Free Money?? Voters Beware!
Under the "Sunshine," or Freedom of Information Law, a period of twenty-days is allowed for compliance with a request for information (FOIL). It should, then, come as no surprise that I am forced to wait the full twenty-days each and every time I make application to the administration to review or receive a copy of specific data relating to the Saugerties Central School District. More than one month ago I filed for information which will be utilized for a follow-up to the story regarding the hiring of Business Manager Joe Dziadik (and for new information that I've uncovered with respect to the administration). So, in the meantime, while I wait for management to provide me with the information requested under that FOIL filed over a month ago, and for those readers who may have missed some of the results of the Watchdog poll questions, I'll take this opportunity to share them and some e-mails I've received (which are also posted on the Watchdog web site). But, before I do that, I want to make a correction to the results of last week's Watchdog poll question as published in the October 12th issue of The Saugerties Post Star. I take full responsibility for not picking up this error when reviewing the column, but, if nothing else, it gives me the opportunity to revisit the results this week. The Question posted read: If Vince Buono, Ed Kovac and Michael MacIsaac ran for reelection to the school board, would you vote for them? The correct results are: 81% of the people would not re-elect Buono to the school board; only 19% would 85 % of the people would not re-elect Kovac to the school board; only 15% would 72% of the people would not re-elect MacIsaac to the school board; only 28% would.
Those results, especially when combined with the results from other recent polls, tells a story. And that story is that the public is tired of the irresponsible and selfish behavior of many of the board members, and is sick and tired of being the "cash cow" for others. To reiterate some of those previous questions and the responses: • Question: Is it a "prohibited conflict of interest" having board member McCaig's brother as the school's internal auditor? Yes - it's a conflict 81% No - it's okay 19% • Question: Do you think the Post Star should continue publishing The Heidcamp Report? Yes - 94% No - 6% • Question: Should Mary Gambino be grandfathered-in as "Special Friend?" Yes - 73% No - 27 % • Question: Should the Library stay in the Village of Saugerties? Yes - 70% No - 30% • Question: How would you evaluate Superintendent Rhau's performance? Satisfactory - 17% Unsatisfactory - 83% • Question: Should Rhau be required to detail all cell phone calls? Yes - 86% No - 14% • Question: Should Buono apologize for calling Tucker a derogatory name? Yes - 89% No - 11% • Question: Was the hiring of Joe Dziadik in Saugerties' best interest? No - 84% Yes - 16% • Question: Are you in favor of spending another $2-million on the school project? No - 72% Yes - 28% • Question: Is the Administration responsible for the teachers' Contract not being settled? Yes - 82% No - 18%
E-mails received help complete the story of dissatisfaction. Following is a sampling of e-mails received at the Watchdog web site: "George, keep up the good work. Continue to expose the arrogant and insufferable people who believe that they "own" the Saugerties Bd. of Education. They are supposed to represent the people of Saugerties and also look out for the children. These arrogant and insufferable Board members and administrators talk the talk about putting the children first, but it appears that they do not want to walk the walk. I have never seen so many incompetent and foolish administrators. Thank you." September 6, 2006
"Mr. Heidcamp: What can we do to stop such outlandish actions being taken by Mr. Rhau? It seems to me that the state should take some kind of action! It is absurd that Mr. Rhau and his comrades think that they can just rape the hard-working taxpayers of Saugerties. If he is doing something illegal, should he be made to pay for his actions! It seems to me that this SCHOOL trip that he and his family took was really illegal. Thinking that he can charge the district is insulting to everyone in the Saugerties School District." September 29, 2006
Voter Beware Voters are cautioned about "EXCEL," the allegedly "free money" that Rhau has been seeking and actively hawking to school board members. It is my understanding that Rhau arranged this "initial" presentation for the school board members in order to first secure a 9-0 unanimous vote behind him. He wanted to strengthen his cause before pushing the issue to the rest of us. Voters beware... getting millions of dollars for "free" sounds too good to be true. You know the old saying, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." Another old saying that seems appropriate here would be, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." The fact is, what Rhau might refer to as "free money," is merely coming out of a different pocket. Remember, it may be a different pocket, but it's still the same pair of pants. Think about that $600,000 deficit in Fabius-Pompey, where Joe Dziadik was accused of having withheld information from school officials that ultimately cost taxpayers there a 21% school tax increase. We would not want that to happen here. Again, voters beware.
George D. Heidcamp, Sr. October 12, 2006 |