Should Tommy Tanzer be the next Park City School Board member? In many ways yes.
In what had to be one of the wildest school board meetings in recent memory, Park City resident Tommy Tanzer interviewed for the open Park City School Board seat. While the board tried to ask a list of questions, Mr Tanzer wouldn’t have any of it (for a while).
Mr Tanzer began by asking if they could follow Costanza rules for the interview — referring to an episode of Seinfeld where George Constanza said he couldn’t say anything wrong as long as he wasn’t told that it was wrong ahead of time. We’re not sure that episode actually exists… but because Tommy was so authentic, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
He then continued by telling the interviewers they were wasting his time. He called a variety of things going on in the district “bullshit.” He said if the right person wasn’t elected he was going to the press with information. Of course, we don’t know exactly what that information is but again it was entertaining.
When asked about appropriate levels of spending, Mr Tanzer said it won’t be hard to ask the public for money, if they trust the board, because “they piss that much away at lunch.”
Finally he concluded that the board wasn’t interviewing of him; he was interviewing the board.
Honestly, it was the most fun I’ve had watching a local government meeting in a long time (if ever). I kept asking myself… “Is this happening?”
The truth about Mr. Tanzer’s interview is that he will never be picked to be on the school board… and he probably shouldn’t be picked. He even said so during the interview.
However, in every joke there is a little bit of truth. In the case of Tommy, there was a lot of truth.
So, we’d encourage you to take 25 minutes of your time and watch the interview of Tommy Tanzer… the guy who won’t be a Park City School Board Member but in many ways should be.
One of the problems the Park City School District has had is authenticity. You can bring up many issues with Mr Tanzer’s presentation… but authenticity isn’t one.
You want someone who had negotiated “the best raise for teachers ever” and won’t hold a punch? Call your school board representative and tell them you want Tommy.
Here is the video:
Parkrag
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Comments
16 Comments
That was amazing, having known him for decades I am sure his heart is in the right place. He would add such color!!
We all had to pick our jaws up off the floor a few times. His heart was DEFINITELY in the right place! 🙂
No doubt. His heart is in the right place. I don’t doubt his sincerity for one minute.
He is the square peg in the round hole…
We wish there were more Square pegs.
his heart might be in the right place but its strange that he is defaming someone he doesn’t even know. He has a conspiracy theory that is not accurate. He is a bully.
Tommy was genuine. Hard to follow at times, but genuine. He laid it all on the table. This guy would add more human and less politics to a Board that is supposed to be more human. For him it would not be about pushing an outdated and incomplete set of information out to the public ‘to educate the community better.’ He would represent the people and allow an open exchange of information to improve the district for everyone. New Board members are bringing it to the old. Tommy would be an honest addition, especially after what happened with Phil’s situation and resignation.
What happened to Phil? Just by looking at the seating arrangement in the videos of interviews and the body language of the board members you can totally tell where the divisions are. It’s so obvious. Not impressed. So much clear dysfunction. No wonder Phil left. The one guy is a jerk.
It is very clear to me that Tommy is speaking about James Meyer. Based on this interview and the comments made by Tommy Tanzer, I do not beleive that he has ever met or conversated with James Meyer. James has coached my son in lacrosse for many many years and I have never had a bad interaction with him. This season (2017) he served as both head coach of a phenomenal team as well as a board member for said team. He did an incredible job with my son and many others while forming a powerful sense of comraderie. James would have been a successful and honest addition to the school board. This article talks about authenticity which I believe is absurd because most of the time he doesn’t even know what is coming out of his mouth. Tommy’s vulgarity and crazed obsession with belittlement reminds me of another man who recently ran for office, our president. This man is not authentic, he is a blabbering bully.
I’m not sure I got that impression. It seemed Mr. Tanzer was advocating for someone and not against anyone. I don’t recall him saying anything like, “If he get’s the position, I’m going to raise hell.” I thought it was more the inverse where he was pushing for a candidate. Maybe I missed it or got swept up in the spectacle.
All that said, I don’t know any of the candidates personally and thought both Mr Meyer or Ms Peters would do a good job.
That said, Mr Meyer shot himself in the foot. When he told the board that they were a divided group and struggled with details, it didn’t appear to sit well with some board members. When he talked about the past bond failure and the likelihood that the next one would fail, but then said he would vote for the upcoming bond … it felt forced (at best). With his experience, I’d guess he would have been a great board member, but he just didn’t have a good day interviewing.
Tommy excplicitly says that “if the wrong person is chosen, he will go to the press with information”
Yeah, I took that to mean that that he was advocating for a specific person… another way of saying something like “If Joe isn’t chosen….I’ll”
That said, you could be right.
I just didn’t take it as an attack on anyone (Ms. Peters or Mr Meyer). I could be wrong.
I was reminded of this exchange and ridiculous situation as I read the news yesterday. It’s seems the wrong guy was was allowed to hold court by bullies like himself and this started the mess we are in. The board was hand picked by one person and TT allowed this to happen by these deranged conspiracy ramblings I. Support of someone AC could control. It makes me sad because things could have been different. TT blocked people that would confront AC. I don’t want to drudge up old stuff and I know you want to run for school board and I support you but wanted to bring up this sad chapter because we need a School Board that has the courage to disagree with each other. Challenge each other and do better. This should never of happened. It started here.
It just seemed like a very negative attack on somebody who coaches kids all year as well as having a profession based upon helping teens in need. I have no doubt that Anne will be a wonderful addition to the school board and she may have been the best option available. It just seems unecessary that these comments were ever made about a man that would have done a good job. I certainly hope the mayoral election does not become this cuthroat.
I disagree. I think he is talking about Julie Eihausen. She is an offensive and closed-minded radical leftist. One glance at her FB page tells all. SHE MUST GO. You simply cannot have someone so partisan in a non-partisan position. She hides her disdain for those who don’t agree from no one.
Wow, I totally missed this four years ago. My loss – that was something. I’d say the question Tommy posed towards the end, “…is this going to be the same old .. again, or are we going to step up…” has sadly been answered. I don’t agree with many things that he said, but, man, that guy is about kids and putting the actual EDUCATION of kids first, and we so desperately need that.
Long time citizen – I think you are spot on. I had interpreted TT’s comments as setting an expectation for the board to make rational decisions and operate with integrity. But I believe your interpretation is the correct one. Unanimity is not always a good thing, especially when it is achieved through bullying and blocking alternative views.
We need people that will stand up for the children and educators of this district. That the board would release a statement that they “fully support the superintendent” is a dereliction of duty. One of the main purposes of the school board is to hold the superintendent accountable, and, to my knowledge, that has not happened once. The board should have stopped this farce back with the magic rock. Instead, they allowed the superintendent to set up a little fiefdom of corruption in our district and lie and break the law REPEATEDLY.
Thank you Sarah. The previous board President rules the board and he was allowed by people like TT to handpick two board members including the present BOE figure head. He oversaw the hiring of the current superintendent. IMO The buck stops with them. He set up the fiefdom. It’s very sad to me that this happened and I want us to take matters like this event in 2017 seriously as a town. Yes, It was funny and entertaining yet likely started the dominos. Echo chambers aren’t healthy. I appreciate your comments and support anyone stepping up today. Also Good luck josh. you have a lot of support.
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