End Of 20/20 Recall Campaign.2012 Bond Issue Election Numbers to Think About.

The following E-Mail  was sent to us by Chris Fellin  one of the Bloomfield 20/20 leaders with instructions that it could be shared so we will share it.

 Bloomfield Hills School Board Recall Update

Dear concerned district residents and families,

Led by Bloomfield 20/20, volunteers collected thousands of signatures over a 120-day window, but not enough as required within a 90-day window.  Signed petitions continue to come in.  Petition volunteers learned a lot of people were surprised the combined high school plan was still alive.   They thought the proposal had been rejected in November 2010.  Petition signers told volunteers they are angry with the board obsession for combining high schools and are committed to reject any high school merger bond proposal.

Petition signers were grateful we took the bold step to initiate a recall effort and expressed thanks to volunteers who hit the streets with petitions.  This grass roots team was remarkably successful despite aggressive tactics deployed by board supporters.

I implore you to pay close attention to what the board is saying and what they aren't saying.  Their information/propaganda blitz has already begun and behind the scenes the architectural and construction management firms they have hired will support this bond campaign as well.  These firms have a lot of money riding on bond passage.  I will continue to work tirelessly to provide you with facts, and continue to ask questions of the board and press for answers.

Finally, I encourage you to be prepared to vote against this bond proposal in a likely "stealth" May or August election.  A November election ensures the highest turnout and delivers the only valid voice of district residents on such an important issue as a bond proposal.

Thank you for your interest and participation.  Please feel free to forward this to your family, friends and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Chris (Fellin)


The part about the Recall reads like a concession speech which it is . Recalling the entire board was audacious and seemingly miscalculated.  Not to have recalled a single board member is major defeat. In politics nothing need be irreparably fatal however. There are many voters through out the district who do not have children in the school system, don't know anything about Fielding Nair or a new high school and thought all that was resolved in 2010. 20/20 knows who they are. The School Board/Bloomfield One United people will just be finding out that the vast majority of district voters are not like the people who attend school board meetings or even Town Halls. The days of preaching to the choir are over.

Do pay close attention to what everyone on both sides are saying and not saying. Remember the old poker adage. If you are in the game for 20 minutes and don't know who the patsy is, your the patsy.

A November election  insures the highest  turnout  but it is not necessarily a "valid voice." People in November are there to vote for the President of The United States. That and other important state and national issues will mean  the  high school issue will be of secondary importance and  have little chance of being heard. A November election is likely to insure a No vote. When in doubt or confused or fatigued  by a lengthy ballot  it's easier to say no a $65 million dollar request than "yes".
 In August if  there are primaries going on  the same confusion occurs but on a smaller scale.
May is the best alternative that  focuses directly on the issue of a new a  high school. The turn out will be smaller and favor the group that is best able to rally its supporters and get them to the polls That used to be 20/20. Maybe it still is.

How many petition signatures to you think 20/20 has ? To recall  a single school board member 5000 or so were needed or 35,000 for the entire board. They didn't get that and we surmise they may not have got enough  to recall one or two. Do you think they got 2,000 signatures  per board member ? Maybe 3,000  ?
Maybe somewhere in between. say 14,000 to 18,000.  Signatures don't cost money but they do provide a name and address. In The Bloomfield Hills School District 45,000 live in Bloomfield Township. 4,000 live in Bloomfield Hills.Maybe there are 10,000 elsewhere in West Bloomfield, Pontiac and Auburn Hills.That's 60,000 thousand. What will the turn out be in a one issue May Ballot ? In November it would be 60%. In May 40% would be very good. That's 24,000 voters. How many signatures did we decide 20/20 had 14,000 to 18,000 ? That's enough to win.