WAB: Financial Management Act Delays

What’s the problem with implementing the Financial Management Act that was adopted by an overwhelming majority of Giles County VOTERS?

Well, it seems the major problem is with some in our county officials simply not wanting to lose their power. Their fear is so great they seem willing to do most anything to protect their own little kingdoms. (click on "comments" to continue)

WAB: Skyrocketing School Spending

I presented a paper to the combined committee last night that showed strong evidence of budget manipulation by the school director and school board. Included in this report was the following information. School spending for the 2003-4 year was $22,396,776 the 2006-7 budgets plus the November amendment set spending at $28,641,021 an increase of $6,244,245 or an average increase of $2,081,415 a year. This is an increase of 27.9 % in only three years. The BLS inflation index for the same period was only 10.3%.

Now with the general fund increasing $6,239,262 in only three years, where did the money go???

Money designated for teacher salaries went up $1,894,101 or 19%. In the 2003-4 budget teacher salaries were 44.4% of the total budget while the teacher salaries dropped to 41.4% of the 2006-7 budget. So they didn’t get it.

Support salaries increased $278,836 or 18.6%. This is the substitute teachers, mechanics, bus drivers, maintenance and custodial staffs. They’re dead last when it comes to getting money from the school system so they didn’t get it.

Social staffs went up $290,247 or 29%. These are the medical and psychology staffs. They got a big piece of the pie.

Now comes the administrative staff, that went up $913,370 or 45.3%. These are the clerks, secretaries, supervisors, assistants and assistants for the assistants. Bureaucracy is up 2.4 times more than teaching, hummmmm.

Clearly the spin is “teaching”… but the reality is “bureaucracy”. Teachers and children are on the billboards with tears crying for help…. but the bureaucrats are at the bank cashing the checks.

It is past time for the County Commission to request a comprehensive audit of the school system, require an explanation of the most recent audit findings and hold people accountable for their actions or lack of. -- Allen Barrett

WAB: School Funding Follies

Mr. Jackson presented the proposed school budget for the coming year. A budget that requires an increase of $838,000 funding. When questioned about this budget Mr. Jackson was forced to concede that the amount of BEP money was not included in the budget. He was then asked, “If the county were to straight out give you $838,000 dollars in new money wouldn’t that, after the BEP money is added, actually increase the amount to over two million dollars in new money.” He flippantly responded, “I hope so.” He then apparently realized what he had said, and tried to change the subject.

It was pointed out that this budget followed the same pattern of the past few budgets. The claim was made that the last budget “2006-2007” was so bare-boned that it actually was $300,000.00 less that the previous year. The reality is that it actually was increased 2.8 million. How was it done, simply by not including the BEP money in the original budgets? The question is will the people allow this deceit to continue? -- Allen Barrett

WAB: Overcrowding in the schools?

In Mr. Jackson’s report he mentioned that there was a growing need for new class rooms to be built. He stated that presently there were no “unused” spaces available in any of the schools. I asked if that included the empty wing at Richland and Mr. Jackson repeated that there were no unused spaces. I asked specifically if all the spaces were being used by students or storage, no answer was given.

Question, while school enrollment is decreasing how can useful space be decreasing? Common sense dictates that if there are less students there would be more room not less. How can someone complain, with a straight face, about overcrowding at GCHS while Richland stands grossly under used? Why if it’s overcrowded are students allowed to cross zone lines to attend GCHS but not allowed to cross over to the sparsely populated Richland? -- Allen Barrett

WAB: Why not evaluate teachers individually?

It was suggested by Mrs. Murrey that instead of voting on tenure for teachers as a group, they should be considered and voted on individually. This was met with much resistance from Mr. Jackson and was defeated by a six to one vote, after he spoke against it. But why? Why would evaluating teachers individually be such a threat? -- Allen Barrett

WAB: Pre-K Program Needed or Effective?

School Board Meeting: Statement by Mrs. Braden, “Pre K (Pre Kindergarten) has proven to improve graduation rates of students.” This is a program that is being pushed by the governor and has already leaped from about two million dollars to over twenty million and it isn’t even completely in place yet. Estimates reach into the hundred million dollar a year range when fully in place. Here’s the problem and even the teachers union has to admit that there is no comprehensive evidence that supports the idea that those who attend Pre K have any greater or less probability of successfully completing high school. In fact some studies released just recently determined that children in daycare do worse than those who stay home with their mother. A study by the CATO Institute revealed that our children test at about the same level, with or without pre-kindergarten, as children from other developed countries. The problem is that by the time they reach sixth grade just three years later they already have fallen behind most other developed countries. By the time they reach 12^th grade they have dropped a considerable distance behind. Could it be that schools are actually making students dumber instead of smarter?

The question is can there possibly be a justification for spending over a hundred million dollars a year on an unproven system of “daycare” when there are so many needs that exist in the schools now. What kind of pay raise could a hundred million dollars provide current teachers? -- Allen Barrett

WAB: Appointment of Mrs. Judy Roberts as interim Financial Management Director?

(Note from the blogmaster: this topic, like the five which follow, were emailed to me a week ago by Allen Barrett. Unfortunately, due to my being busy doing other things, I failed to open my email until late yesterday. Hence, some of what follows may be "old news," which is my fault, not WAB's. Thanks for your time and attention.)

Right after the vote approving the Financial Management Act I went on record and said that the County Executive was opposed to it and would do everything in her power to prevent hiring a Financial Director and meeting the deadline. (click on "comments" to continue)