This story in the Trib demonstrates yet again the lengths to which Dixon will go to keep the public misinformed.

The Duluth school district has completed a voluntary environmental assessment that it says should alleviate concerns about its plans to convert Ordean Middle School into a high school.

I posted a while back that Kerry Leider had lied to Board member Glass about whether the District would perform an EAW. Well, apparently it has completed one. A key to staying employed on Dr. Dixon’s staff is the willingness to tell a lie.

This is not first lie Kerry has told. He now denies that he ever said JCI could earn lots of money on the Red Plan. From my May 20, 2008 post:

As early as last summer Duluth’s most eminent Landscape Architect, Kent Worley, surmised that the language in this contract, which lists many payments to JCI in excess of 2%, could earn the company as much as 10% of total costs. According to one of our newest School Board members, Gary Glass, this figure was supported by our Director of Facilities, Kerry Leider. However, ever since a headline trumpeted $33 million in earnings for JCI Dr. Dixon has repeatedly maintained in print and in person that the contract specifies a 2% earnings for JCI despite the contract’s language to the contrary. The Duluth News Tribune which is reaping considerable advertising dollars from the District has not seen fit to pursue this story.

Is it any wonder I consider Dr. Dixon unscrupulous?

Yesterday’s paper was lying open on my desk with that asinine headline blaring: “District: Environmental study shows Ordean school site will succeed”

What a crock. Sure, You could squeeze a five-story single family home where my two-story home currently sits but why? Consultants will tell whoever is paying them whatever they want to hear. In this case its Dr. Dixon who has said the Ordean site is the “lynch-pin” for the Red Plan. What the hell else would his consultants tell him?

And what the hell was the School District doing hiring people to do an EAW? That is most unusual. Normally some other impartial entity like the City would order it. And why did the District lie about the EAW to a School Board member?

I’m reminded of one of the early thank you note’s I posted that read: “…find a way to stop the Red Plan. If it is left to stand it will be 50x the debacle (and embarrassment) of the Aquarium.”

Consultants told us Duluth would make money because people would flock to see exotic fresh water fish like trout and sturgeon in a tank. To me the best illustration of the Aquarium’s dizzy underpinnings were the dozens of ropes hanging from its ceiling with dried fish carcasses spaced every foot or so on the way down. It was the Aquarium’s risible attempt to wed nature with art.

The people who wrote up that EAW are ….Well, let me just say that the Red Plan has demonstrated over and over the lengths to which people will go to line their pockets.