Voice
Lone Tree 10-17-2013
Lone Tree
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 40
October 17, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
School election: Big issues at stake Vouchers, pay protocol among controversial reform efforts By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com The Douglas County School District is in the midst of what Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen recently called “the most rigorous transformation plan in American public education.” The arguments surrounding that effort are varied, some distinct to Douglas County and others similar to those surrounding education reform nationwide. That makes the Nov. 5 school board election — which could signal a shift in the school board’s direction — the focus of national attention. The race for four seats
on the seven-member board features eight as the United States attempts to restore its candidates, four favoring the board’s re- academic record. The plans also give parform efforts and four looking for a change ents control and choice over their individuin direction. al child’s education, a role reformers see as Controversy has surrounded almost ev- logical and appropriate. ery step of the major educationSome community members al reforms introduced by DCSD, who see DCSD as a test case for inside starting with the voucher prothe nation question the level Turn to pages 8 gram in 2011. The many other of research behind and validand 9 for Q&As with reform pieces include a redesign ity of the changes, their implethe school board of the teachers’ pay-for-performentation, lack of commucandidates and to mance system first introduced nity input, and teacher morale page 10 for a look at in 1993, and a market-based pay they say is declining in the major issues. scale believed to be the first in the reforms’ wake. the nation implemented at the They also question K-12 level. the ultimate goal, District officials and reform supporters with some speculating the cursay Douglas County is leading the way, with rent method of reform will programs and systems that will serve as a lead to socioeconomic segmodel for other districts across the country regation and underfunded
public schools. Bill Mathis, managing director of the Boulder-based National Education Policy Center, says evidence shows the reforms that date back as far as three decades remain unproven. “The whole set of neo-liberal reforms has not proven itself to be particularly effective,” Mathis said. “The top-down, testbased reform strategies which include privatization have just simply not paid off. The gains have been so small as to be not meaningful from a policy point of view. They certainly don’t close the achievement gap.” Stanford University professor Eric Hanushek says the reforms not only work, they are necessary to ensure the country’s economic future. Election continues on Page 27
Shutdown puts lives in limbo Politicians point fingers as workers face uncertainty By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com
Clockwise from left, Lone Tree City Manager Jack Hidahl, city resident Michelle Murphy, Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Millet and It’s Brothers Bar & Grill co-owner Marc Fortney play bocce at Fortney’s new establishment on its Oct. 10 opening night. Photo by Jane Reuter
‘Brothers’ joins roster of restaurants Owners ‘pulled out all stops’ on bar and grill By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Marc and Eric Fortney went all out during construction of their first free-standing restaurant. On Oct. 10, they opened the doors to the It’s Brothers Bar & Grill in Lone Tree, the 17th restaurant in the family-owned chain. “We pulled out all the stops,” Marc Fortney said. “A lot of planning went into this.” Though the two-story, sports-themed restaurant opened during football season, its setup is strongly skewed toward summer. Ground- and upper-level patios illuminated by strung lights are dotted with standing heaters, and a large outdoor fireplace anchors the main-floor outdoor area. Four bocce courts open for free play flank the building’s north side. The outdoor emphasis not only expands the restaurant’s 400-plus seating capacity, it’s a visual lure to passersby on
Quebec Street. The site formerly was home to the Claim Jumper, a restaurant known for its oversized portions that closed in late 2010. Marc Fortney, the extroverted face of the company, said he first considered renovating the original space. “I thought it was a spectacular building for a country-western bar,” he said. “It would have cost more to retrofit than to build.” It’s Brothers is designed as a restaurant, sports bar and nightclub. “We want to be a sports bar, but we also want to be more than that,” Marc Fortney said. “As the night goes on, you’re going to hear the music ramp up. If people want to shake a little bit, we’ve got a dance floor.” Wisconsin natives Marc and Eric Fortney opened their first bar in the college town of LaCrosse, Wis. in 1990. Marc Fortney points to their self-employed parents as the source of their entrepreneurial spirit, but said the brothers knew their age could be a hindrance. At the time of that first opening, the two were 26 and 23.
“When we looked at this first bar in LaCrosse, we knew we needed credibility in the marketplace because we were so young,” Marc Fortney said. His parents suggested not only the name “Brothers,” but added “Est. 1967” to the moniker. It’s not the year the company started, but the year Eric Fortney was born and the lifelong partnership began. Marc Fortney takes pride in the company’s scratch kitchens and a menu designed to change with the seasons. Guests at the restaurant’s grand opening gave the city’s newest restaurant positive reviews. “I think it’s amazing,” said Lone Tree resident Michelle Murphy. “It’s exactly what we needed here. You can bring your family here during the day and come back with your friends evenings and weekends.” “This is my new place,” said Lone Tree resident Ray Russell. Marc Fortney sees the proximity of LoDo’s, across Quebec Street, as more boon than threat. “Car lots put themselves right next to each other to give people options,” he said. “We want to provide more options.”
When Ann Humphrey received news recently that she was being furloughed as part of the federal government shutdown, she immediately drove to Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s Jefferson County office and sought answers, while wiping away tears. “I was very upset,” the Lakewood woman said. “I just wanted to vent and let them know how upset I was. I didn’t know if I was going to be getting paid or how long this would last. It was really scary.” Humphrey has been a government employee for the last 25 years, most recently as a management assistant with the Department of Treasury. She’ll probably end up getting back pay, but in the meantime she has no income and plenty of bills to deal with. “I called Wells Fargo to see if they would defer my house payment and they wouldn’t do it for me,” she said. “It’s really stressful. It really is the fear of the unknown.” Humphrey wasn’t the only one facing uncertainty amid the shutdown. Mickey Devitt of Denver is an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board. Her position was furloughed and she, like Humphrey, has been faced with uncertainty about what the immediate future will bring. “I have two young kids and I’m the breadwinner for my family,” she said. “I have half a paycheck to last me until (Oct. 10) and I don’t what’s going to happen after that.” While Humphrey and Devitt triage their bills and forgo unnecessary expenses, politicians point fingers. “We’ve done everything we can to keep this government funded and we are doing everything we can now, knowing that we don’t have a Senate or a president who wants to have a conversation with us,” said Republican Congressman Cory Gardner, whose 4th District includes Lone Tree. Shutdown continues on Page 27
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