Councilmen vs. Superintendent
Anyone catch this exchange tonight? What a doozy. Frankly, I never quite caught on to what the Superintendent was saying because as he spoke I was still trying to figure out why he kept saying he was glad he doesn't work in the public sector. And I couldn't figure out if he was being sarcastic.
Regardless, the comment certainly got a couple Council members fired up tonight... though everyone shook hands and spoke after the cameras were gone.
I'll try to have the video by tomorrow.
And on a related note, I really wish we could've done a one year contract. I would've been much more comfortable with that.
Tim White
8 comments:
The thing that I found interesting is how some thought it was wonderful that a contract was agreed upon without arbitration. WHAT! are we brain dead. Of course the teachers accepted gleefully a contract that gives them a 4.5% increase for three years with this economy. They would have been crazy not to. I just read that Avon gave their teachers 3.3% and the council was upset with that increase (they felt it was too high). Many in the private sector (that Florio is happy he is not a part of) would be thrilled with such an increase. Unfortunately they won't see anything close for a long time.
The BOE once again dumps the problem on the TC lap at the last minute. This was approved by the BOE along time ago. Why did it just show up now with only 48 hours left? A special meeting could have been called due to the huge impact this has on our budget for the next three years. It's easy to spend someone elses money. Good effort by the TC miniority. The BOE and the Superintendent had the votes needed to pass but I guess they wanted all of the them.
I can understand Ruocco being upset with the superintendent's comments. The super is often arrogant and insulting. But what bothers me the most is Mat Hall's response - which was in so many words - "Let's get a handle on this G D meeting." He should be apologizing for language like that at a public meeting.
What a joke it was when the dems tried to say they didn't want to spend 20K of the taxpayers' money going to arbitration. DeCaprio said we might spend the 20K and get nothing!
Wasn't that exactly what happened when they spent 20K on a pool report? How about all the other consultant fees they had no trouble spending? Or how about the add'l 70K to W.B. for the boiler job? The list goes on.
I hope you can put that part of the meeting on the blog, Tim. People should hear it word for word.
Add in the $35,000 for the pool roof. Is this the second or third roof on that building? If you add up all the repairs costs we could have built it new. They say they are representing the voters but I don't get that impression.
Didn't the council just recently approve a $4,000/month increase to the town attorney (which requires him to attend regularly scheduled monthly meetings)? Then last night I heard that he was only there for part of the meeting and the council will try to reduce the number of meetings he attends? Does that make any sense? Give the guy more money and he shows up even less.
I think it's time for another near zero increase in the boe budget. If the superintendent can't shift the money around to cover his teachers' 4.4% increase, then ask for concessions or give backs from them; if they won't concede, then lay off as many as you need to in order to balance the budget.
That word is not in their vocabulary. They will find a way not to do it. Just watch and see. What a joke that the Chair and co-chair only need 30 seconds to make a decision on $90M. Thanks for spending all that time.
Post a Comment