Really interesting story from Matthew Haag at the Dallas Morning News detailing how DISD trustees are going after the wounded animal we know as DISD Superintendent Mike Miles.

Part of this was expected, given the leaked draft of an audit that suggests Miles and his staff broke or ignored internal policies during his own personal Avengers project — the hiring of his top deputies.

Miles predictably says he doubts the final audit will show any major problems — very dubious, as many have pointed out, especially given the district’s history of financial mismanagement. Just as predictably, the trustees expressed skepticism and in one case even suggested it was the sort of misstep that could get him fired.

Miles’ real problem is that Haag interviewed some of the superintendent’s top supporters in the community, the kind of people he needs in his corner if he’s to weather these storms. They have started to back away, if ever so slightly, from said corner.

Most just declined to comment or expressed a neutral stance, but Clint McDonnough, chairman of the Dallas Regional Chamber, sounded worried:

Those are tremors Miles should pay attention to. These sorts of public eviscerations happen incredibly quickly. I’m sure his team is telling him to just get to through the holidays, and he can come back fresh next year. It doesn’t work that way. He needs a bold, dramatic, self-effacing action to turn the tide, or his reform is going to be over before it starts.

If his actions don’t ensure that, I’m pretty sure the school board will take care of destroying his efforts at systemic change. Now they’ve taken up the DMN’s favorite pet cause: high salaries. From the story, you’ll see they’re suggesting those same top deputies take pay cuts and be forced to earn back that money by hitting performance objectives.

This is just asinine. I know people like to scream when they see executives making hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially with public money. But talent costs money. I don’t care how much you make, someone says they’re gonna cut your salary, and the private sector is saying, “Hey, we think you’re underpaid by about 80 grand,” then those execs are going to bolt. And your reforms will be left to lesser talent.

I’m all for Miles getting slapped around for his apparent ignoring of fiscal procedures that were put in place to ensure nothing shady is going on. But running off top people — and scaring away execs in the future — by cutting top salaries does more harm than good.

Elsewhere

Oh, this guy is helping with the southern Dallas golf course? I feel better already.

David Campbell is resigning as Luminant CEO. I’m sure this has nothing to do with EFH’s certain bankruptcy filing early next year. Carry on. Nothing to see here. (Full disclosure: I've done contract work for Oncor.)

Did you know that two asteroids nearly hit the earth this month? And yes, that’s local, because Dallas is the center of the earth.

This .gif is just for Mark Followill. If you’re not him, carry on.

D Magazine’s list of best new bars in 2012 is a fascinating mix of cool and super-douche. Nothing in between.

Retweets

Tell us what you really think, Ben.

Pretty sure Jim Schutze disagrees with my DISD salary take.