Post by momto4 on Jun 12, 2009 20:06:41 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/opinions/letters/1618712,2_4_AU12_LETTERS_S1-090612.article
Board changes good for Oswego schools
As the Oswego school superintendent departs and a new board is installed, let's reflect on the past and outline our hopes for the future.
For taxpayers' and students' sake, I hope we never experience the last few years again. A bond referendum for $450 million burned a hole in the district's spending pocket.
The superintendent of schools was really the "constructor of schools." He launched a building/spending spree that left us with two empty new schools and a perfectly good, recently rehabbed school (Traughber) now used as a senior center. By itself, annual interest cost for the two vacant schools is about $1.4 million.
I consider this criminal.
The "constructor of schools" controlled the board, e.g., a so-called "ethics policy" he wrote required the board to get his advance approval on their public communications.
The board agreed, abrogating its fiduciary responsibilities.
Throughout this time, our educational system was suffering. We are now on a federal academic watch list. When this was announced, we got incredible excuses as to why all was OK.
Retirees are moving away because of tax bills, and foreclosures continue at a brisk pace -- and the School District's two-thirds share of property tax bills is a major factor for this.
There is hope now, however. This past election, we added two new fiscally responsible people to the board to join two others who were similarly responsible, but outvoted. We now have a slim 4-3 majority. Board President Lynn Cullick is one of the responsible people. I hope she and her responsible colleagues turn our schools in a new direction, improving the lot of taxpayers, students and faculty alike. Tough decisions will be called for, and we all hope they are up to it.
Leonard R. Wass
Oswego
Board changes good for Oswego schools
As the Oswego school superintendent departs and a new board is installed, let's reflect on the past and outline our hopes for the future.
For taxpayers' and students' sake, I hope we never experience the last few years again. A bond referendum for $450 million burned a hole in the district's spending pocket.
The superintendent of schools was really the "constructor of schools." He launched a building/spending spree that left us with two empty new schools and a perfectly good, recently rehabbed school (Traughber) now used as a senior center. By itself, annual interest cost for the two vacant schools is about $1.4 million.
I consider this criminal.
The "constructor of schools" controlled the board, e.g., a so-called "ethics policy" he wrote required the board to get his advance approval on their public communications.
The board agreed, abrogating its fiduciary responsibilities.
Throughout this time, our educational system was suffering. We are now on a federal academic watch list. When this was announced, we got incredible excuses as to why all was OK.
Retirees are moving away because of tax bills, and foreclosures continue at a brisk pace -- and the School District's two-thirds share of property tax bills is a major factor for this.
There is hope now, however. This past election, we added two new fiscally responsible people to the board to join two others who were similarly responsible, but outvoted. We now have a slim 4-3 majority. Board President Lynn Cullick is one of the responsible people. I hope she and her responsible colleagues turn our schools in a new direction, improving the lot of taxpayers, students and faculty alike. Tough decisions will be called for, and we all hope they are up to it.
Leonard R. Wass
Oswego