The following article,
written by Klaus Gaebel, is reprinted from The
Saugerties Post Star, 02-22-08 Eagle's View A View Around Town Saugerties Post Star , February 22,
2008 Anticipating snow, Saugerties schools closed early on
Tuesday the 12th. As we found out, closing schools
doesn’t automatically postpone a scheduled evening
school board meeting. A resolution was on the board’s agenda to scale back
the superintendent’s plan to significantly increase the
size of the weight room. Voting against construction of a
huge weight room would also mean that the technology
department’s plan to upgrade their curriculum was very
much alive. The snow didn’t start falling until 5 P.M., two
hours before the start of the Board of Education meeting.
It was sticking, but it was too late to postpone the
meeting. A postponement of the board meeting might have had the
same effect as voting “yes” for the
superintendent’s plan. With the clock ticking on being
able to revise construction plans, it probably would have
been full speed ahead with the superintendent’s
proposal if it wasn’t derailed on the 12th. Five board members are needed to have an official meeting
since that’s the number to attain a quorum. It also
takes five votes to pass a motion or resolution, no matter
how many board members show up. The question lurking was
would five board members show up on a snowy night and vote
to deny the superintendent his plan? The meeting was promptly called to order at 7 P.M., with
Don Tucker, George Heidcamp, Sam Fisco, Rich Petramale, Jim
Steinhilber, and Mark Thompson in attendance. Of the six,
it would take five votes to reverse the
superintendent’s space plan for the weight room, and
move the technology department’s plan forward. (The
weight room would still get about $60,000 worth of new
equipment whether the plan was voted down or not.) This vote was going to be big. It was significant
because it was a vote to decide curriculums as well as one
that could embarrass a superintendent by repealing his plan.
Superintendents don’t like being overruled, especially
in public. And some board members find it extremely
difficult to bring themselves to not vote the
superintendent’s way. That might mean they don’t
get their favors here and there. (Oh, and you thought it was
always about what’s best for the kids?) Based on comments by board members before and during the
meeting, it seemed the technology department had its 5
votes, with Thompson being the only question mark. When it
came time for the vote, Thompson voted with the others to
make it 6-0. Absent were trustees Robert McCaig, Terry Parisian, and
Michael Brennan. Tucker announced Superintendent Richard
Rhau did not attend the meeting due to illness. Also
missing was Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Nuciforo, I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt to Rhau
and Nuciforo and that they weren’t at the meeting for
legitimate reasons. But why all three board members who were seen as
supporters of Rhau’s plan, weren’t there, is
curious. Weather to blame? Over forty people besides board
members made it to the meeting. If the three had the five
votes to support the superintendent’s plan, does anyone
think they would not have shown up? This vote, more than any other since July, showed the
three remaining members of the old guard have lost their
control and power. Yea, they still win one once in a while
when they’re on the wrong side. But starting with
three votes and having to get to five isn’t fun for
them. They liked the days of going into a vote with seven or
eight, and then working on the other one or two to get to
9-0 votes which provided them cover. No dissension meant
not having to justify their votes, and the press having
little reason to question the issues surrounding their
votes. If they had been satisfied with 8-1 votes, Brenda Peters
would be superintendent today. Now they won’t show up
when on the short end of 6-3 or 5-4. Gives new meaning to
the Dean Martin song “Let it snow, let it snow, let it
snow.” (Next week: Technology rightfully won over an oversized
weight room. But it’s worth looking into one reason
some board members picked technology over the weight room,
and it wasn’t a good one.)