<div><p><br style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><em style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><strong>Rim Watson, Superintendent&nbsp;<br>South Routt School District<br><br>Email Communication with Staff Regarding Mill Levy Override</strong></em><span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></p><hr style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><p><span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</span></p><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"In the article from today's (September 28, 2017) newspaper, my perception of the South&nbsp;<span id="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983m_-3943885824190798597:my.2">Routt&nbsp;</span>teachers/employees did not come out nearly as strong as I intended. First of all, the issue with the ballot initiative was not in any way caused by board action/decisions, it was completely created by actions in my office. Those errors caused the board to be in a difficult position of making the best choice from not optimal options. The board had previously discussed trying to get closer to providing competitive salaries for our employees and had voted unanimously to pursue a mill levy override initiative in order to make that an option.&nbsp;</div><div style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">What I want known concerning my perception of the employees now in South&nbsp;</span><span id="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983m_-3943885824190798597:my.3" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span id="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983:tn.8"><span id="m_5446827957200189969:zo.2">Routt</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">&nbsp;-&nbsp;</span><b style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we are very fortunate, as a district/community, to have the quality of employees we have here now</b><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">. We have exceptional employees who choose to work with our students because they value the kids/community, not because of the salary. Kids are fortunate to live in this school district because of the quality of our employees as teachers and as people. We greatly benefit from the fact that outstanding teachers have chosen to interview and go to work in South&nbsp;</span><span id="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983:tn.9" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span id="m_5446827957200189969:zo.3">Routt</span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I am honored to be associated with this school district, learning pedagogy and content in our classrooms and continuously impressed by the work ethic and student-centered perspectives encountered. I, along with the board and administrators, want to ensure we have done all things possible to retain our employees and recruit the best possible individuals to join us.&nbsp;</div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The issue with the ballot initiative came from my office and happened under my watch, I deeply regret it has occurred. I will be in the commons of the high school at&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1620975272" tabindex="0" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4:00</span></span>&nbsp;today if any employees have questions, want to discuss further or make points to me. If you wish to have a private conversation, let me know, and I will come to you."</div><div style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="m_5446827957200189969HOEnZb" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span color="#888888"><span class="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983HOEnZb"><span color="#888888">Rim Watson Email to Staff 9/28/17</span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><hr></div><div style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"At last night's&nbsp; South&nbsp;</span><span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.8" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span id="m_-5926456525308842928:3f3.1">Routt</span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">&nbsp;Board of Education Special Meeting&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">(September 28, 2017)</span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, the&nbsp;</span><span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.9" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span id="m_-5926456525308842928:3f3.2">BOE</span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">&nbsp;voted to rescind the&nbsp;</span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1620975274" tabindex="0" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">November 7, 2017</span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, mill levy&nbsp;</span>override<span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">&nbsp;Ballot Question.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">In a previous&nbsp;<span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.11">BOE</span>&nbsp;meeting, the board voted unanimously to pursue a mill levy override in order to attempt to raise $250,000 annually to "...increase/offer salaries/wages that are more competitive w/ our neighboring districts."</div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">I then made contact with bond counsel in order to create the ballot question wording. That wording was returned to me, after which I made edits based on&nbsp;<span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.12">BOE</span>&nbsp;advice/consultation. I erred in that I did not resubmit the edited Ballot Question to the bond counsel for scrutiny. This led to a miscalculation in the metric to raise the $250,000 not being addressed. The wording in the Ballot Question "...ESTIMATED TO BE LESS THAN $10 PER $100,000 OF A HOME'S ASSESSED VALUE TO PRODUCE THE AMOUNT SET FORTH ABOVE [$250,000]..." was inaccurate. The wording should have been "...LESS THAN $20 PER $100,000..." Staying with the $10 limit would have only raised approximately $114,000 annually.</div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">I discovered the error after the window had closed to edit the Ballot Question. All involved entities were consulted to determine options which let to the&nbsp;<span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.13">BOE</span>making the decision to rescind the ballot initiative. In open session at last night's Special&nbsp;<span id="m_-5926456525308842928m_4125545180729481505:39a.14">BOE</span>&nbsp;meeting, the board discussed wanting to pursue the mill levy override in November 2018 (no final decision made).</div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">I erred in not asking more direct/detailed questions at the calculation of the rate stage and then in not having the bond counsel revisit the edited Ballot Question. I apologize for the resultant failure to be able to pursue a salary increase on this November's ballot."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="m_5446827957200189969HOEnZb" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span color="#888888"><span class="m_5446827957200189969m_-4419196454189458983HOEnZb"><span color="#888888">Rim Watson, Email to Staff 9/28/17</span></span></span></span></div><br>&nbsp;</div><p><br style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</span><br></p></div>

South Routt School District RE-3

The page 'Rim Watson' does not exist