Random Thoughts From The Sidelines (By Bob Guerin)

A few thoughts from an interested taxpayer, parent and voter: 

The never-ending annual School budget debate has resumed. It seems that the two most frequently argued positions are also back without apology. On one side is the "let's spend anything, it's for our children" advocates and on the other side it is the "Let's cut, cut, cut" crowd. It's grown tiresome, predictable and pathetic. 

Keeping in mind that the Selectmen and Finance Committees have already modestly increased the school budget the argument isn't really about cuts is it? It's all about spending. 

Our school budget problem is not that costs increase, it's that school costs increase at a rate that not realistic. 

So what's realistic? 

In a town where tax revenues grow at roughly 2.5 - 3% a year a realistic budget should grow at roughly 2% - 2.5% annually or about a $550,000 increase in this year's school budget. That's not bad -- especially if you're a private sector type where budgets grow far slower. Its also not the $1.3 million dollar increase the School Administration is seeking. 

In our school district, teacher compensation, which is roughly 80% or more of the school budget, has historically grown at about 5.5% annually or nearly twice the rate of tax revenue (town income) growth. 

Spending money at twice your income has never been a recipe for fiscal health or long-term financial viability. 

To fix the school's budget problems you need to fix expenses; you need to set total compensation cost growth (salary, steps, longevity, stipends, etc) at 2.5% - 3% annually. That's the fix. 

I'd like to hear the School Committee and Administration talking expense management and talking labor costs. Arguing about how much to spend on paper, paint and chalk is sort or pointless if nobody's ever going to talk about the 80% of the budget (teacher compensation) that's sinking the ship. 

Personally, I don't think taxpayers are willing to pay higher property taxes so that teachers can get annual wage increases of 5 - 5.5%. It seems as though the School Administration and School Committee are thinking otherwise. 

Wouldn't it be nice if all the grown ups could get in a room together and agree that in a town where tax revenues grow at roughly 2.5 - 3% a year a realistic budget should grow at roughly 2% - 2.5% annually? Or, about a $580,000 increase. A $580,000 increase in the school budget seems both reasonable and affordable. 

And, wouldn't it be really nice if the School Committee and School Administration would assume some genuine fiscal responsibility and reality and actually manage all expenses to a roughly 2% - 2.5% annual growth budget? 

It just doesn't seem to need to be so hard, so political and so divisive. And, it certainly does not require the drama and theatrics that the School Administration and School Committee seems to bring to the budget hearing process and their televised meetings. 

Will Those Little Wet Footprints Be Returning?

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The furor over the Community School pool issues seemed to have died down lately.  All those little wet geriatric footprints (many leading back to Barnstable, Falmouth and Mashpee) had evaporated from the carpet in the School Committee meeting room. People had stopped asking how we could afford to run the pool, if expenses far exceeded income.  People didn't even seem to care where the money came from to build the "cabanas" on the pool deck.

And then it started.  The locker room, which the World had previously been assured was always well-supervised by school staff, became the scene of an assault that resulted in criminal charges.  Then, a lifeguard -- who the World had previously been assured would be supervising the pool area and protecting the kids -- was arrested on statutory rape charges.

And then, in the light of recent events, the Cape Cod Times wrote an editorial reiterating their support for the prior administration's decision to secure the school building and prohibit non-students from the building during school hours. (It was nice to finally see them support something -- but that's another story!)

Maybe this, and the pressures of the upcoming budget, will generate some public interest in asking hard questions about Pool operations?

If so, I have no doubt we will be seeing those little wet footprints again! 

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Some things never change ....

Just like monkeys at the zoo, the Emptyprize hates to miss an opportunity to throw some shit at their favorite targets!

This week's issue is a classic --- you would assume the lead story would be the fact that the State Appellate court is considering reinstating the former superintendent's previously dismissed case against the District -- a nasty little piece of business that could cost the Town more than $300,000.

You would be half right -- Dr. Johnson was back on the cover this week -- but because (get ready ...) The School Committee voted to comply with the law and the terms of her prior contract and negotiated a pay-out accrued vacation & incentive pay --- SIX MONTHS AGO !

Somebody apparently also had their knickers in a twist over the fact that she tried to negotiate a better exit deal.  Keep in mind, this is a professional with 35+ years of experience who received a positive evaluation, and then was essentially fired 10 days later for no stated reason.  If you're about to be unemployed and negotiating an exit deal, why would you ask for anything less than you think your contract allows?  The relevant number is what was actually paid out -- not where negotiations began.

It's also ironic that somebody who has been terminated is also eligible to receive performance bonuses -- but we've learned to expect the unexpected.

What's even more ironic is that, despite the knowledge of pending litigation, school counsel apparently approved the settlement without requesting any liability releases -- a basic agreement to pay out the incentives only in exchange for the settlement of all pending legal claims.  I can't imagine that little faux pas being overlooked by a corporate client in the "real world"!

Since the Emptyprize  has taken to reviewing payroll records, maybe they will soon be doing stories on how much was paid out (or may soon be paid out) to other Department Heads.  Nothing specific to Sandwich -- historically, the retirement of a Senior Department Head in any Town, will trigger a substantial pay-out of accrued sick and vacation pay.

Or, if they're really in a mathematical mood, maybe they could look at the operating costs of the Community Pool and compare them against the related revenue.  (Hint -- the net of those two numbers will have a negative sign in front of it!)

Here we go again ....

From The Cape Cod Times:

Court weighs evidence in Sandwich contract case (click for full story)

"...Two of the judges — Frederick Brown and Mark Green — peppered Davis with questions about the meeting and took the position that the school board put too much weight on Shack's opinion.

"It imbues the district attorney with power that he doesn't have under the statute," Green said. He went on to say that the newly constituted committee could not abrogate the authority of a previous school committee.

At one point during the town's oral argument, Brown indicated that Davis had already lost. "That's two votes," he said.

Brown and Green suggested the school board should have tried to invalidate Johnson's contract in court within 21 days of the original vote.

"You snooze and you lose," Brown said.

Davis argued that court action was only one remedy at the school committee's disposal and, instead, the board chose to correct the mistake on its own by reposting the meeting and retaking the vote as the district attorney's office suggested in its letter to the town.
But Brown suggested the school committee had another remedy if it didn't want to honor Johnson's new contract. 

"Pay her salary and tell her to get out of town," he said. ..."

Where I have I heard that before?    (Oh, now I remember ...)

Details to follow ...