Several people have asked me about the special board meeting that was held Tuesday August 29th. What happened? What was the meeting about? Was any action taken? The answers are CONFIDENTIAL, CONFIDENTIAL (I am allowed to say personnel), and no. We have another special board meeting, executive session only scheduled for this coming Tuesday. Yes you read right. Tuesday. Yes there is still a regular board meeting this Wednesday. But the time has changed. It is now at 6 PM. You are welcome to come to both, but you will be asked to leave Tuesday shortly after you arrive. With the price of gas these days, I’d hate to see you show up Tuesday for nothing. I felt bad for the two ladies that showed up this past Tuesday and had to wait outside until we adjourned at 10:30ish. Didn’t anyone tell them it was only an executive session? Anyway, I can’t promise no action will be taken Tuesday. You never know with us!
The next question I am being asked the most is why did our CFO apply for the job at Hudson? Only she can answer that. I suggest you call or E-mail her and ask if you’re wondering. A few people have asked me if it is something I have done. If you mean finding utilizing outside help that found over 1.6 million dollars extra for our district for each of the next four years, then yes. It seems the same money was expended on two separate lines in our five-year forecast. I made a promise to the voters of this city that I would be a responsible steward of your money. I will use whatever means available to me to do that. One of the Roosevelt’s once said, "I am not a very smart man. But I surround myself with very smart people." Our five-year forecast needs adjusted and maybe we can put off asking for new money a little longer. We’ll see if that ever happens!
The stakeholders in our city expect and deserve to have a critical eye in their money. I think the vote turn out said this loud and clear. I ran on a platform of fiscal accountability and less levy begging. I can’t convince most of my fellow board members to look for savings, cut waste and streamline our central office, but I can continue to try. I am of the mind set that it is my money we are spending. It’s your money we are spending. I am aware of the rising costs of heating, gas, and "supplies" in my own household. I can’t get as many cappuccinos, pedicures, and visits to the chiropractor like I used to. The kids don’t get as many Poke-Mon cards, Water Works passes, or trips to Chuck E. Strep throat. I had to make cuts to adjust my budget. We have to keep the heat on. I want our school district to run the same way. Before we paid a lot of last minute debt this year, which is a commendable thing, our bottom line was 2.1 million. We actually ended with a balance of 726,526.
Don’t get me wrong. I am glad we were able to retire the musical instrument, athletic equipment and the boiler for Sill debt. It seems we have accomplished a miracle turn around in one year unlike any other. Our leaders should be proud. I just hope they remember whose backs it was on. Teachers, support staff, kids, parents, and property owners.
I have faith in our curriculum and pupil services departments that test scores, AYP, and enrollment will continue to rise. In my experiences with teachers and other staff I have noticed much enthusiasm and passion for seeing our kids succeed. We are getting the kids the extra help they need even at buildings that do not qualify for funding. You don’t hear me talk about academics much because I am comfortable with the direction we are going.
Bussing is another story…
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To: Our Community
Finding an extra $1,600,000 in the 5 year financial forecast is both troubling and comforting.
It is comforting to know we have more money than we knew we had before the finding. It is troubling because we must ask ourselves -- how did this 'absence of accuracy' occur. Was it inaccurate by design or by default. Was it un-intended and thus a surprise? Or, was it intended and thus a design to create an illusion of scarcity?
The process of explaining this finding by our 'cost control people' will tell us something. But, will the explanation tell us the truth?
Here is how you can tell if an 'honest person' is telling the truth -- most of the time. Listen to the words and look at the 'body language'. If the words and 'body language' are consistent with each other then you are likely getting truth. If the words tell you what you want to hear and the 'body language' is different then make a note to ask the same question in a different context -- at a later time.
If the 'arms are crossed' or the 'blink rate of the eyes' increases or the 'speech pattern' changes then the truth may be something other than the spoken words.
This 'examination of the truth' must be done 'up close and personal'. It is the reason top executives have corporate jets to fly around the world and sign contract worth millions of dollars in a meeting. It cannot be done via the Internet.
Lou Schott lschott@neo.rr.com
It was Saturday morning on 9-8-06. The sun warmed the bleachers at the junior varsity game. The score was 20 to 0.
My grandson serves as quarterback. His teammate ran the phantom ball to the goal posts along with four players from the other team -- who thought he had the ball.
My grandson got to waltz the ball to the goal line to score. The team got to say, "We did it." The team got to feel just a little satisfaction.
Thus, we cooperate to compete. And, we compete to cooperate.
What might happen -- if we started to cooperate? Could we be more like a team?
Lou Schott lschott@neo.rr.com
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