The following excerpt from an
article by Klaus Gaebel is reprinted from The
Saugerties Post Star, 05-01-08 Eagle's View A View Around Town Saugerties Post Star , May 1,
2008 At Thursday’s (4/24) Board of Education meeting,
which was the board’s final shot at making some tough
decisions and approving a budget to present to voters,
outgoing board members Michael Brennan, Robert McCaig, and
Terry Parisian didn’t let the board president know they
weren’t showing up. A majority of the board wasn’t satisfied with the
list of cuts presented to them at Wednesday evening’s
special budget meeting, so the board sent Superintendent
Richard Rhau and business administrator Joseph Dziadik back
to their offices Thursday to come up with additional budget
reductions. The Thursday evening board meeting was hastily
called since Friday was the deadline for a budget agreement
in order to have the budget available for BOCES
printing. Only 5 of the 9 board members were at the Thursday
meeting. Since it would take 5 votes to pass a budget, that
forced the 5 that showed up to unanimously decide on cuts
and approve a budget. Trustee Rich Petramale let it be known he wasn’t
going to be at Thursday’s meeting, since he had plans
to be out of town on business. Unlike McCaig and Parisian,
Brennan at least called the superintendent’s office
about his pending absence, but didn’t let board
President Don Tucker know personally. That brings up a side issue. Tucker is high on respect,
an admirable trait in this age where it doesn’t seem to
be practiced much. There have been plenty of instances of
board disagreements in his term, but Tucker likes respect
among colleagues. He expects the same in return. Besides,
calling or emailing the president, and letting him know one
is going to be absent, is simple courtesy. Brennan, McCaig, and Parisian, who earlier in the week
became lame ducks by not submitting petitions to run for the
board again in May, have been recent no-shows. Parisian voted “no” to go into an April
Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations with the
school’s attorney. That was a very unusual
“no” vote to cast. Moments earlier he was visibly
upset after a board vote on a resolution involving a host of
Ulster County School Board Associations recommendations
(Parisian is president of the group). The Saugerties board
decision didn’t go his way. Parisian didn’t go into the Executive session.
Brennan and McCaig voted “yes” for the Executive
Session – but didn’t show up either. At the Wednesday April 23rd meeting, Brennan walked out
in a huff and went home before the budget discussions took
place. Moments earlier there was some board procedural
maneuvering over a motion. For the three – it hasn’t exactly been their
best moments as board members. And, oh, it’s only
supposed to be about what’s best for the children.
Isn’t it?