Another Miracle In The School System?
Last night at the School Board Work Session an amendment to the school budget was discussed. After working so long and hard to get control over the budget, cutting much fat and prioritizing needed projects $973,779.00 was found for the planned use of thirteen items presented to the Board by Mr. Jackson. The following items were recommended to the board.
1) (Required) meet the minimum wages set for employees. Apparently the only ones whose wage does not presently meet this are substitute teachers, as stated during the meeting.
2) Approximately $158,000.00 is needed to meet the underestimated salaries of all employee as of 1 Oct. 2009. This resulted from a change in employees between the time the budget was submitted and 1 Oct. 2009.
3) A cash bonus of $300.00 to be given employees. This was changed during the meeting to $500.00 and would include every employee in the system. Another thread will be added to discuss this issue.
4) $6,000.00 to purchase usage license for a number of computer programs ion order for them to be used by more students in different schools.
5) $22,000.00 restored to vocational budget for travel etc.
6) $4,500.00 restored to Board Of Education funds.
7) $4,800.00 restored to legal expense.
8) $12,000.00 restored to maintenance funds.
9) Add money to Central Office funds for travel. These numbers were taken from my notes as there were no printouts made available to the general audience and I missed this one.
10) $284,000.00 included for next years textbooks.
11) $54,000.00 for Promethean Boards.
12) $26,000.00 restored to teacher training.
I apologize for only having twelve of the thirteen items discussed I didn't realize I had missed an item until after I got home. Allen Barrett
1) (Required) meet the minimum wages set for employees. Apparently the only ones whose wage does not presently meet this are substitute teachers, as stated during the meeting.
2) Approximately $158,000.00 is needed to meet the underestimated salaries of all employee as of 1 Oct. 2009. This resulted from a change in employees between the time the budget was submitted and 1 Oct. 2009.
3) A cash bonus of $300.00 to be given employees. This was changed during the meeting to $500.00 and would include every employee in the system. Another thread will be added to discuss this issue.
4) $6,000.00 to purchase usage license for a number of computer programs ion order for them to be used by more students in different schools.
5) $22,000.00 restored to vocational budget for travel etc.
6) $4,500.00 restored to Board Of Education funds.
7) $4,800.00 restored to legal expense.
8) $12,000.00 restored to maintenance funds.
9) Add money to Central Office funds for travel. These numbers were taken from my notes as there were no printouts made available to the general audience and I missed this one.
10) $284,000.00 included for next years textbooks.
11) $54,000.00 for Promethean Boards.
12) $26,000.00 restored to teacher training.
I apologize for only having twelve of the thirteen items discussed I didn't realize I had missed an item until after I got home. Allen Barrett
posted by Allen Barrett | 10:06 AM
54 Comments:
I know they all need a raise, but so do the people on Social Security.
Looks like we all will have to tighten our belts and do without a lot more than we had last year.
Everything is going up more but pay checks and more is being taken out of them.
My question would have to be, where did the money come from? Now, I don't want to rile anyone, or make myself sound accusatory, but if the budget was already in, how did the money appear?
I'm with you on that one Real Deadman. Thanks
Mr. Barrett. I was not at the meeting but I believe the one you missed, number 13, was $52,257.66 for the "I'M WITH STUPID" shirts for a few Elite school board members.
Jan 05 12:15. I know that of all people Social Security should have been raised. The school support staff have not had a raise in about 5 years. They are the ones that need the raise. Teachers got a raise from the state last year so they had a raise. Of course they would not stand for support staff to get a county raise if they did not. Aides gross about $1200 per month and if you have insurance that takes about $700 from that amount. You cannot qualify for TNCARE if you make that much either.
These expenses that are not foreseen at budget time but, materialize after budget approval are ridiculous. In my opinion, if you don't budget for it, then you can't spend what you don't have. I am speaking of travel expenses and the expenses laid on the back of the taxpayer for all the trips and frivolous spending like, hotel and meals for board members when they go out of town. Seems in the past they over spend and over book because they want to make sure they have enough rooms for all board members. Well, my question is, if the room is booked and is not used after it is reserved and paid for..is the board being reimbursed for the charges? We all know it is easy to spend OTHER PEOPLE'S money!
There are trainings that board members are required to attend. Do we take those expenses out of their $30 pay? As far as the rooms being booked and then not used unless it is an emergency the member should go, see that the room is cancelled or pay for it themselves. I have no idea that this is being done but if it is it is wrong. Do they use their own credit card to book or does the county send a check? There need to be rules on these things.
Will someone please tell me where did all this money come from in a budget that I thought was a bare bones budget.
Trust me 5:29 they will not ever admit any mistakes or wrongdoing. But, I will say this, rarely if ever has it been that any board member has "sucked it up". And, by that I mean, if a room was booked and a board member was a no show, then we the taxpayer absorbed the expense. So much has gone up there in that puzzle palace called the board of ed. for years that it would make you fall out of your chair. But, again, no one there now would ever admit it. Too scared for their job. Things would improve dramatically if we had a board that had what it took to fire him. One day he will be gone and all the stuff being kept hush, hush will be known.
Jan 05 12:15
Teachers do not pay for their own individual insurance. The county pays that. It was a "raise" one year for teachers.
Can the finance director give a report on rooms paid but not being used?
The Finance Director can give the amount paid for rooms and meals and registrations but I'm not sure she would have any knowledge of whether the rooms are actually occupied.
I do know that recently during a School Board conference in Nashville one member took their child and stayed in the room and ate at the banquet but did not pick up any of the information at the conference or attend any meetings, it was a nice overnight trip at our expense. Allen Barrett
If you ever get an explaination on the 2008 fiasco, you'll learn how the money comes out of the hat.
The 2008 state budget comarison of actual to amended budget was a million or so favorable. Think about it.... If everything was adjusted to actual in May, how could there be a variance???
Clue - what you thought was actual wasn't, was it??? ... & If funny numbers were used to create "no increase budgets" with the prior year numbers touted in the budget game fudged by $ millions or so... you really don't know what happened when TJ pulls the rabbit out of the hat.
Lot's more to it that implied here -
Oh why don't you guys go get Mr. Jackson and tar and feather him. For God's sakes, do you ever stop with the negativism? Answer...not until you are in power. But that's never going to happen, is it?
6:49 You are totally wrong in your assumptions. I know for sure the people you think you are talking do dont even read this blog. You need to start playing a different tune.
8:57
And you are totally delusional if you think there's not a very small group of people in this county who are unahppy and want to be in charge. But, as I've said, they are politically impotent and unable to gain the votes necessary to achieve their goals. Why is that? It's because Giles Countians are not nearly as ignorant and ill-informed as they might think.
8:57
And you are totally delusional if you think there's not a very small group of people in this county who are unahppy and want to be in charge. But, as I've said, they are politically impotent and unable to gain the votes necessary to achieve their goals. Why is that? It's because Giles Countians are not nearly as ignorant and ill-informed as they might think.
649 You don't have a clue, even when the answer is tattooed on the end of your nose.
Stuck you head in the toilet to see where the water & stuff went ... couldn't figure it out, flushed again & got brain washed!
what little there was, is gone. no hope for you
There you go again 9:53 claiming you know what is motivating the actions of others. I believe it was said somewhere else on this blog that no one can truly know the motivations of another, that statement really opened my eyes to the simple truth it expressed. You are stupid not because you're wrong but because you refuse to see anything other than your own limited understanding. As the saying goes , Pity the fool.
11:00
Ask around town if you think I don't know what I am talking about. Plenty of people know there's a group who are doing their level best to get rid of people they don't like. Don't believe me? Just ask around.
12:26 You may be right about a group getting rid of those they don't like, seems there are a lot of empty houses not selling and even more empty businesses that once had lots of people working in them where did they go. Did this unknown group assassinate those missing and bury them in the mines area?
There needs to be an investigation (you've called for investigations many times) we must find out what happened to all those people who have disappeared. School enrollment is down but not the expense, businesses are closed but taxes are still going up. The county needs to put you in charge, since you have so many contacts that know what's going on, to find all these missing people and businesses.
4:00
You can clown around and condescend all you want, but it doesn't change one word of what I said. Just ask around town if you don't believe it.
I suppose you blame the empty houses and businesses on, let's se, Mrs. Vanzant, Mr. Jackson, Mr Lovell, Mr. Reedy, Barry Hyatt, and select others?
Two, maybe three out of five isn't bad. Who would want their kid educated by Tee? Ms Z ain't much better. Mr. wannabe has voted for just about every tee tax hike.
Why not tell us why we should believe anything the t or z says? Do you like being lied to?
Hook, Line, and Sinker Syndrome has you in its clutches 5:54. You have bought into the hatred and resentment.
I was very serious 5:04. You should read 5:54 questions a little closer and answer it. I do think you should remove Hyatt from your list and replace him with the Speer then you would have a rather clear picture of the problem. You are in denial my over blotted cowardly hypocrite.
What is the min. wage for subs? Subs without teaching degree get 45 a day.
8:21
I could call you a kook, but I don't get into name-calling like some of you guys do. Or should I just call you an anal buffoon or some other inflammatory name? No! I've got a little more class and spirituality than that. Oh, and I'm sure you are going to jump all over that statement with your usual last word. What a laugh.
You need to get some help with the Syndrome. You have to begin to think for yourself and stop injesting all the mean-spirited and hateful rhetoric of those who, like you, see the speck in their brother's eye and not the beam in their own eyes.You see, those are the true hypocrites.
Minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. How many hours a day do subs work?
6:36 you described your self perfectly maybe there is some hope for you after all. Still you're gonna have to work on that head in the dark place attitude that keeps you from seeing the world as it is instead of as you wish it to be.
636 I ain't your brother & the speck on your eye is dung
8:54
I was quoting from the Bible about the speck in someone's eye. Guess you weren't familiar with the passage or the concept. What it refers to is the fact that a hypocrite judges his brother who has a tiny speck of something (not dung) in his eye while he (the hypocrite) has like a log in his own eye. In my opinion, that's exactly what people like you are doing.
Oh, by the way, God says we are all brothers. Why? Because we are all His children. Get used to it and then get yourself some professional help.
Can you not see how this Hook, Line, and Sinker Syndrome is causing us to be at each others' throats while someone else sits back and watches the strife?
Dung was the right word. Do you think Lot was a "brother" to the Sodomites in God's eye?
God meant from man to be free & not bound to the yoke of deceivers!
The answer is "suck it up & live as everyone else must do." The public indoctrination machine has drained all the public resources - in time of famine, roll it back & share alike.
"Education" seems to be the only area that can't innovate, cut expenses, or improve performance. The mule ain't going to plow as long as you keep feeding it carrots, it's past time to take the carrot away, pull the log out of your eye, & whack the mule in the rear end with your "log". Of course, you'll never see that cause you got dung in one eye & a log in the other.
9:27
You sound like someone who needs a real job or at least another hobby. You might as well give up the arguing with me, because you will never get me to see things your way. You guys may be right about some thing, and that's fine, but beating people up when they disagree with you is wrong. Behold the beam in your own eye before you go off trying to sound so above par. It's hypocritical.
9:27
You sound like someone who needs a real job or at least another hobby. You might as well give up the arguing with me, because you will never get me to see things your way. You guys may be right about some thing, and that's fine, but beating people up when they disagree with you is wrong. Behold the beam in your own eye before you go off trying to sound so above par. It's hypocritical.
9:27 as the master practitioner of hypocrisy you have spoken and no one will ever be able to get you to see anything different than what you want it to be. All reality is suspended and every fact is ignored so you can remain comfortable in your ignorant stupidity.
4:17
Ironically, you have just described my perceptions of you. Why don't you give it a rest and find a hobby?
Poking holes in pompous jackasses is my hobby, you are my main project 4:48
6:44
Ok. Ill be your huckleberry. Take your best shots, and I'll be ready for you every single time.
Get some help. You are obviously nuts (describing your behavior). I didn't call you a nut, which happens to be a noun. HLSS has driven you over the edge.
To Sunday January 10,2010 9:21AM
Some subs sign in earlier than 7:30 and dont leave until 2:45. So maybe a little over 7 hrs. But just at 7hrs min. wage would be 50.75 a day. So the subs are not even being paid min. wage?? Dont understand how they get by with not meeting federal min. wage law.
8:19 Are subs required to sign in that early or do they just arrive that early. Just like a normal job you can't clock in early and get paid unless it is required. Also what about lunch, is it free or required to spend with students. If it is free you will subtract that time if with students it is counted as work time. I do not know who makes those decisions.
341x417 No one is trying to change what little mind you have. There is no need to change you, in order to put some reality in our government - you're not a factor - like moss on the north side of a tree.- You're there, don't know why, can't make a difference, & can't even grow on the southern side of a tree! Like dung in a flower garden, you'll never be a flower - that's why you're scattered about & worked into the ground. Nobody needs you because you're irrelevant, helpless, & hopeless.
1:05
I am only irrelevant because I am not in agreement with you. But I know better.
By the way, you seem to have an unusual preoccupation with dung. I wonder why?
I would like to see dung and HLSS before removed from everyone's talk. Are they the only words you know?
I think you meant both instead of before. I feel the same way you do those words are getting old.
This is about "budget" games - games to keep spending more & more, in spite of very hard times on the home front!
Think about the stadium & how those millions of dollars might have been spent building real infrastructure of jobs making things we buy from China & other slae labor nations, where they don't have an Al Gwhore, Obama, & Polutski making it impossible to develop our own resources, make the things we need, or leave a free legacy for the generations we might leave.
Government has turned into an automated tax machine. It's all about collecting money & hiring an army to regulate & extrapolate, & then make it evaporate.
We aren't going anywhere until we learn to cut the food machine off - starve them until they either learn to innovate and reduce costs, go somewhere else, or starve to death!
Does The county budget like we used to in the military? We were told to cut back and save every year, until one month before the end of the fiscal year, then we were told to spend the money we had saved. Because if we didn't, we would not only lose the money we had saved, but our budget would have been cut by that amount or more. Does the county budget the same way?
When everyone is talking about budget increases in the school system are they taking into consideration that there is stimulus money in that budget? You have to take that into consideration but don't plan on it being spent where it is needed because they are telling schools where they need to spend it.
The thing about so called "stimulus" money is that it comes with some very huge strings attached, it goes away after the one time use but the obligation remains. The smartest thing to do is tell the government "No Thanks" we don't need any more big government control on our school system. If you want to actually stimulate the economy and system give our money back to us to spend as we choose not as you choose. Allen Barrett
Has anybody figured out yet that the government has no money? That's my money in the so-called stimulus and I would like some opportunity to decide how it is spent and giving it to t.j. is not, to put it mildly, my first choice...
I've seen the school board in action, not one of them has the backbone needed to supervise their only employee, which is the very reason my family's budget takes a hit on a regular basis by donating to private institutions by way of tuition. I'm very happy that they are allowing me to give the teachers a 500.00 bonus, but it saddens me greatly that the teachers, with no other choice are accepting this pacifier instead of standing strong and united for a pay raise. Obviously, there is money there, probably in the same magic place that the funds to donate the bonus came from. GCEA is allowing the teachers to lose again, big surprise there**** they are not even loyal to their own dues paying members to the tune of nearly 40.00 bucks a month. My guess is that in the future info will come to light that leadership of GCEA was handpicked by t.j. and boe: not much other explanation for the way members are being treated. I am not accusing mind you, but the word, "kickback" crossed my mind more than once. No I don't think pres is taking a bribe now but one can only wonder why leadership doesn't come to aid of membership and why negotiations activity starts off with an offer from the boe and after months of meetings, voting and questioning, the meeting where contract is signed ends up with exactly what the boe offered at the first meeting, no more, no less. What's the point????And the argument that "in this economy just be grateful for a paycheck" is so defeatist. The Giles economy would be thriving if we had decent public schools. Businesses look at school systems first when deciding where to locate. BOE should have taken a leap of faith and fixed things when they had the chance, then we'd have jobs, tax dollars and a spiralling economy in a quite different direction. If you are not moving forward, you are standing still and if you are standing still, you are moving backward. Guess most of us are comfortable with the status quo, but my mortgage co won't take a check from the bank of status quo. Will yours?
Patti Scott
Patti - thanks for a worthwhile comment
whereizitat?
10:44 I do not believe that the general budget got any stimulus money.
Has the little darlins ever come to the council to say, we figured out a better way, eliminated some waste, & decided to cut our budget so there might be a drop or two given to the many who really need it?
So be it, the progressive education system has no time to figure out a new path that might lead to somewhere other than ruination.
Where the two objectives are money and more, there is no room for less and money. As a given, it takes one hour to drive a smidgen of smarts into container that can only devour one smidgen of smarts per hour. Thus, the cost of a smidgen driver per hour becomes the measure of smidgen driving. Then it becomes clear that it is easier for the smidgen driver if the smidgen driver has an assistant to help drive the smidgens when nature or smell of deserts calls the smidgen driver away from his task.
Then we discover that two smidgen drivers assigned the task of driving smidgens requires a supervisor of the two smidgen drivers, to make sure the smidgen drivers are not drinking too much coffee & spending too much time taking leaks instead of driving smidgens.
Then we determine the cost of driving smidgens is many times greater than just three smidgen driving experts struggling to get one smidgen driven. So ... we add a certified smidgenologist to make sure we are doing the best we can with the knowledge we have acquired.
Of course, the verdict is a smidgen consultant who knows the best qualified smidgen director, who knows a qualified designer of elaborate buildings and systems that will be required to house the new smidgen department.
Soon, we automate the smidgen driving process with a progressive movie by Barney Frank regarding financial success and achieving happiness for perverted lifestyles.
In the end, the grunts who now have no money left, are exceedingly happy to watch a weekly highly competitive game of lawn leap frog, where they can hoot & holler for king frog.
Ever wonder how regressive a progressive bureaucracy can get?
What are the fund accounts that will provide for the blessings?
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