[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Too Big To Succeed

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Too Big To Succeed
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1236554495.shtml


   I heard someone say recently that "committee" is the best one word
   explanation for the lack of human progress to date.
   District 281 is assembling a "Surplus Property and Divestiture Plan
   Advisory Committee" to advise the Board on divesting of the current
   and soon to be surplus property the District owns. Per reliable
   reports from Saturday's Work Session, there will be 27 members.
     * One from each city (Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal,
       Golden Valley, New Hope, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale)
     * One from each 2009-10 Elementary School attendance area (Forest,
       Lakeview, Meadow Lake, Neill, Noble, Northport, Sonnesyn, and
       Zachary Lane)
     * Three School Board members
     * Four Administration members
     * Five "experts"

   That adds up to an astounding 27 members! Where is the audience going
   to sit?
   Suppose you found a distant relative had left you an assortment of
   properties about town, a small office complex, a couple of strip
   malls, two apartment buildings, and a vacant lot, most free and clear.
   You're happy of course, but also have no wish to be a landlord. You
   want to cash out. Do you assemble a committee like this, with some
   neighborhood activists, some realtors, an attorney, a tax accountant,
   an appraiser, and your Uncle Fred? No, you hire a broker, somebody
   that does this for a living. Maybe you hire two or three if there are
   enough properties to subdivide by area. The term "broker" is generic,
   and could apply to a realtor, developer, property manager, either an
   individual or an agency. The point is to have a single point of
   responsibility.
   Said broker will yes, hire appraisers, realtors, inspectors,
   attorneys, maybe a contractor if a little fix-up if necessary. Said
   broker will also arrange for ongoing property management, tax audits,
   insurance coverage, and title searches.
   You do your best to hire the best broker, and with a good contract for
   early termination if need be. Given so much, let the broker do the job
   and quit pretending that you could do the job better. Make sure the
   broker understands: no leases; I want out. And above all, don't hire
   second guessers.
   Why doesn't District 281 do this? Do an RFP (Request for Proposal),
   see who wants the job. Make your best guess, hire, and get out of the
   way.
   I know that certain cities and areas within the District can and may
   indeed flex some political muscle but the Board's responsibility is to
   the District as a whole. Taxes should not go up overall or
   disproportionately in one area as a result. If a city wants something
   "better" they can contact the broker and make an offer.
   If the Board proceeds with this, you'll know it's not working when
   they then form an "executive" or "steering" sub-committee.