John Gullo article response

Burger King Mogul Draws More Standard-Examiner Ink

Thank's, Never been Called a Mogul, out of BK for over 4 years. The first item you are not up to date on.

School board member John Gullo expounds upon his seemingly sudden financial prudence epiphany.

You do not know me do you?

Interesting development in the arena of Emerald City school board politics, with this morning's Amy K. Stewart article, reporting on the latest public statements of recently-dissident school board member John Gullo:

OGDEN — Ogden School Board member John Gullo has a lot of questions when it comes to the district’s numerous construction projects — but it may be a while before he gets any answers.

It has been almost 6 weeks since I first asked, however the public only gets informed at public meeting, I do not send out news releases. You are right, there is not an official board meeting until August 15th. Most of the district takes July off, however I have and still be asking. At the meeting when we got this information, I as others on the board were blindsided. Some of us did react in the few days afterwards.

Gullo believes there are problems with how the school district conducts its bid process. He wants to know exactly what the procedure is and why things are being done the way they are.

No I know the procedure, and I have objected ever since we went out to bid for the school on Washington. I insisted that members of the board be active in the process. Three were, but in the end I am only one vote, and this CM process was only suppose to be used one time considering the lack of experience with in the district staff in building school. I recommended that if the bond were passed we hire are own in house construction manger and bid each project. In the end however I am only one vote and one has to choose which battles one fights and we have many. Now its is not a pleasure to turn to my colleagues and say I told you so.

And he has dozens of other questions regarding the district’s school building projects.

Contrary to what you read in the paper, my question and recommendations were delivered to the board and district prior to my comments being read at the meeting.

"At the end of the day, my confidence level is low," Gullo said. "And I want to check this out."

Bit my optimism is High, the response from this new group of members, not all, but enough has been positive. I actually have gotten a thank you or two fro helping some who did not have expertise in this area to understand. I have never read this Web Page before, but in the short time I am glad that there are experts like yourself.

Of course this is not the first time Mr.. Gullo has raised questions about school board procedures for the bidding and approving of school district construction projects. Mr.. Gullo (who has held a seat on the school board since January 2005) has been speaking out publicly on this subject since -- well -- late last week, to be exact.

Wow! you do not read the paper much or attend any of our meeting's. The standard took my first comments at a board meeting and ran them as a guest editorial. I believe the title was "If the Ogden District was a business I would not invest in it" Then later that year I voted against the teachers contract sighting bad financial management, (check the meeting minutes). Then I got the board to suspend over $ 1,500,000 in capital improvements for a month. Was then over ridden in a final vote, we spent that money on schools that might be closed. They were, what a waste. Where were you that night? There is more, but you know everything, why continue.

Although we don't know what has caused Mr.. Gullo's seemingly sudden awakening to the recognition that school board construction projects should be very carefully examined, we are at least tentatively happy to have Mr.. Gullo now apparently "on board" with us in our constant WCF crusade -- aimed at subjecting ALL ambitious and expensive government plans and schemes to the most strict possible scrutiny.

I spend my time in my real life, last week gave a talk to a group of Ogden Grads at Weber State, expounding on the fact that our youth needs to get involved in the practice. last year I funded a video for Chief Justice Durham's " Dialog on Democracy" a program to get k thru 16 back into the American system. There is more, but I am proud of the work I do. It is the American dream Foundation, not the Gullo Family Foundation. I do what I do because I care, not for notoriety. If I get and it helps me help other, I love it.

At this point we're going to confess that we may indeed be reading too much into Mr.. Gullo's public statements. When it comes to the reporting Mr.. Gullo's specific concerns, today's article is actually fairly thin on the facts. We did nevertheless find some further encouragement in these additional Gullo remarks:

It was then yes, maybe more to come, I met with Amy for two hours and gave her much more.

"I don’t think we should trust anybody," he said.

Including me, good business, I do not mind being challenged. I am responding!

Before any other district projects go to bid, Gullo wants to go through financial details line by line.

Yep, and I will along with others now.

"The $40 million (shortfall) may be right. This all may be good," he said, "but I owe it to the taxpayers to do this right."

I do, and I always have meant it.

Having said all this, we have not overlooked the possibility that these "apple pie & motherhood" statements on Mr.. Gullo's part may have at least something to do with our upcoming Emerald City Municipal election. As our regular readers will recall, Mr.. Gullo has at least once in the past expressed interest in serving on the Emerald City Council.

I love it. No I am not nor have not wanted more, I will not run for the board in 08. I did put my name in for the council, why? because of the things that were suppose to come before the council and a desire to do there as I have in my board position and it was guaranteed to be a short time on it. You see what is lacking in our society today is a lack of desire to serve, heck they hardly vote and never show up at public meeting's. You should be praising anyone who takes the time to get involved, not just right miss informed information.

So what about it, gentle readers? Has school board member John Gullo truly experienced a finance-prudence conversion? If so, the Emerald City school board my have something akin to an Emerald City tiger on its tail. In support of that proposition, we cite the September 26, 2005 WSU Signpost comment from somebody who knows much about such matters:

Not a conversion. Always there, but there was five new members elected, no one new what we were getting into. We learned on the job, and despite a lack of cohesiveness, changed grade configuration, closed schools and passed a bond. The confidence th voter's showed us I hope is still there, No time to check the Signpost. I believe we will do the best we can, but it is a public institution that has been in place for a long time and change is not something it likes. I hope in the future you do support me and most of this board, if we do not get it right, scares the he-- out of me. I pay big property taxes.

"When John Gullo gets a good idea, get out of the way," said Ogden City Mayor Matthew Godfrey. "He's tenacious, hardworking, and absolutely passionate about improving Ogden."

A comment I appreciated and hope I always live up to, I love this town, maybe someday you will understand how much and appreciate it!

And speaking of Matthew Godfrey, we admit we had earlier considered John Gullo to be a dyed-in-the-wool Godfreyite. And we wonder -- now that the "tenacious, hardworking, and absolutely passionate" Mr.. Gullo has publicly advocated the concept of subjecting government-funded projects to careful examination -- whether he'll also be bending the mayor's ear on this subject.

I support anyone who tries to make things better. No one is perfect. In regards to the Rec center at a joint city council / school board meeting I raised my concerns about the deal and how it was guaranteed by the tenants. I also shared my comments with the Mayor. I do often share my thoughts, bad and good. So how do you feel about our city council? How about the commissioners. Oh I guess you missed the commentary between me and one of the commissioners in the paper over their financial management when they raised taxes.

So what do your think, ever-gentle readers? Will John Gullo suddenly start hammering Boss Godfrey about the taxpayer's fundamental interest in keeping a close eyeball on Emerald City projects and resources?

I do what I do when I can, the district has my undivided attention now. Anytime you are able to have a two way conversation give me a call, I will buy lunch, does not have to be at BK and I will not expense it to the district. Or even against my taxes, I will just consider it personal entertainment. Hope to see you on the 3rd or the 4th. Do you support community activities not paid for by tax dollars?

Or are Mr.. Gullo's recent statements mere pre-election political posturing.

No Pre Full Time Retirement, I want to be able to afford the taxes in order to keep living here.

John A. Gullo

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