Last night's School Committee meeting was a veritable Holiday Grab Bag of "amusing" items. (It would, however, be far more amusing if these folks weren't in charge of my kids' educations and $30 million in tax dollars!!)
1) Susko will definitely not be getting a fruit basket from John Paradise at the Emptyprize, She made it clear her subscription was cancelled and she encouraged others to do the same. She also encouraged Businesses to pull advertising. If Paradise wakes up with a horse's head in his bed next week -- somebody will be fingerprinting Susko!
2) Linehan responded to Susko's outrage by saying "we all need to work together". Which certainly seems appropriate since her and her union supporters appear to have been writing the Emptyprize's editorials this year!
3) During the long-delayed discussion of the Community School Audit -- Crossman made an attempt to claim that the Community School paid for a janitor in exchange for pool utilities. Nice Try! Dr. J jumped on that one saying that the janitor was in exchange for allowing the Community School to keep all the revenue from renting out taxpayer-maintained school facilities to outside groups AND because the janitor was needed to clean up after Community School users.
4) The Supt pointed out, again, that it was illegal for public tax dollars intended to maintain a K-12 school system to be used for the benefit of any other program. If an outside program required additional K-12 resources (ie. utilities) it must pay for them from its program revenue. (She also pointed out that the audit confirmed what a couple of "Arrogant Bastards" had been saying that for 3 years -- despite it being a very unpopular position!)
5) Chairman Marshall wandered into the fray with a vague discussion about past "in kind" contributions intended to pay costs. That argument has been waived around like a dirty diaper for years --- the reality is that the true value of the "in kind" donations was nowhere near equivalent to the value of the pool utilities and other Community School costs paid by the School Department.
6) There was a painful discussion about the audit comment that all programs should be self-sufficient. I lost track of the reasoning -- but it's hard to believe that anybody could justify charging the parents who pay for pre-school or drivers ed MORE money so that we could charge the folks who swim in the pool LESS money. (The fact that many of the swimmers don't even live or pay taxes in Sandwich wasn't brought up --- but I feel obligated to do so !)
7) The Supt suggested that the Town assess all taxpayers a $5 charge to establish a pool fund. Overlooking the fact that I can't imagine what legal mechanism the Town could use to charge that fee -- ain't no way I'm pitching in to reduce the cost that the nice folks from Mashpee/Falmouth/Bourne/Barnstable pay to swim in the stupid pool!
8) During Budget discussions, it was brought up that the District may need to cut 15 more positions next year unless more revenue was found. There was a discussion about some bus fees but nothing about athletic fees, or program cuts. the Supt made it clear she needs some guidance on this issue. How much heat is the Committee willing to take? How high do they want to raise fees and how big are they willing to make classes -- that's their decision. It was also brought up that the budget assumption included the Town increasing the local contribution by 3%. Does anybody think THAT will happen with the Town facing a deficit? Maybe a 3% CUT?
9) There was no discussion about the potential cost of settling the two major outstanding lawsuits against the Committee will have on next year's budget. Could be Big Bucks.
10) As part of the discussion on Bus fees, Kangas asked her prepared, completely irrelevent, yet obligatory, once a meeting, Big Number question -- this time about bus expense. She apparently hasn't learned while single digit precision to two decimal points is important whilst working at the Stop & Shop deli counter -- it is acceptable to use round numbers when having a grown-up budget discussion of million dollar budget lines.
11) A taxpayer did get up at Public Forum to talk about the Community School. It may have been my TV screen but he appeared to leave big wet footprints as he approached the microphone. He read some 30 year old newspaper clippings (he didn't know where from) about the Community School and said he was concerned about certain actions being referred to as "illegal". Whatever -- the simple fact is that actions taken by the Community School have violated state laws. They did not follow procurement regulations, they did not obtain school committee approval for bill payments, they did not get school committee approval for leases, they did not pay all operating costs for their programs from program revenue (leaving the K-12 School District with the bill). Unfortunately, despite his lack of research on the issue, this person is on the new Community School Advisory Committee.
It's time to move on, Gang. The audit has confirmed the issues that nobody was willing to admit to previously. Let's just FIX THE PROBLEMS and move on !!
12) Finally, the CCT published a pretty decent account of last night's meeting this morning. But, then again, even a broken clock is correct twice a day !!
13 comments:
You forgot Linehan arguing with the Supt over whether an Oakridge kid going to Wing was in the "School Choice program" --- Dopey didn't even know what the program was.
Worse yet -- she was going to argue with the Supt over what it was. Like the Supt wouldn't know? Duh!
why wasn't the auditor there last night? It was funny seeing how little anybody had to say --- it looks like the audit finally nailed their little game!!!
The audit report seems to explain why the community school people faught so hard against ms. Johnson.
She had their number and was obviously going to "rock their world" !!!!
Time for the papers to finally write an article about the real facts around why Dr. Johnson was excluded as a finalist, why Sherry and gang started a campaign to discredit the super with fabricated rumors around town. Why Sherry's "promised Random Search committee was a complete bag job" and list the names on that committee and their conflicts. Why Sherry, Comm school Union leaders and Exec counsel feared Dr. Johnson's credentials and honest work ethics.
Why did so many long time administrators leave the district within 6 months of her hiring, they knew their 20 year gig of not being held accountable was up. The list is endless and the former school board members(Guerin, Simmons, Barton, Susko, Cahill and Lubold) that fought for Dr. Johnson and the changes in the Comm School need to sit down with George Brennan CCT and Mary Stanley Enterprise and force them to write their story in order to finally explain all the B.S that's been going with the schoolboard and why they hate Dr. Johnson and destroyed her reputation. The taxpayers and parents need to be educated about what actually is going on with our school board members and their conflicts. Maybe a few educated intelligent residents might get mad enough to run for a BOS seat or School board seat for the May election. Bob Simmons can you round the old board members up and the newspapers and force them to write an accurate article? That's the least our town deserves and and maybe it will stop these devious women and save our schools.
Force a newspaper to run an article.....that's a good one.
Tell me why the "School Committee" is dealing with the "Community School"????? Shouldn't the school committee be dealing with education and not pool utility expenses and whether or not a basket weaving class is generating revenues??? Please, enlighten me.....shouldn't the BOS and/or the Finance Committee be dealing with this? If tax dollars are going to heat a pool for Falmouth and/ or Mashpee residents and not to purchase much needed supplies, text books, updated technology, maybe even a teacher or two, or maybe a school nurse, then I hope more people wake up and see this town government for what is really is.............
"Community School"????, I'd say its more like "Community Auditions".....what a show.
Great article Bob. I thought the CCTimes article was good too. The Community School needs to cut expenses. What a dumb move having two directors at high saleries. How do we get out of that one in the "cottage industry" know as our School District.
This is not about the pool. This is about exceedingly poor leadership, choices, and it is about resource management. You have always been right. Education dollars should not be subsidizing the Community School. Tax dollars should not when tax payers aren't given honest information. It is a service but it should not be detracting from tax dollars needed to run the schools or any other mandated services that provide health, welfare, and safety for out citizens.
To quote a very wise friend, "by an accident of history a community pool has been placed in our school complex." It is of value, but it should not be taking educational dollars away from the schools and the children who need them.
The Community School was a department of muncipal gov. to begin with. Doubt they want it back now, though frankly that would certainly eliminate the possibility of educational dollars going to subsidize the Community School budget, which of course, like everything else is mostly salaries and benefits.
Do any of you remember when the "self sufficient" Community School had to borrow money from the town to pay it's employee's health and benefits package a few years ago. When that was paid off, the CS started holding onto money for the base to build a new pre-school, all the while school budgets were covering a portion of their operational costs.
First battle with Rick R. was when Mr. Grundman tried to paint the real picture at the point the CS had to borrow money from the town to meet it's budget. SGrundman, a SC member at the time wondered if it was time to look at the CS operation. But he was completely alone. Finally a few years later SC members came along that started to ask the hard questions questions. Now here we are.
Community School=good idea, but overexteneded, cottage industry, poor management, lousey books, no transparency, historic practices rather than good policy, people willing to ask the hard questions but not enough leadership and follow through. Benefits, yes, but practicle at this size and budget????? Who will reorganize the Community SChool so it suits the town's budget and needs.
9:04 Ask yourselves why the CCT and Emptyprise
were like turtles when it came to reporting the serious results in the Auditors findings. If that had happened on Dr. Johnson's watch they would have been merciless in their reporting.
Their personal biases and alliances with certain groups come thru clearly in their negative reporting.
Forget our papers, The Globe needs to hear about this, or Fox 25... this is bigger than our town fodder. This is impacting property values and diminishing the ability to attract highly qualified candidates to our town. Could we please have an update on the petition of support on Dr. Johnson's behalf? Many, many people signed it and have been awaiting the presentation at SC. Thank you.
The Globe? Fox? you must be kidding! Do you really believe that Sandwich is a stand alone community being faced with small town politics? The best thing that truly concerned tax payers/residents would do is to find a way to way to work with our elected school committee in the best interest of our children. I personally don't think this can happen and will be taking all of my kids out of our district next year.
The petition group kinda faded away and no one wanted to be the lead organizer, fear of retribution towards their children was cited.
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