A COMMUNITY MEETING

Well we had our meeting with the NEW FORD TEAM and I must say I was IMPRESSED. The NEW PRINCIPAL DEB RUGGERIO was pleasant and SEEMINGLY open to working with the HIGHLANDS COALITION going forward so everything is going to go smoothly through this transition period. Yep, that' what I MUST say. I mean I was told by a fellow HICO member when I mentioned about writing about the meeting, "Be careful".

Putting my hand to my chest,"Me....". She quickly mentioned she was looking forward to reading my blog. She was a SMART lady NOT to try and hold the reins  on this wild pony.

OKAY MY IMPRESSIONS AND OBSERVATIONS.

I am sure it was just a coincidence he was there but IF I was smart enough to be intimidated I would have been when I walk into the schoolyard going to our scheduled meeting (for about a week now) and out there on his phone was OFFICER FERRARI the TOP COP for LPS.

The meeting actually took place in DEB'S office with chairs around a round table with about six chairs crammed around it while DEB sat behind her desk. Actually there ended up being extra chairs crammed in the doorway. I had one of those.

When I first walked into the office and signed the sign-in sheet and said who I was, my impression was that MS. RUGGERIO didn't know me from ADAM or at least there was no acknowledgement of recognition. HECK, I THOUGHT EVERYBODY KNEW ME. Surely she has heard of the WOTRING WING being built at the new MARSHALL.

When everybody finally squeezed in this tight space we had along with my self were the Executive Director of the HIGHLANDS COALITION WENDY JOESPH, CHAIRMAN LESLIE GREENBERG,LISA CONNALLY from THE FRIENDS OF HIGH ROCK TOWER, DEB HINES parent, KRISTIN MELENDEZ, parent, and MARIAM the LONG_TIME COOK at FORD (back from PRE-DR.CRANE mind you). Not to be outdone, the SCHOOL was represented by DEB RUGGERIO, GALE THOMAS, ALICE GUNNING, SUE ROWE (DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT of LPS), TOM BORGUE (ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER for  LPS) and observing LSC member RICK STARBARD. LPS was not going to be outgunned at this gunfight. Well I did tell everyone I wrote a blog. Didn't want to be accused of carrying a concealed pen.

Well the right things were said, sort of. I mean we will have a place to meet as long as we follow the process for protocol. That's why TOM aka THE TREE NAZI (his words not mine, long story but I will say he was UNFAIRLY dubbed) was there because that's one of the things he does. He did provide some useful info - that the CITY not LPS actually controls usage of outside grounds, ie parking lot and say GARDEN (note to self).

Ole DEB, now she took a little OFFENSE at RUMORS going round that she was planning to close the garden. "Why I never!" she said and I say, "Fair enough". Actually her name never really surfaced in any of the new LANDSCAPING rumors. She and MR, BORGUE advised against believing RUMORS and believe it or not I agree with them.....

IF.....

some of them weren't TRUE. This is the POLITICAL  big leagues.  You ain't dealing with no ROOKIE here! Often there is a thin line between fact and fiction. No one can run away of you if you keep holding their feet to the FIRE!