School Board fauxpaus

This reader read with sadness today's issue of the Advance that reported on the recent meeting of our district's school board. 

The greatest sadness comes with the impression that our "leaders" just don't get it yet.  Our superintendent has retired and is no longer a paid employee of the district yet the school board has upped his salary while cutting a 27 year employee by four bucks an hour.  Where is the justice in this?  The article states that there were "no area left untouched" in the rounds of budget cuts yet the superintendent walks away "retired" and earning more than before.  Does our school board not understand how to do the right thing?  Does our superintendent have any trouble sleeping at night knowing that he'll be getting a raise while everyone else takes a cut in pay?  This reader has to wonder.

Twice now the taxpayers have sent a resounding message to the board that we, as the taxpayers in this district simply can't add more expenses to our already tightened budgets.   I suspect there are some pretty huge inadequacies in the physical welfare of our facilities.  For years the physical condition of our school buildings have deteriorated faster than the band-aid repairs that have been done to keep them serviceable.  I don't believe anyone will tell you that the heating system in the high school is in good repair nor will I expect anyone to claim it's efficient.  However, when you rally all the "needs" of the district's buildings, and then heap on a few "wants", like a new bus drive, a new administrators office (presented in a way to lead the taxpayers to believe was in the best interest of our children's safety) and a myriad of other "wants" on their wish-list and they presented the district residents with a multi-million dollar request in an all-or-nothing deal that the taxpayers dropped like a hot rock.  And then they scratched their heads and wondered why it got voted down.  Twice.  Do they not get it yet?  I have to wonder how many tax dollars were wasted during these two rounds of voting.

No one is trying to hide behind the reality that our buildings are in need of repair and they're not going to be cheap fixes if they're to be done properly.  But put it to the taxpayers like you did the past two times and I predict similar outcomes.

I wonder if your "School of Choice" will appeal to many potential students after the custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and support staff leave the system for jobs elsewhere that will better sustain their families livelyhood.  Then again, maybe the school board will find a solution by giving our non-employee superintendent another raise.  Just think of all the money they'll be saving by not having ANY support staff left to employ.

I just hope they don't waste another minute trying to figure another way to slide one of their "free interest" bond issues past us.  School board members  - we are watching you closely, and we ARE far better informed than you think.