The Hour is reporting that the BET set the cap of an increase to 4% for the BOE. Corda thinks that this is a $1.9 million decrease.
“At this point, we are just beginning to examine refinements, and I have to tell you that I am not optimistic that refinements will be where we find all the money,” Corda said.
There are costs tied to the budget that historically rise each year, such as insurance or debt service costs for construction. These costs are not tied to a program but are incidentals for running an operation such as a school district, Corda said.
For one, I’m totally ecstatic that Opdahl has resigned. But then I see things like this in today’s Advocate:
Opdahl said he planned to leave before the end of the school year, and he wants to work out a deal in which he can help take care of any loose ends.
Oh yeah, here’s a loose end that I’d like to see taken care of. A forensic audit of the construction projects and a forensic audit of operating budgets and any contracts signed by Opdahl. Since Opdahl wsa notorious for not documenting routine things, like travel expenses, I’d just like a line item list of all reas where a lack of documentation exists. Let’s start with the kitchen equipment that sits unused. Who authroized the pruchase, when was it paid out, and what equipment does the school district actaully have.
Last Thursday, the budget committee of the BOE met to discuss a variety of topics. One of which was the presentation by Ominigroup, a company that does essentialy paperwork required by the IRS for public school districts’ 403(b), 457(b), and 401(a) programs.
If you are familiar with the ubiquitos 401k, then these plans are essentially similar. They exist so that public education organizations get the tax treatment extremely similar to a 401(k) plan. Money that goes into a 403(b) plan are made before income tax is paid on it, and allowed to grow tax deferred until the money is taxed as income when taken out of the plan. Which brings us to why the 403b was created. Historically teachers could only invest in TSA’s (Tax Sheltered Annuities) and the 403b introduced the ability to purchase mutual funds instead.
S’okay, we know that students need to be more competitive in the math and sciences, so naturally getting rid of an AP chemistry teacher is a high priority. Knowing nothing whatsoever of the details, and apparently so was the BOE, they moved to table the item. Smart move. Dig in BOE members and find out what’s really going on over in absentee principal land. Now let’s go the video tape and insert the usual calls for Stuart Opdhal and Bruce Morris to be fired.
When we last looked in on the BOE and the amazing out of control constructions costs, there was rumbling in the BOE that $6 million wasn’t just going to be transferred, without explantion or detail, as per Opdahl’s request, and that the planning commission wasn’t buying the cpatial requests put forward. The latter is a good thing, since the BOE was split on the cpaital request budget. So, we get this report from The Hour:
This is just too crazy to be belived, but exactly shows why certain school behavior policies are just designed for ridicule. If individual parents want to ban their children from eating candy, cup cakes and the smoking, then fine. But stop trying to insert parental responsibilities into school policy. I think there’s a direct correlation to the lack of focus on education and the sheer mind numbing amount of behavior policies.
Mayor Richard A. Moccia, ex-officio member of the tax board, prefaced his remarks by inviting members of the public to find $2 million in savings — as sought by some Common Council members and residents — in the school budget.
Okay faithful readers, the game is afoot.
Brien McMahon
1. OBJ 102 professional development reduce requested $2,895 adjusted $1422
2. OBJ 690 Other supllies requested $13,500 adjusted $9,019
I stopped counting the number of times Sal Corda said the word understanding tonight after 100, and I missed the first half hour of the meeting. Listening to Corda answer questions is like being caught in an endless loop of Mentos commercials. Here’s a reminder:
See, I too have created an understanding about the meeting. Now, onto the points worth discussing.
Don’t miss the BET review of the BOE budget tomorrow night. Like last year, Fred Wilms sent over a series of questions for Sal Corda to answer. The answers will largely form the format of tomorrow’s meeting, but as a preview, I’ve posted the answers to this years questions below.
Gianetti’s answer to how he’s such a stellar purchasing agent is priceless. Bottom line on that one, he wanders around answering questions.
