12/14/2005

NR School District Hires OTB&L Consulting For Future Planning Needs

After much debate, endless discussions on the future needs of its school district and countless exposures to voodoo math spreadsheets, the NR school board decided to end its contract with the architectural firm STA&R. Apparently, most of the push to get rid of STA&R came from a group of free-market economists from nearby Hudson who were upset with the fact that STA&R expected to make a profit for their services. Dr. Bill D. Oilwell heads the Hudson group, known as OTB&L Consulting.

The group has been a consultant to the Hudson school district for a number of years. Although members of the group have never actually sat down and discussed school district business with the school board or district administration, they feel their ability to write letters to the editor and use anonymous blog names to slander school board members are all the credentials needed. Make no mistake, they are very skilled at standing up at school board meetings and reading five minute presentations. Likewise, they are skilled at writing sophisticated information request to the school district for complex requests. A sample request is “how many miles did the superintendent drive on May 3, 2003.”

Over a very short period, OTB&L has been able to generate brazillians of such requests. In fact, OTB&L has sent in so many requests for information to the school district that, because of the unanticipated revenue flow generated, the US Postal Service may reduce the cost of a 37 cent stamp in 2006.

Self-proclaimed financial alchemists, the consultants at OTB&L claim, if given a chance to put their two-cents worth into planning the future needs of the NR school system, they will be able to turn New Richmond into a two-bit district. That is a 1250% ROI by their estimates. Even the NR school board’s own Dr. No would vote yes to such an opportunity. OTB&L does not expect to get paid for its services until the project is over and the district is completely sucked dry of all government-supplied funding.

OTB&L will systematically approach the district's planning assessments. First, they will evaluate the current space needs. Second, they will evaluate all district school facilities for a possible reconfiguration to meet classroom needs. Finally, if it is determined that new facilities are needed, OTB&L will provide the designs for a variety of building options.

Although OTB&L said it has no agenda for their studies and recommendations. They pointed out that they may live in the past, but they are not going to have the Big Chief tablets littered with facts and figures from previous district planning groups.

Initial Space Study: Phase 1

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