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See documents at the end of this page and on page-2.
Rhau’s San Diego Trip Cost Taxpayers more than $3,000 !
- Remember the article, "Rhau's Coast-to-Coast Trips Questionable," about Rhau’s attendance at
- the National Conference in San Diego, California in February 2006? If so, you will undoubtedly recall that the only financial documents found in Rhau’s expenditure folder relating to that trip was a single document showing payment of $540 for the conference registration fee. Well, now that the budget vote is over, I went back to re-examine that folder and, lo and behold, new documents miraculously appeared that relate to that trip to San Diego, facts and figures that were glaringly absent prior to the budget vote but which have mysteriously surfaced now. I will explain further, but first things first.
First Things First
Congratulations to newly-elected school board president Michael Brennan. Voting against Brennan and in favor of returning Buono to the presidency were board members McCaig, Kovac, Parisian and, of course, Buono, himself. Hopefully Brennan will take a different approach from that taken by his predecessor on some very important issues and do the right thing. Examples of some of those issues would be:
More accountability to public’s concerns and complaints;Keeping the entire board well-informed in a timely fashion on all issues so they can be informed voters;
Keeping the administration more accountable to the board and public by instituting and maintaining a level of checks and balances; and
It would also be nice to see more of an open dialogue with the public.
Month after month teachers, parents, seniors, etc., take time from busy schedules to attend board meetings—some seeking answers to complaints and concerns. At every school board meeting that I’ve attended this year, I’ve heard complaints about the board not giving any answers. To his credit, the newly elected board president made a good-faith effort during a break in the meeting to open up a dialogue with the public and discuss some of their concerns. This is a positive direction to take, as the alternative of forcing people to wait a month or more for an answer is beyond annoying, it is unacceptable. In my own case, for example, for the past eighteen weeks I’ve questioned the behavior of and made certain assertions about Superintendent Rhau and other administrative personnel. I’ve furnished overwhelming evidence in the form of documents to substantiate my claims of wrongdoing by the administration (even including the possibility of illegal acts). Unfortunately, however, and with the exception of a motion to review Rhau’s vouchers each month, the complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Hopefully under the new leadership, all allegations, including those, will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and the public will be informed of the results thereof—pronto, no cover-ups, no secrets.
On more than one occasion I’ve been advised that certain board members (who shall remain nameless for now) have repeatedly "cracked jokes" to others about the allegations I’ve brought forth. How arrogant and irresponsible is that? Perhaps they think that spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars on a top-heavy administration or paying our nonresident, assistant superintendent 62 cents every time she drives down Washington Avenue (on top of "earnings" of more than $110,000 each year) is funny, but the rest of us don’t! Perhaps they feel that having teachers work without a contract for more than two years, having children go without textbooks, or cutting $400,000 from the budget is a joke, too! Well, they can laugh and joke all they want now, but the last laugh will be on them. Changes are in the wind.
The Miracle of the Documents
Now, let’s get back to Rhau and the "coast to coast trips" mentioned in the first paragraph herein. Remember the $1,200 paid by the District for Rhau’s eight-day excursion to Orlando, the one where he attended only one-day out of the eight at the conference; the rented car we paid for so Rhau (or his guest) could drive 428-miles; the cashews and movie rentals we paid for? Remember the Boston trip that cost the District $1,658 (the one where Rhau charged the District an extra $160 for mileage, to which he was not entitled)? Remember the National Conference Rhau attended in San Diego just this February? And remember how the "only" financial document associated with that trip in Rhau’s expenditure folder was one document indicating that the District had paid $540 for conference registration fee? You will also recall that I had been assured (at the time) that no other documents exist. However, I have since revisited the matter: I have gone back and examined Rhau’s expense folder once again, and to my utter surprise and amazement, new documents relating to the San Diego trip have surfaced. Documents have quietly and mysteriously appeared in the folder that were not there prior to the budget vote. Not to my surprise or amazement, however, the new documents reveal that the District actually paid more than $3,000 for Rhau’s trip to San Diego (all documents obtained through FOIL are posted on the watchdog web-site for view by the public at ) www.saugertieswatchdog.com
The following are details of the San Diego trip that were not available to the public prior to the budget vote.
Feb.18,2006, Rhau and wife depart Newark International on Continental Flight 1827 at 9:00 a.m., and arrive at San Diego 12:03 p.m..At 12:30 p.m., same day, Rhau rents car (returning it 9-days later, Feb. 27, 2006, at 7:00 a.m.)
Between Feb. 22 and 26 (5-days), Rhau and wife stay at the Coronado Island Marriott at $282 per night (including room tax) plus $110 for valet parking, for a total of $1,531
Feb. 27,2006, Rhau and wife depart San Diego on Continental Flight 1827 at 8:00a.m. and arrive at Newark International at 4:25 p.m.
Some other costs tied to this trip are:
Rhau’s flight $333.85
Food 360.00
Parking 60.00
9-days’ car rental 248.95
Conference registration fee 540.00
Total cost to the District $3,073.80
Of course there is absolutely no record or minutes indicating that Rhau notified or had received prior board approval nor is there any record or minutes indicating he shared any information with the Board upon his return. In fact, a majority of the school board members indicated to me that they had no knowledge he had even gone to San Diego until I informed them! As previously mentioned, now that the school board has new leadership, hopefully these issues will be resolved and will not come up again in the future.
The Appearance of Impropriety
In closing, I respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree with Board President Brennan’s decision to allow Buono’s continued participation in contract negotiations with the teachers’ union when he knows that Buono has two sisters and a daughter-in-law who are teachers. It seems that it would be unethical for Buono to make decisions that will personally and financially benefit members of his immediate family, and, if nothing else, Buono should immediately recuse himself from negotiations because his attendance creates the appearance of impropriety. It behooves Brennan to reconsider his choice.
Stay tuned....
George D. Heidcamp, Sr.
July 13, 2006
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