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Public Response to School Issues
I am still waiting to receive my "FOILed" request for a copy of the Commissioner’s Fiscal Accountability Regulations (which I was told will take 20-days). While I wait, I will turn the time into an opportunity to share answers received to some questions that have been posted on the Saugerties Watchdog web-site over the past 20-weeks. Since not everyone owns or has access to a computer, this will give all people a chance to read the questions and see the results. While the questions are unofficial, they are inclined to give readers an unbiased insight into public opinion regarding the issues that have been making the news. Of course, I welcome anyone with a valid question who would like to have it posted on the web-site to contact me. Questions are not limited to school matters. Following are queries that were posted on the web-site (listed in the sequence in which they appeared), followed by the responses thereto:
One can plainly see where sentiment lies on a preponderance of School Board issues. While not official, the results of the various poll questions are telling, and might serve well as a guideline for school board members when conducting future school business and making spending decisions down the road.
In Defense of Brennan? I will also take this opportunity to response to Mr. Maxwell’s Letter-to-the-Editor entitled, "Friendly Saugerties." Although I don’t know Maxwell personally, I have seen him at school board meetings---mostly engaged in private conversations with board president Brennan (who I believe is Mr. Maxwell’s mailman). Maxwell suggests that those of us who have concerns about the operation of our school system have ample opportunity to address these concerns during the public input portion of the meeting. I wish it were that simple, but it’s not. Perhaps Maxwell should read the result of question #10, above! He states that it is the utmost importance that we do everything we can to supply our children with a good, well-rounded education—MY POINT, EXACTLY. And that’s precisely why the Administration and other school officials should be pressing to make sure our children have the necessary tools to learn from (such as enough textbooks). And that is also precisely why they should stop wasting thousands upon thousands of our dollars on Rhau’s coast-to-coast trip’s, eating cashews, renting movies, renting cars, and staying in $262-dollar-per-night rooms with double bay windows overlooking the ocean. And that is also precisely why we should stop paying the assistant Superintendent 62-cents every time she drives down Washington Avene to Cahill school and back. Maxwell also claims the constant complaining about "small amounts" spent on the day-to-day expenses is bad for the morale of the system. I don’t think complaining about spending thousands upon thousands of dollars qualifies as "small amounts." If there is a morale problem at the Saugerties Central School System, you can lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Administration for failing to have done their job, not the messenger for having pointed it out. Perhaps the next time Mr. Maxwell has a conversation with Mr. Brennan, whether at a school board meeting or on his mail route, he should try to get Brennan to follow the laws, rules and contract and thus avoid any future complaints. In rebuttal to Maxwell’s comment about the Saugerties Post Star, I take my hat off to the Post Star for printing The Heidcamp Report rather than being complicit in sweeping the Administration’s indiscretions under the rug. Maxwell should be honored that they printed his letter as well. Stay tuned, more to come.
George D Heidcamp, Sr. August 10, 2006 |