Dearest reader,
Well, well. Hemlock Public School District wants to talk about accurate information. How refreshing. Let's do that. It would be great if they actually would provide some.
Their latest post rolls out the welcome mat for:
"Keyboard warriors, Facebook experts, coffee-shop accountants, curious taxpayers..."
Before adding, with a straight face:
"Just don't make up the answers."
Noted. Written down. Framed, even. ☕
They also want you to know:
"We believe informed communities make the best decisions."
And Superintendent Don Killingbeck assures us the district's job is to hand over "the numbers, the context behind those numbers, and clear information."
Music to a coffee-shop accountant's ears. So naturally, I did what any curious taxpayer would do. I went to the election page they practically begged everyone to visit. I brought my mug. I brought my questions:
• What is the estimated interest rate?
• What is the estimated total principal and interest taxpayers will repay?
• When do the proposed bonds mature?
• What debt does Hemlock currently have outstanding?
• When does that existing debt mature?
• What is the projected debt millage schedule?
• How does the existing debt roll off as the proposed debt is added?
• What are the projected annual debt-service payments?
Eight questions. Eight very ordinary, very findable-sounding questions for a $17.75 million borrowing proposal.
And what did I find?
Pictures. Lovely ones. Project descriptions. Heartfelt reasons why the projects matter. And "0.00 mills," repeated so often I started to wonder if it was the district's mascot.
The actual numbers? The interest, the maturity dates, the existing debt, the millage schedule, the stuff you'd need to, oh I don't know, make an informed decision? Nowhere to be found.
But Don claims they HPS is "informing" the taxpayers!!
Apparently a "coffee-shop accountant" is just supposed to know these things. Or dig through Treasury records, bond documents, and financial disclosures on her own time, in her own kitchen, with her own coffee, right after being told the district's "responsibility is to provide the community with the numbers, the context behind those numbers, and clear information."
I must have missed the fine print where "clear information" means "the parts we chose to share."
Here's a thought, free of charge: the district gets to give its explanation. It does not get exclusive custody of the facts.
And "accurate information" doesn't mean "information filtered through the communications department."
Audits are accurate information.
Treasury records are accurate information.
Bond documents are accurate information.
Debt schedules are accurate information.
Public records are accurate information.
So sure, Hemlock. Let's have that conversation about accuracy.
You bring the pictures.
I'll bring the receipts. ☕👑
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