education program. The audit demonstrated an inordinately high and false number of students were labeled “special education”, to procure additional funds. The state audit of these errors will require that the district repay tens of thousands of special education dollars to state and federal government. More importantly, the misidentification of a child as a “special education” student could have a life long effect on a child, your child.
Scott attended District Three schools since the third grade, his kids went through the school, he was on campus every day, and Scott didn’t notice that the place was falling down around the kids’ ears. His commitment to Richard Kastendieck and Mike Smith was so over powering, educating the kids and the condition of the school grounds were secondary.
Scott as president of the school board, tried to convince the board that he could vote twice on an issue to break a tie. The issue at hand was term limits; Scott just could see no need to let go.
Being on a board requires a professional detachment from the emotional; you are responsible for the collective oversight of the education of the communities’ children. Including facilities, curriculum, transportation, administration, and staff, it is a major responsibility. Your position piece in the paper and your resume shouts like a stadium full of gypsies “I’ll pull stings for my friends”.
You are bringing this on yourself, having to write about this is making us nauseous. We are not accustomed to this level of outright stupidity and self righteous “hell with the kids - it’s about my friends” entitlement. Scott you are what is wrong about Estes Park; being voted onto a board (Town Board/School Board/Hospital Board, etc.) is NOT Card Blanc for you and your friends “scratch my back politics”.
The first time your friends used you, to access children and steal from them, and only God knows what else, shame on them; you are coming back to move us all backward, shame on you!
We at the Estes Parkian will NOT be voting for Scott Webermeier, we moved on, the community moved forward.
That fact flashes scenes from the movie “Dumb and Dumber”. We can clearly see Scott with his tongue stuck to the flag pole in the middle of winter, because Richard Kastendieck, Mike Smith or David Taylor told him to do it. We are not laughing with you Scott, we are laughing at you. Where has Scott Webermeier been the past four years? It is history, it’s in the books, your friends are convicted crooks, if you don’t believe me we will book a field trip on visitation day, and you can ask Richard and Mike and Mary Lou yourself. You were responsible and we did not forget! Accountability!
Scott is very proud of the fact that he went through the District Three school system; went off to college, came back and took over the family business. Scott has been involved with the schools for years. Scott lends his restaurant to the Rotary for meetings, and is active in the community. The Estes Parkian commends Scott for his community intentions and his past service. When you left office, and the ugliness was uncovered, some sympathy in time could be past your way; you allowed yourself to be used, some people have this need to be liked at any price. We could collectively excuse you for being duped, with phrases like “the path to ruin was paved with stones of good intentions”.
Your “come back” speaks of a different political motive and surreptitious agenda. The tendency to allow Scott the benefit of the doubt has passed, as we wade through the thousands of pages of evidence that convicted your friends “Mike Smith and Richard Kastendeick”. Scott voluntarily pulled the “Bull’s Eye” tee shirt back on. The motives are endless and undeniable; is it ownership, entitlement, friendship, or getting rid of evidence (relocate the bodies so to speak), you have a huge mortgage at FNB (the ugly underbelly of Estes Park politics), take your pick.
To evaluate you as a manager/school board member, the desire to serve is negated by your lack of skills. You failed to manage the managers. In the past, candidates for the school board were few and far between, and you relished the opportunity to be the big fish - in a small pond. The results of your “intentions” are unpardonable, inexcusable, and unforgivable.
Some “new” highlights of Scott’s management of the Schools:
A subsequent state audit by the school board has discovered additional unauthorized checks written to, Craig Belshie and John Wahler.
An additional state audit also uncovered failures by the Special Education program; under the direction of Scott and Richard Kastendeick, and current school board candidate Bob Richardson, who directed the Special Education program. The audit demonstrated an inordinately high and false number of students were labeled “special education”, to procure additional funds. The state audit of these errors will require that the district repay tens of thousands of special education dollars to state and federal government. More importantly, the misidentification of a child as a “special education” student could have a life long effect on a child, your child.
Scott attended District Three schools since the third grade, his kids went through the school, he was on campus every day, and Scott didn’t notice that the place was falling down around the kids’ ears. His commitment to Richard Kastendieck and Mike Smith was so over powering, educating the kids and the condition of the school grounds were secondary.
Scott as president of the school board, tried to convince the board that he could vote twice on an issue to break a tie. The issue at hand was term limits; Scott just could see no need to let go.
Being on a board requires a professional detachment from the emotional; you are responsible for the collective oversight of the education of the communities’ children. Including facilities, curriculum, transportation, administration, and staff, it is a major responsibility. Your position piece in the paper and your resume shouts like a stadium full of gypsies “I’ll pull stings for my friends”.
You are bringing this on yourself, having to write about this is making us nauseous. We are not accustomed to this level of outright stupidity and self righteous “hell with the kids - it’s about my friends” entitlement. Scott you are what is wrong about Estes Park; being voted onto a board (Town Board/School Board/Hospital Board, etc.) is NOT Card Blanc for you and your friends “scratch my back politics”.
The first time your friends used you, to access children and steal from them, and only God knows what else, shame on them; you are coming back to move us all backward, shame on you!
We at the Estes Parkian will NOT be voting for Scott Webermeier, we moved on, the community moved forward.
Friday, October 19, 2007
REPORT CARD: JB
John Baudeck is an elected official; he was entrusted with the oversight of the Estes Park Town Government, on my behalf as an Estes Parkian. This is our evaluation of his job performance:
We pull no punches concerning our dislike of John Baudeck’s management style. Once John’s stint as ruler of Estes Park is complete he needs to get on with his retirement; he should pick up some other hobby like, wood working or fishing. The community has had enough of his Gestapo tactics. Screwing with this community has been a retirement hobby for John - setting this community back twenty years. Stay away from the schools John. Politically you are a liability; a brief scrutiny of Hizzoner’s record is in order. These are specifics about John’s “leadership” qualities, weaknesses, etc., that indicate larger, endemic flaws.
During John’s spell as mayor, the town has been sued, rightly so, for breaking laws and lost more times than ENRON. For simple things like, the open records act - commonly known as the Sunshine Law, adopting bullet ordinances, simply ignoring the State Constitution, and adopting new town policy as administrative actions - verses legislative functions. Your mayor is the last community eyes on ordinances; policies, and town operations - he must be accountable for the proper and legal operation of our community. Endemic problems: Inability to prioritize, lack of knowledge of Town operations, lack of perspective, lack of accountability to the community, propensity to hide the truth and substitute a false and self serving version. Believes he serves the visitor and or town staff, not the Estes Park Citizen, avoids contact with the voting public.
The police department couldn’t keep John out of the private police files; and the town has private details of business cash flow on each individual Estes Park business, from the Colorado State Department of Revenue. First National Bank, through the town administrator, has direct access to that information - thanks to John and Randy. Endemic problems: Lack of basic ethics, lack of accountability to Estes Park Citizens, bully mentality, lack of basic leadership principles.
By employing dirty and questionable political tactics, the town government under John’s guidance, created deep conflicts within the Estes Valley Community that will take years to heal. Including, but not limited to, in town verses out of town citizens, in town verses out of town businesses, retail businesses verses accommodation businesses, town government verses the businesses community, non profit business verses retail business in the downtown business district, town government verses the school district, town government verses the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce. Endemic Problems: Total lack of understanding of the role of a community leader, total lack of knowledge of the role of a town mayor, the Gestapo tactics of a police bully from Illinois are inappropriate for a small Colorado mountain resort. A leader creates unity, cooperation, and an atmosphere of positive confidence, John created division as a protracted and calculated tactic.
The town received a grant from Home Land Security that was spent on exercise equipment, opening this community to national ridicule. The community came under additional national ridicule for its irresponsible stewardship; becoming an icon for how not to be a gateway community to environmentally sensitive national parks. The mayor and staff laughed it off, and maintained a business as usual coarse toward uncontrolled condo development. Endemic problem: Ties to developers influence fundamental decision making, lack of accountability to the citizens of the community, propensity to politically manipulate and lie (the mayor told the community, he personally called the editor of the magazine and said the editor apologized, that was a lie – the lie was verified), lack of leadership and community vision concurrent to the sensitive environmental location of the community.
After all the disclosure of financial mismanagement by Richard Kastendieck and First National Bank, the school district put its banking services out to bid. When First National Bank did not win the bid, Mayor John Baudeck, the mayor of Estes Park, protested to the school superintendent on behalf of First National Bank - in an attempt to overturn the competitive bid process utilized by the school district, as they attempted to protect the public’s money. The town never utilizes the competitive bid process; the state does not require statutory governing bodies to do so. Endemic problem: Lack of knowledge of the limits of the elected mayoral position, lack of financial responsible oversight of community funds, lack of credibility, lack of proper perspective of responsibilities, lack of understanding the role of a community leader.
John Baudeck declared himself to be the Chamber of Commerce, and systematically spent sales tax money to dismember the Chamber of Commerce - displacing the Chamber with a town funded department. Endemic problems: Lack of leadership (allowed Jeff Barker, David Habecker, and staff to lead him around by the nose), lack of basic knowledge of the functions of a town government, the propensity to lie to the citizens of Estes Park, the lack of integrity, disregard for the laws of the State of Colorado. Lack of knowledge of the function and rights of private business or the proper role of government, he attempted to institute government controlled business in Estes Park.
Recently, John Baudeck spearheaded an attempt to divert $500,000.00 of school district funds into the town coffers. Community infrastructure maintenance is clearly a town venue, and the school district bond, approved by the voters, had very specific intended applications - Town infrastructure maintenance wasn’t the intended purpose. The Town government, under the direction of John Baudeck, attempted to siphon off those bond monies to make improvements to town infrastructure, in the vicinity of the school campus. Deferring that large amount would have been a clear violation of the public trust. The $500,000.00 dollars needed to improve the roads and sidewalks around the school, if memory serves, is approximately the amount John spent on Hermit Park, miles outside town limits - that currently is closed to the public. Evidently it was more important to John to buy land for Larimer County, than it was to improve roads and sidewalks around our schools. Endemic problem: Lack of the ability to prioritize, lack of accountability, lack of community oversight, lack of basic knowledge and perspective of community government functions, lack of financial accountability.
John Baudeck has several law suits hanging over his head as mayor; that he has legally stalled, avoiding the inevitable until his term expires, leaving the next mayor with the bag of worms - a lot like what Scott Webermeier and Richard Kastendieck did to the school district. Endemic problem: Politically and ethically challenged, “Alls fair in politics” mentality - inappropriate for a small resort community in Colorado, lack of honesty, bully tactics, lack of accountability, exposed the community to enormous liability law suits.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy 1925-1968:
We pull no punches concerning our dislike of John Baudeck’s management style. Once John’s stint as ruler of Estes Park is complete he needs to get on with his retirement; he should pick up some other hobby like, wood working or fishing. The community has had enough of his Gestapo tactics. Screwing with this community has been a retirement hobby for John - setting this community back twenty years. Stay away from the schools John. Politically you are a liability; a brief scrutiny of Hizzoner’s record is in order. These are specifics about John’s “leadership” qualities, weaknesses, etc., that indicate larger, endemic flaws.
During John’s spell as mayor, the town has been sued, rightly so, for breaking laws and lost more times than ENRON. For simple things like, the open records act - commonly known as the Sunshine Law, adopting bullet ordinances, simply ignoring the State Constitution, and adopting new town policy as administrative actions - verses legislative functions. Your mayor is the last community eyes on ordinances; policies, and town operations - he must be accountable for the proper and legal operation of our community. Endemic problems: Inability to prioritize, lack of knowledge of Town operations, lack of perspective, lack of accountability to the community, propensity to hide the truth and substitute a false and self serving version. Believes he serves the visitor and or town staff, not the Estes Park Citizen, avoids contact with the voting public.
The police department couldn’t keep John out of the private police files; and the town has private details of business cash flow on each individual Estes Park business, from the Colorado State Department of Revenue. First National Bank, through the town administrator, has direct access to that information - thanks to John and Randy. Endemic problems: Lack of basic ethics, lack of accountability to Estes Park Citizens, bully mentality, lack of basic leadership principles.
By employing dirty and questionable political tactics, the town government under John’s guidance, created deep conflicts within the Estes Valley Community that will take years to heal. Including, but not limited to, in town verses out of town citizens, in town verses out of town businesses, retail businesses verses accommodation businesses, town government verses the businesses community, non profit business verses retail business in the downtown business district, town government verses the school district, town government verses the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce. Endemic Problems: Total lack of understanding of the role of a community leader, total lack of knowledge of the role of a town mayor, the Gestapo tactics of a police bully from Illinois are inappropriate for a small Colorado mountain resort. A leader creates unity, cooperation, and an atmosphere of positive confidence, John created division as a protracted and calculated tactic.
The town received a grant from Home Land Security that was spent on exercise equipment, opening this community to national ridicule. The community came under additional national ridicule for its irresponsible stewardship; becoming an icon for how not to be a gateway community to environmentally sensitive national parks. The mayor and staff laughed it off, and maintained a business as usual coarse toward uncontrolled condo development. Endemic problem: Ties to developers influence fundamental decision making, lack of accountability to the citizens of the community, propensity to politically manipulate and lie (the mayor told the community, he personally called the editor of the magazine and said the editor apologized, that was a lie – the lie was verified), lack of leadership and community vision concurrent to the sensitive environmental location of the community.
After all the disclosure of financial mismanagement by Richard Kastendieck and First National Bank, the school district put its banking services out to bid. When First National Bank did not win the bid, Mayor John Baudeck, the mayor of Estes Park, protested to the school superintendent on behalf of First National Bank - in an attempt to overturn the competitive bid process utilized by the school district, as they attempted to protect the public’s money. The town never utilizes the competitive bid process; the state does not require statutory governing bodies to do so. Endemic problem: Lack of knowledge of the limits of the elected mayoral position, lack of financial responsible oversight of community funds, lack of credibility, lack of proper perspective of responsibilities, lack of understanding the role of a community leader.
John Baudeck declared himself to be the Chamber of Commerce, and systematically spent sales tax money to dismember the Chamber of Commerce - displacing the Chamber with a town funded department. Endemic problems: Lack of leadership (allowed Jeff Barker, David Habecker, and staff to lead him around by the nose), lack of basic knowledge of the functions of a town government, the propensity to lie to the citizens of Estes Park, the lack of integrity, disregard for the laws of the State of Colorado. Lack of knowledge of the function and rights of private business or the proper role of government, he attempted to institute government controlled business in Estes Park.
Recently, John Baudeck spearheaded an attempt to divert $500,000.00 of school district funds into the town coffers. Community infrastructure maintenance is clearly a town venue, and the school district bond, approved by the voters, had very specific intended applications - Town infrastructure maintenance wasn’t the intended purpose. The Town government, under the direction of John Baudeck, attempted to siphon off those bond monies to make improvements to town infrastructure, in the vicinity of the school campus. Deferring that large amount would have been a clear violation of the public trust. The $500,000.00 dollars needed to improve the roads and sidewalks around the school, if memory serves, is approximately the amount John spent on Hermit Park, miles outside town limits - that currently is closed to the public. Evidently it was more important to John to buy land for Larimer County, than it was to improve roads and sidewalks around our schools. Endemic problem: Lack of the ability to prioritize, lack of accountability, lack of community oversight, lack of basic knowledge and perspective of community government functions, lack of financial accountability.
John Baudeck has several law suits hanging over his head as mayor; that he has legally stalled, avoiding the inevitable until his term expires, leaving the next mayor with the bag of worms - a lot like what Scott Webermeier and Richard Kastendieck did to the school district. Endemic problem: Politically and ethically challenged, “Alls fair in politics” mentality - inappropriate for a small resort community in Colorado, lack of honesty, bully tactics, lack of accountability, exposed the community to enormous liability law suits.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy 1925-1968:
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Gee Mr. Mayor, Are You Threatened? You Are So Lame!
Who’s that rap, rap, rapping on my door? Oh, my god, it’s the police! What have I done officer? “You, among many, are breaking the sign code by not having a permit for your sign and having an oversized sign.”
And the Town of Estes Park thinks that ordinance enforcement needs the police? Doesn’t the Town have a sign officer? Is this intimidation just because my sign is promoting someone other than your boss John Baudek?
Of course it is. They have no authority to block a temporary sign and you should tell them to go spit. So, officer, I know you are just doing what Baudek and Randy Randy told you to do, so for me will you please tell them no thank you, I'm keeping my sign?
We’ve brought this up before. Do anything you want and tell the Town to bend over. This Town doesn’t enforce any ordinances and there is no such thing as being grandfathered in. Let’s look at a few violations that are strictly against code and they go unchallenged:
Neon signs. The code is very clear. No beer signs, no flashing signs, no signs other that no-vacancy/vacancy or open signs are allowed. None! Look at the restaurants as you drive by that are breaking the code. Corona, Bud, Miller, blah, blah! They are illegal!
If the police or any other Town employee tells you to do anything you don’t want to do tell them to go spit. Really! It’s like the homeowner’s associations around here that must number in the hundreds. If the HOA doesn’t enforce all the covenants, they can’t enforce any. It isn’t a selective process where some things can be overlooked. Either they are all enforced or they are not enforceable.
No storage facilities or trailers for businesses that want to store inventory. None. How about the Trading Post? What excludes them? The parking lot looks like a construction site. Do you like the statute in front of the Church Shops? That is not permitted but is allowed because Peter Marsh owns the Church Shops. That’s why the Town pays him to include his storefronts in all Town advertising.
Signs for political favorites? Have at it and put them all over the place. It’s a free country, even in Estes Park.
And the Town of Estes Park thinks that ordinance enforcement needs the police? Doesn’t the Town have a sign officer? Is this intimidation just because my sign is promoting someone other than your boss John Baudek?
Of course it is. They have no authority to block a temporary sign and you should tell them to go spit. So, officer, I know you are just doing what Baudek and Randy Randy told you to do, so for me will you please tell them no thank you, I'm keeping my sign?
We’ve brought this up before. Do anything you want and tell the Town to bend over. This Town doesn’t enforce any ordinances and there is no such thing as being grandfathered in. Let’s look at a few violations that are strictly against code and they go unchallenged:
Neon signs. The code is very clear. No beer signs, no flashing signs, no signs other that no-vacancy/vacancy or open signs are allowed. None! Look at the restaurants as you drive by that are breaking the code. Corona, Bud, Miller, blah, blah! They are illegal!
If the police or any other Town employee tells you to do anything you don’t want to do tell them to go spit. Really! It’s like the homeowner’s associations around here that must number in the hundreds. If the HOA doesn’t enforce all the covenants, they can’t enforce any. It isn’t a selective process where some things can be overlooked. Either they are all enforced or they are not enforceable.
No storage facilities or trailers for businesses that want to store inventory. None. How about the Trading Post? What excludes them? The parking lot looks like a construction site. Do you like the statute in front of the Church Shops? That is not permitted but is allowed because Peter Marsh owns the Church Shops. That’s why the Town pays him to include his storefronts in all Town advertising.
Signs for political favorites? Have at it and put them all over the place. It’s a free country, even in Estes Park.
Friday, October 12, 2007
"FRIENDS'
Is it working?
Dear Editor:
The high school has had five principals and as many assistants in the past five years, affecting stability, continuity, morale and traditions of both students and staff. The other schools in the district have had similar turnover as well. The best and brightest administrators in this district, one that was even recognized on the state level, have left. There are huge turnovers in support staff and faculty annually. Are they not mentored, are they demoralized, were they not good hires to begin with – were exit interviews done to assist in future attraction, hiring and retention?
The superintendent that was hired by this board from outside at a very high price was spirited away with a non-disclosure settlement costing the district – how much we’ll never know. Then there was the cost of an interim superintendent.
The school building that we were told was a bad environment for kids now houses a preschool for our most vulnerable community members.
There was a subsequent theft even after this board became aware of previous embezzlement.
This board has approached the other local governmental districts with an adversarial approach both personally and publicly. Mr. Garrett inferred in his letter that the Town (really the Planning Commission) had tried to force the school district to improve the Town’s infrastructure – the philosophy of the code is that development should be asked to pay its way and also help mitigate the impacts on the surrounding neighbors, not too unrealistic considering the community as a whole bears all costs, both financial and otherwise, on both sides of the ledger. The school board’s ‘negotiations’ with the rec. district over the pool cost sharing were more like that of a petulant child, rather than collaborating to make something work for the whole community. These are not us versus them issues – but community issues.
The current board passed a bond issue. Sadly, a building never educated a child. It takes continuity of staff who are mentored, and work in an empowered environment to engage and excite young people about learning and the world around them.
I will be voting for three candidates among the non–incumbents as I believe they have the leadership, experience, best interests of all our students and community in mind and will work to stabilize the core of our educational system.
Sincerely,
Sue Doylen
Estes Park
This past year, the Estes Parkian begged the school board, to provide accountability, before they asked the citizens to borrow a huge chunk of money. Come clean, air out the laundry so to speak, there are dozens and dozens of skeletons in the school board closet which needed airing. This board did not make public, the details of the corruption they discovered and dealt with. They managerially and morally lanced and flushed the boil, but, politically kept a lid on the dirt, instead choosing to attack the dilapidated campus previous boards past forward. Not a bad political idea, one - because it needed doing, and two - it is suppose to be about education after all, and they did attempt to get this communities brain wrapped around that fundamental concept, and three – it is what a responsible adult is expected to do, see a problem and deal with it straight up, take action, shouldn’t we teach our children those values?
Dear Editor:
The high school has had five principals and as many assistants in the past five years, affecting stability, continuity, morale and traditions of both students and staff. The other schools in the district have had similar turnover as well. The best and brightest administrators in this district, one that was even recognized on the state level, have left. There are huge turnovers in support staff and faculty annually. Are they not mentored, are they demoralized, were they not good hires to begin with – were exit interviews done to assist in future attraction, hiring and retention?
The superintendent that was hired by this board from outside at a very high price was spirited away with a non-disclosure settlement costing the district – how much we’ll never know. Then there was the cost of an interim superintendent.
The school building that we were told was a bad environment for kids now houses a preschool for our most vulnerable community members.
There was a subsequent theft even after this board became aware of previous embezzlement.
This board has approached the other local governmental districts with an adversarial approach both personally and publicly. Mr. Garrett inferred in his letter that the Town (really the Planning Commission) had tried to force the school district to improve the Town’s infrastructure – the philosophy of the code is that development should be asked to pay its way and also help mitigate the impacts on the surrounding neighbors, not too unrealistic considering the community as a whole bears all costs, both financial and otherwise, on both sides of the ledger. The school board’s ‘negotiations’ with the rec. district over the pool cost sharing were more like that of a petulant child, rather than collaborating to make something work for the whole community. These are not us versus them issues – but community issues.
The current board passed a bond issue. Sadly, a building never educated a child. It takes continuity of staff who are mentored, and work in an empowered environment to engage and excite young people about learning and the world around them.
I will be voting for three candidates among the non–incumbents as I believe they have the leadership, experience, best interests of all our students and community in mind and will work to stabilize the core of our educational system.
Sincerely,
Sue Doylen
Estes Park
This past year, the Estes Parkian begged the school board, to provide accountability, before they asked the citizens to borrow a huge chunk of money. Come clean, air out the laundry so to speak, there are dozens and dozens of skeletons in the school board closet which needed airing. This board did not make public, the details of the corruption they discovered and dealt with. They managerially and morally lanced and flushed the boil, but, politically kept a lid on the dirt, instead choosing to attack the dilapidated campus previous boards past forward. Not a bad political idea, one - because it needed doing, and two - it is suppose to be about education after all, and they did attempt to get this communities brain wrapped around that fundamental concept, and three – it is what a responsible adult is expected to do, see a problem and deal with it straight up, take action, shouldn’t we teach our children those values?
Call a spade a spade, this is politics, this is business, this is the business of politics. A small group of people have controlled a lot of money in this valley. That is community money; it belongs to the people, look at the number, $60 million of community tax dollars annually, between Town Hall and the School District. The two major employers and major individual businesses in the valley, are Town Hall and the School District, who has access to those funds, is the life blood to a lot of people. Buzzards circle around this pile of funds. John Baudeck knows; and he is attempting to jump from one pile of funds to the other big pile of funds. David Taylor knows; that having both the School District and the Town of Estes Park running that $60 million through his bank annually, is big dollars to him. It’s good to have "friends" and belong to the right clubs.
It is relevant, that after discovering all the fraud and embezzlement, that the current school board moved the school boards sizable accounts out of First National Bank of Estes Park and into Key Bank.
This elected school board was faced with cleaning up the school district, attempting to right the multiplicity of inherited damage. In effect, as a group, they had to clean up and take out the garbage allowed to accumulate over decades, or by association they too would become a part of the problem. They chose to clean it up. They lost some employees, yes, that happens when a new board begins examining a system that was loosely managed - all those people with their fingers in the cookie jar fled, your schools had digressed into a “Peyton Place”.
The Estes Parkian does its home work; we examined the documents associated with:
Public Documents
eblackstone Case, #08004CR014, 74E INVESTAGATIVE REPORT, OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY, EIGHT JUDICIAL DISTRICT, STATE OF COLORADO
Let us remind you, this is a small town, a lot of people were duplicitous in this ugly mess, allowed the corruption to happen out of stupidity, or ignorance, or they too where getting their share. This gross violation on the school system didn’t happen in a vacuum.
This is a typical corruption scenario; starts with walking off with a pencil, then a ream of paper, and special consideration for “my kid”. When elected officials become buddies with staff, next thing you know, the inmates are running the asylum. Like town hall; the trustees socialize with the employees, belong to the same clubs, party together. Randy is on the bank board where trustees hold mortgages, they all schmooze, making things happen for their "friends." The barrier between employees and elected over site is eroded; it becomes a mutual club, where the spoils are shared – corruption. This is a small town, it is tougher to maintain the neccessary decorum and professionalism, when you seek elected office, things change for you, now you must do the tough things, like bust your friend - the pedophile, not look the other way.
Kastendieck was one of the locally generated “administrators” that knew the system, knew how to grease the cog as he filled his pockets. This story is a spider web that casts a pall over this entire community; banks, bankers and banking, sexual deviants - in addition to stealing from the kids. It is an ugly story. Taking out the garbage, is a dirty and thankless task. Politically speaking, if you get your hands around the neck of a rapid dog you had better kill it, if you do not, it will surely bite you and mortally infect you. This school boards’ big mistake, they did not kill the rabid dog. They drove out the money changers, but, they never identified them, never pointed fingers. The Estes Parkian and its staff, has nothing but distain for all those cheats, thieves, and sexual deviants, and we intend to expose them, we intend to choke that rabid dog, by letting all of you read the truth for yourself.
Sue Doylen is only the tip of the spear, and we are grateful that she offered the perfect segway with her article, so that we may expose this circle of dung.
Carefully read Sue’s article again, why is she suggesting that the current school board that exposed corruption is the problem - not the criminals and the corruption? Why is she attempting to redirect your attention, from the good that was accomplished and who accomplished these monumental tasks? Who and what is she protecting now? We know - the Estes Parkian and its staff have spent months digging into public documents, to find the truth.
While Sue Doylen was Mayor pro tem of Estes Park, she went through five town administrators, and as many finance directors, and a bevy of police officers. We will get back to her trail of tears on a later date.
Sue Doylen suggests that it takes a community to raise a child, not facilities and Sue is correct, it does take an entire community.
Let’s hold on here and begin looking at some detail and roster, from case #08004CR014.
Prior to and during the School Board’s investigation:
Sue Doylen (town trustee).
John Baudeck (mayor - retired police chief from Illinois – school district employee at the high school). John Baudeck is a current school board candidate.
Shirley Baudeck (elementary school book keeper - John Baudek’s wife).
Scott Webermier (school board member – school board president). Scott Webermier is also a current school board candidate.
Mike Smith (school board member and school board secretary - convicted pedophile).
Mr. Kastendieck (school superintendent 1997-2004, convicted of embezzlement).
Randy Repola (police officer, Chief of Police, assistant town administrator, town administrator,
Bank Board member First National Bank of Estes Park, Randy has a seat at every commission table- EPURA, Planning, Board of Adjustment, Public Works, Community Development, etc. Randy’s wife works for the school district).
Sue also mentioned:
Mary Lee Deleo (middle school book keeper - convicted of embezzlement). Tom Deleo, her husband, was doing a lot of catering for Mr. Kastendieck.
David Taylor (President First National Bank Estes Park).
When Larry Pesses became the school board president, the board began discovering all manner of accounting idiosyncrasies that previously went unnoticed.
Examples:
There were numerous trips, to a club in Oklahoma called “Habana Inn”, paid for by the school district, on a school district credit card, assigned to Mr. Kastendieck.
Quoting directly from the proceedings of the Grand Jury p 87:
Q. And Mr. Dean, going back to the Oklahoma resort, did you find out which resort that was?
A. The name of it is “Habana Inn”, and what I’d done is gone onto the Web sites to pull up 1-800 numbers, to get the registration. When I pulled up the “Habana Inn” on the Internet, I was pretty sure that the school did not authorize this, because it’s advertised as the Southwest’s largest gay resort hotel. He visited this, as I said, on three occasions.
Accounts at First National Bank of Estes Park, used to move money from the School District’s general account at West Star Bank into Mr. Katendieck’s phony accounts at FNBEP, all these checks by the way, were authorized by Mr. Scott Webermier.
Quoting directly from the proceedings of the Grand Jury p 72:
Q. And that bank president’s name is Mr. Taylor?
A. Mr. David Taylor.
Q. Did Mr. Taylor ever come into contact with you during your visits to the bank?
A. Yes. On my last visit, while I was meeting with Mr. Hull he walked in, and said something to the effect, after introducing himself, that it – this investigation has some of the bank members kind of in a little tizzy or something like that. And he stated that he’s known Mr. Kastendieck for sometime. And he says, “You never quite know what’s going on with your friends.” And he said, “Good luck with your investigation.”
Your friend, was laundering school district money through your bank - at that time there were only two "school district accounts" at First National and twelve accounts at West Star. The statements from First National were being sent to Mr. Kastendiecks home, the twelve at West Star were sent to the school district. Everyone around Richard Kastendieck and Mike Smith got real stupid. Scott kept signing checks, and David Taylor, and First National Bank kept cashing them, eventually the School District transferred all their accounts into First National Bank From West Star Bank. "Friends"
Mr. Larry Pesses, had a heated run in with Randy Repola, current town administrator, who was the Estes Park Police Chief. The confrontation was concerning Mike Smith, and Mike Smith’s penchant for wandering the Estes Park School grounds, despite a Larimer county court order demanding Mr. Mike Smith stay away from schools - until the accusations of child molestation, by an adult, in a position of trust, were satisfied. Randy Repola would not enforce the court order, intended to protect our children from perverts. Who was protecting the children in this community? Susan Doylen (trustee) and John Baudeck (mayor) were directly responsible for Randy Repola's actions. Again Randy accosted Larry Pesses (an elected school board official) on a hiking trail, concerning school board operations. Why was nothing done to Randy, by the trustees or the mayor? They were in charge of law enforcement in our community. In fact, Randy was never reprimanded, in fact, he was given a promotion to town administrator (by Sue Doylen and John Baudeck). Randy Rapola was also awarded a seat on the First National Bank of Estes Park bank board (by David Taylor). Concurrently, Mike Smith pled guilty to child molestation, and is currently required to register as a sex offender, it is rumored that he is currently in jail. "Friends"
John Baudeck/Sue Doylen/Scott Webermier/David Taylor/Richard Kastendieck/Randy Repola/Mike Smith all have a multiplicity of; entanglements, friendships, relationships, bank loans, mortgages, Rotary, all going back decades. Pals, friends, buddies, all networking - making things happen for one another. "Small town friends."
Ask yourself, why would John Baudeck and Scott Webermier run for the school board, and why would Sue Doylen come out publicly against the very school board members that got tough on perverts and thieves? Which perverts and thieves is she protecting now?
Sue Doylen thinks all the businesses in this town are stupid, no moxey (her quote).
Sue Doylen thinks the current elected school board members are petulant children (her quote).
It is working Sue, but not for you and your kind.
Elect the wrong people, and we will get the perverts back in the hallways and money going to “friends.”
Finely, if you are interested, you too can look into the facts, we are working to provide all the details on the web so you can read them.
Caution: when the investigators went through the boxes of files, they were only looking for anomalies associated with Richard Kastentieck. They did not look at all the oddities. There are a lot of people that would like to see that information go away, for good reason.
Vio Con Dios My Friends
Vio Con Dios My Friends
The Estes Parkian
Monday, October 01, 2007
STAY TUNED !
I must confess that I read the local rags the past couple of weeks and typically they are jam packed with Weekly Reader fodder. Chipmunks and fornicating wildlife, great they can just reprint last years copy. Is that all that’s going on?
No it is not!
Pick one, there is a lot going on .
School Board Elections? Hizzoner is Doing What??
EPURA Gasping For Breath What Are The Options? A Score Card.
New Mayor and New Trustees 2008? The Return of Sue Doylan?? , Jeff Barker??
Condos,Condos,Condos.
How Many Businesses Leaving This Year?
Can We Compete with Loveland? It Depends on Where You Buy Your Depends??
Marketing District? The town and chamber divorce remarry divorce remarry divorce remarry, etc. etc. etc, the town is in the back room cooking up a new plan to sock it to you, why is this suspect?
Fees or Tax Pick Your Poison
Its politics in a small town, in the back room in the mayor garage and we keep dragging it into the light of day.
Stay tuned boy and girls, you will enjoy the next few weeks at the Estes Parkian, spead the word!
No it is not!
Pick one, there is a lot going on .
School Board Elections? Hizzoner is Doing What??
EPURA Gasping For Breath What Are The Options? A Score Card.
New Mayor and New Trustees 2008? The Return of Sue Doylan?? , Jeff Barker??
Condos,Condos,Condos.
How Many Businesses Leaving This Year?
Can We Compete with Loveland? It Depends on Where You Buy Your Depends??
Marketing District? The town and chamber divorce remarry divorce remarry divorce remarry, etc. etc. etc, the town is in the back room cooking up a new plan to sock it to you, why is this suspect?
Fees or Tax Pick Your Poison
Its politics in a small town, in the back room in the mayor garage and we keep dragging it into the light of day.
Stay tuned boy and girls, you will enjoy the next few weeks at the Estes Parkian, spead the word!