Upon Further Review

From left, Quincy School Board members Tom Dickerson, Jeff Mays, Bill Daniels, Bud Niekamp and Steve Krause

A gentleman leaned over the press table before the start of last Wednesday night’s Quincy School Board meeting and said to another reporter, “This could be your biggest story of the year.”

Like most Super Bowls, the meeting didn’t live up to its hype.

The board voted to dissolve four standing committees and strip President Melvin “Bud” Niekamp of most of his power with all the flair usually associated with approving a milk contract. The tension that had turned some board meetings into a three-ring circus earlier this year was virtually non-existent. Bud voted no and everybody else voted yes, which has been the way the board has operated for most of the past 20 years, and we went home.

Niekamp’s heart may be in the right place, but just saying “no” to possible tax increases or to any spending measure without offering any concrete alternatives for providing quality education is more stubborn than insightful. And while it plays well to his crowd, it ignores reality. The tax rate for the Education Fund remains at $1.84, the same as it was 20 years ago. Tell me, what else today costs the same as it did in 1989?

On the flip side, the board and administration must diligently debate the merits of any expenditure, including $16 million in proposed life-safety projects, before committing taxpayers’ money, good interest rate or not. The board was successful more than five years ago in addressing problems with the Self-Insurance Fund that threatened to sink the district, so it has proven it can make some hard decisions.

School personnel also need to realize that in today’s economy, 3 percent annual raises and lucrative retirement bumps cannot be seen as automatic. The city of Quincy is discovering some of the consequences of this now.

A good education is serious business. Many of us have kids and grandkids who either have attended or are attending Quincy Public Schools. Can you put a price tag on that? Shouldn’t we want the best for them? Shouldn’t the futures of the most precious members of our families — and our community — trump any ideological debate?

There appears to have been a constant, underlying distrust of the school district during the 30 years I have lived in Quincy. Maybe someone can enlighten us on just what happened more than three decades ago to put the original burr under the saddle of so many Quincy residents.

More importantly, maybe someone can tell us how to remove it. This bickering has simmered for far too long. The late George Allen, then of the Washington Redskins, wrote a book called “The Future is Now.” Maybe that would be a good working title for the Quincy School Board. And maybe it’s time for the community to rally behind, not rail against, our educational system.

There is considerable gnashing of teeth in St. Louis after both Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter were snubbed in the National League Cy Young Award balloting announced Thursday. Wainwright led the league in victories with 19 and Carpenter went 17-4 after coming off the disabled list following two lost seasons, and nearly everyone in Cardinal Nation expected one of them to be crowned.

But Tim Lincecum, at right, surprisingly was voted his second straight Cy Young Award in a vote where only 10 points separated the top three finishers. What is bothering St. Louis fans is that two voters, Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus and Keith Law of ESPN.com, did not include Carpenter on their ballots. Carroll had Wainwright in the top spot, Lincecum second and Arizona’s Dan Haren third. Law voted for Lincecum, Atlanta’s Javier Vazquez and Wainwright in third. Those were the only votes for Haren and Vazquez.

Fellow Mizzou grad Jeff Gordon offers some insight on the balloting on the Post-Dispatch Web site. He writes that Law noted that Lincecum led by wide margins the NL in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and WAR (Wins Above Replacement), “both of which normalize a pitcher’s stats to account for the help he received from his defense.” By a more narrow margin, “he also led the NL in VORP, which adjusts for park.”

OK, there’s no bigger fan than me of compiling, analyzing and remembering obscure sports statistics to spring on unsuspecting friends and family in virtually any social setting, but FIP? WAR? VORP? When exactly did geeks take over baseball? Is nothing sacred? Seems like Ws used to be important. Not to mention being better than 5-5 the second half of the season when your team was still in a pennant race like Lincecum.

To help soften the blow, Carpenter and Wainwright will each receive $100,000 for finishing second and third, respectively, in the voting.

Those expecting a repeat of the July meeting of the Quincy School Board that was dominated by passionate speeches and verbal clashes over the elevation of Melvin “Bud” Niekamp to the presidency were probably disappointed Wednesday night.

Niekamp submitted a letter minutes into the meeting – after some minor haggling with other board members over whether it took a board vote (it doesn’t) to do so – that stated he has no intentions of resigning as a board member or as board president. The letter, read by board secretary Phyllis Stewart, drew no reaction from a crowd smaller than the July gathering. And it eliminated the possibility of Tom Dickerson being elevated to the presidency and a new vice president being selected, which would have added some drama.

Niekamp offered no hints at the possible “conditions” by which he would consider resigning from the board. Among those he mentioned earlier Wednesday was the formation of an ad hoc committee that he would lead that would, among other things, investigate and evaluate the district’s finances and reporting practices. He also suggested an investigation and evaluation of the district’s legal counsel, Dennis Gorman, with whom Niekamp has long feuded. Don’t expect either to materialize. Some members of the crowd lamented as the board went into executive session that too many members of the public don’t seem to realize the district is audited by an outside firm every year, blunting insinuations by some of wrongdoing.

With that moment passing, the board resumed a normal flow of business, which is probably how most School Board meetings should be conducted. Only a handful of speakers stepped to the microphone during two public comment periods, and those who either spoke in favor of Niekamp or in favor of the board’s action to dissolve four standing committees and strip the president of most of his authority were about evenly split. Only two had to be chided by Niekamp for their comments, both Niekamp supporters.

It was surprising that the board had no discussion before voting 6-1 to dissolve the Policy, Finance, Curriculum and Building committees, which were labeled as “dysfunctional” last week by Superintendent Lonny Lemon. There also was no discussion before a 6-1 vote to strip Niekamp of most of his powers. Niekamp , who also was the sole lone vote against a tax levy featuring a projected lower tax rate, did not even speak in his own defense.

Jim Sibbing, a former employee of the Illinois Veterans Home and a Niekamp appointee to the Building Committee, spoke the longest, well beyond the three-minute limit. He questioned the legality of some life-safety projects, without offering any clear specifics, and the need for others. He implored the board to show “fiscal restraint” and to be the “custodians of the money bags” when it comes to spending on these projects, which drew one of the loudest rounds of applause from the crowd.

The board had earlier, however, conducted a lengthy discussion on the merits of moving forward with the life-safety process, including $8.1 million in federal stimulus money earmarked for them. The board voted to proceed with having architects do the necessary paperwork so those life-safety projects can be submitted to the state for approval. It may be the end of the year or early next year before the district hears back from the state. Only then will the board debate whether to go ahead with some or all of the projects.

The next step in the nearly five-month saga is a Monday hearing in Adams County Circuit Court on the quo warranto lawsuit that challenges Niekamp’s position on the School Board. But that suit is probably weeks from being decided. With board members now in charge of committee duties and Niekamp holding only the powers mandated by law, it will be interesting to see how the board is able to conduct its business and address the financial problems facing the district, which, as many pointed out Wednesday night, have been exacerbated by the failure of the state to meet its obligations.

6:56 p.m. — There are a handful of empty seats. A mixture of public and school personnel. All board members are present except Jeff Mays.

6:58 p.m. — Mays just arrived.

6:59 p.m. — Bud Niekamp calls meeting to order.

7:02 p.m. — Niekamp wants to deliver letter to secretary on motion pertaining to his resignation. Bill Daniels told him he could just deliver it, but a vote is taken anyway.

7:03 p.m. — Niekamp’s letter is submitted. He says he is not resigning as a board member or president. Read by Phyllis Stewart.

7:04 p.m. — Board member Steve Krause is the first speaker. He asks for civility and patience.

7:05 p.m. — Jeff Kerkhoff is first speaker before the board.

7:06 p.m. — Kerkhoff says asking question that board seems to be dysfunctional. He had passed out copies of a recent story stamped “Radical? Patriot? Or Diversion?”

7:08 p.m. — Kerkhoff is reading a story that dealt with Niekamp’s response to the hiring of Curt Lovelace’s wife. He wonders if the reaction would have been different if it had been Niekamp’s wife.

7:08 p.m. — Niekamp cuts off Kerkhoff, a supporter, after 3 minutes.

7:11 p.m. — No other speakers. With Niekamp’s decision not to resign, item for dealing with resignation and reappointment skipped.

7:12 p.m. — The treasurer’s report and minutes passed by 6-1 vote. Niekamp sole no vote.

7:13 p.m. — Superintendent Lonny Lemon now giving his report. Mentions Ellington School cup-stacking efforts and success of Quincy High School volleyball team at Class 4A state tournament last weekend.

7:17 p.m. — Most of the seats in Baldwin School Round Room now filled. A few people standing. Standing committee reports next, followed by reports by representatives of board.

7:21 p.m. — Lemon mentions $5.1 million deficit, caused in part by state failing to pay $3.1 million. Hopes district does not have to conduct reduction in staff.

7:23 p.m. — Bob Adrian, Niekamp’s attorney in the quo warranto lawsuit, is in the crowd taking notes.

7:28 p.m. — Curt Lovelace, in describing the last two Building Committee meetings that covered four hours: “We didn’t move an inch as a committee.” A problem with new members on this committee and others is why a vote will be taken to dissolve all four standing board committees.

7:35 p.m. — Discussion of life-safety projects. Board to determine if architects should do work to prepare documents to submit projects to state. Bill Daniels said board is at least three steps away from deciding to spend money. QPS qualified for $8.1 million in bonds through federal stimulus money.

7:39 p.m. — Niekamp said he has been “busy this week,” so Lemon is giving Policy Committee report. Niekamp is chairman of that committee.

7:46 p.m. — Bill Daniels, chairman of Finance Committee, said district is far from being in good shape, but the deficit looks worse than it is. He said the district could not count $3.8 million in tort funds as an asset. More than $1.1 million in state payments have not been made. Those two figures comprise the bulk of the $5.1 million deficit.

7:55 p.m. — Daniels reports self-insurance fund has run a $3.6 million surplus since changes were made in the 2003-04 contract. But he cautioned that $3 million of that came in first three years of five-year cycle. The surplus was less than $50,000 last year with no increase in those covered.

8:01 p.m. — Board votes 6-1 on$30 million tax levy that features projected  lower tax rate. Niekamp votes no.

8:02 p.m. — Board votes 6-1 to dissolve committees with no comment.

8:03 p.m. — Board votes 6-1 to curtail duties of president with no comment.

8:05 p.m. — Robert Shabel calls move despicable and backstabbing. Niekamp asked him to calm down. Shabel, who unsuccessfully ran for a board seat several times, praised Niekamp.

8:10 p.m. — Steve Tenhouse thanked School Board for action and hopes school district can move on. Drew largest round of applause.

8:12 p.m. — Jim Sibbing, new member of Building Committee, believes there has been a “gross misunderstanding.” He believes board should show more fiscal constraints with life-safety projects.

8:15 p.m. — Sibbing says this is not a good time to saddle taxpayers with more debt. He believes some projects don’t legally qualify as life-safety projects.

8:17 p.m. — Sibbing says someone in the district “should be watching the store.”

8:20 p.m. — Board now preparing to go into executive session. Niekamp thanks audience for being civil and that none of the fireworks that dominated his first Board meeting as president in June occurred tonight.

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld a state law that makes it illegal to possess or discharge a gun while intoxicated. Not trying to pick a fight with responsible gun owners, but doesn’t common sense dictate that it’s a bad idea to be walking around with a gun when you’re both loaded?

Proving that it’s never too early to start speculating about the next presidential election, which is still three years away, Tom Bevan and Mike Memoli of RealClearPolitics take a stab at identifying some of the potential dark horse candidates for the GOP nomination in 2012. At least one name may surprise you. Click here for the full story.

The story of the Rev. Henry Willenborg, a priest who spent a decade at Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Quincy, and the son he had with a woman who came here 26 years ago to a Roman Catholic retreat to try to mend a trouble marriage aired last week on CNN. Their son, Nathan Halbach, now 22, is dying of cancer.

See the report here.

The story first gained national attention with a front page New York Times article last month. CNN reporter Gary Tuchman was in Quincy filming part of the report, with footage of St. Peter Catholic Church. The woman, Pat Bond, who now lives in a St. Louis suburb, lived in a house at 25th and Maine. Nathan’s baptism, shown at right, took place in St. Peter Catholic Church. Willenborg has been suspended from a parish in Wisconsin.

In a real shocker, Sarah Palin reportedly points out in her about-to-be-released memoir, “Going Rogue,” that everything that went wrong for the Republican ticket in the 2008 presidential campaign was somebody else’s fault.

Only in American can a nobody become a somebody for six weeks — not to mention a somebody who gave comedians more material than they needed — and turn it into a $1.25 million book deal, a three-week publicity tour (albeit in no major cities and with considerable access restrictions), and national television interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters.

At 413 pages, that means she writes about 70 pages worth of stuff for every week between the national convention and the Election Day loss. Wonder how long the book would have been if, say, she actually had done something besides helping Tina Fey become a national sensation?

Writing for The Nation, Richard Kim and Betsy Reed believe Palin “is the best thing that ever happened to the Democratic Party. Electorally, she is the GOP gift that keeps on giving.”

Kim and Reed go on to write: “Her nonsensical statements may inadvertently provide comic relief, but it’s no laughing matter when serious debate is distorted by the wild misinformation she feeds to her increasingly paranoid base.”

Matthew Continetti, the associate editor of The Weekly Standard and the author of “The Persecution of Sarah Palin,” which is out this week, writes for the Wall Street Journal that Palin is embarking upon an image remake.

Continetti writes that Palin has two problems. “The first is that she’s become one of the most polarizing figures in the country. The second is that voters continue to worry about her qualifications for the presidency, a concern that her abrupt resignation from office (as Alaska governor, midway through her first term) last July intensified.”

Continetti points out that Palin’s unfavorable rating hovers around 50 percent and that 63 percent of all voters said they wouldn’t seriously consider supporting her for the presidency. But he concludes that her problems are solvable and that she has ample opportunity to convince voters she has a clue.

Not to mention being a lot richer while doing it.

Happy 74th birthday to Bob Gibson, the greatest pitcher in St. Louis Cardinals history. Oh, and when people start talking about Andy Pettite being the winningest pitcher in postseason history, keep in mind Gibby started nine World Series games, pitched complete games in eight of them (including a 10-inning stint, giving him 81 innings in all) and won seven in a row. He also had two World Series home runs, one of only two major league pitchers to accomplish that feat.

Pundits and fans are going to spend the next few months pontificating about how the New York Yankees “bought” the 2009 world championship, but their indignation will be misdirected.

True, the Yankees have baseball’s largest payroll at $216 million, or about seven times that of the Florida Marlins. It’s even twice as much as the St. Louis Cardinals, a smaller market team that usually spends money on its players and is successful on the field and at the box office.

It’s true that the Yankees pay exorbitant salaries and have the wherewithal to court the game’s best players, but they also charge exorbitant prices for seats and other amenities as new Yankee Stadium, and are flush with cash thanks to a mega television deal. However, the problem isn’t the Yankees. Or the Red Sox. Or the Angels. Or any other big-market team that spends freely under the rules in which the game now operates.

The problem is with baseball, which has allowed the disparity between the haves and the have-nots to be the widest in all of professional sports. Until baseball seriously addresses the widening payroll gap among its teams, there will continue to be franchises — and their fans — who begin each season knowing there will be no shot at a World Series.

No hope makes for a long spring, summer and fall for our national pastime. And for a long winter of Yankee bashing.