From the Journal Star:
Instead of a $2 million surplus for 2008-09, Treasurer Guy Cahill told the board that reduced revenues will leave the district with a $2 million deficit. About $200,000 of that is from higher- than-anticipated costs to restructure Manual High School. Another fraction is in dispute with the state. But the main reason the district will have $145 million rather than the anticipated $147 million for next year’s operating budget is cuts by the state of Illinois.
How to plug the gap? HOI News explains:
Superintendent Ken Hinton said he wants to close Loucks-Edison as soon as next year. There was also talk at Monday’s school board meeting about getting rid of all the athletic directors and keeping only one for the entire district. Hinton is also asking for cuts in cafeteria, custodial, maintenance and security staff. He also suggested the district get rid of two central administration positions.
Another school closing. Yet, at the same time, they’ve acquired the former Social Security Administration building on Knoxville — a building they didn’t need — and approved spending $1.27 million out of the Buildings and Grounds fund — because they couldn’t go through the Public Building Commission — to renovate it. And they’re still sitting on $877,000 worth of houses on Prospect Road. Actually, the fair market value of the houses was only $609,540 (District 150 royally overpaid for them), and they’ve since razed one of them (FMV: $60,150), so the properties are probably worth approximately $549,390 at best. And they still have four superintendents on staff.
Getting less state money hurts, but it really hurts when you combine that with what I perceive as mismanagement at the local level.
First, Julian Cannell was not a District #150 employee but rather one of their attorneys who dealt mainly with HR/Labor matters.
It is my understanding that Broderick at least earned his administrative endorsement and possibly his superintendent’s endorsement so he may desire to move up within the organization. If he did earn these endorsements, someplace in his background he must have received a degree in education and held, or was qualified to hold, an Illinois teaching certificate because that is one of the requirements/qualifications for the issuance of administrative and superintendent endorsements.
It is my understanding, from various conversations with current district employees, that Broderick is perceived to have a “prosecutorial” mentality when dealing with employee issues, and that Davis wears really nice suits but people have a hard time figuring just what exactly he does. Just what I heard . . .
I have also heard from several people that when employees of the district are called into meetings with admin or directors Broderick is ever present in all the meetings. How intimidating is that? Since when do directors need an attorney to meet with their staff?
Does anyone know the qualifications of the assistant principal from Glen Oak who was recently transferred to Whittier? How long was she assist. principal?
That is pretty consistent with what I’ve been told. The Broderick HR approach doesn’t really seem designed to facilitate good employee relations or, as former BOE President Rhonda Hunt used to say, labor peace. Rather an unusual approach in this “politically correct” day and age, don’t you think?
The assistant principal at Glen Oak was probably appointed subsequent to the 2004-05 school year. However, in order to hold an assistant principal position the person must hold an administrative endorsement so is, therefore, ISBE qualified to hold the position.
It seems that Hinton made a remark, either during or following Monday evening’s BOE meeting, that they chose (from their menu of possible budget cuts) the “low-hanging fruit” to cut. Since those honorable dismissals involved the noncertified support staff, the feelings shared with me by some of the members of those employee groups were that Hinton’s remarks were very condescending and derogatory. At the very least, it was a most unfortunate choice of words on Hinton’s part and words that once spoken, can’t be recalled.
“As far as a school districts that spent more: Katy TX spent $5.9 million in 2002.”
Hmmm….well you left out the most important part of my question: but could you point me to a school district that spent over 800 grand on properties with no result? You conviently left out the “with no result” part when answering. Did Katy TX abandon the properties they acquired for 5.9 million with no end result?
“Accountability ” doesn’t mean illegality!” No kidding, I must have missed the part where I inferred that. So just because 150 does something legal yet wasteful, they shouldn’t be called out on it?
“The upcoming school closings and layoffs are no doubt unpopular, but inevitable. Dwindling funds and enrollment created that reality.”
And how about an extra 800,000 in “Dwindling funds”? Do you think that would have helped matters at all? At least 150 is now the proud owners of homes on Prospect. We can all point to those properties and say proudly “Now that’s a good lesson for my children”.
I have been reading the replies on this issue tonight and would like to add a couple of things. I work in D-150 at one of the high schools.
1. I heard today that Dr. Fischer will be employed as a consultant by D-150 next year at a rate of $450 per day (plus pension, etc., that she acquired.)
2. The bargaining unit of paraprofessionals (teacher aides, teacher assistants, occupational and physical therapy personnel), clerical and cafeteria staff have been without a contract since July. When the current year’s budget was announced to be “balanced” by Mr. Cahill, there was NO money allocated for raises (even COLs) for this bargaining unit. Therefore, if they bargained for deserved raises or even COLs, they would be held responsible for “breaking the budget.”
3. Cutting cafeteria staff — last year the admin. tried to outsource ALL cafeteria personnel. When the union objected,it was implied that the cost of the wages of these employees would be one of the reasons the bargaining unit could not ask for any COLs or merit raises in contract negotiations. Since they fought for these employees, they would have to, de facto, pay for them. Some of these employees are actually eligible for food stamps (or whatever it’s called now.)
These people are doing valuable work for low wages and, particularly paras, are the ones in the trenches every day, usually with the most needy students and the most disruptive. Yet the administration places the burden for balancing the budget on them while remaining top-heavy with highly-paid administrators. How does this help the children?
Kudos to Debbie Wolfmeyer for at least asking the question about the administrative “restructuring.” Cutting some of the deadwood from admin. would easily free up $$ to compensate the in-building personnel.
The issues of $$ for Prospect houses, “unexpected” costs for Manual restructuring, etc., are buried in other parts of the budget. Accounting practices are easily manipulated by moving/hiding/renaming funds.
And no, PEORIA, I am not saying definitively these things are happening because I do not have access to the paper trail. I hope the PJS or some other entity decides some day to investigate the cronyism, double-dipping and other irregularities that are going on D-150 administration. I also hope the School Board takes a deeper look.
Hot in the City – just adding my 2 cents worth here.
Top-heavy Administration: What about Thom Simpson? He retired in 2004 and has worked – under different job titles and classifications – as a well-paid consultant ever since (at least $450 per diem, full time). Why is he still there?
Moving/hiding/renaming funds: this suspicion has been whispered around town for several months. Staff members have said one day, there is money in a certain budget line and the next day it is gone, and then it shows up again. Very weird.
$450 per diem is a less alarming way to actually say $117,000 per standard contract year! As has been pointed out Thom Simpson has been a permanent fixture after going through the revolving door at 150 reserved for good ole boys and now girls too! Nice gig if you want it. Besides it is often easier to bury consultant fees in grants here and there so the pestering public and unions don’t even see a blip on the screen.
^oo^~
You are correct,Prairie Celt.
“Low hanging fruit” these are people with families,obligations and tax payers.
The statement was not necessary, it was degrading and hateful to our staff at district 150 who work very hard.
It is commonly known that when you clean house you start at the top and work your way down. Had this been said when the unions were strong the rank and file members would not have allowed the administration to use this type of language when addressing the media.
In prior years they would be cleaning their own thrones.
Rose,it wasn’t that long ago that the unions were strong and wouldn’t have tolerated the behaviors exhibited by this BOE and Administration. But then, they really didn’t have that much to complain about. I can’t remember reading any similar comments made by John Strand, Ed Griffith, John Garrett, Kay Royster or Roger Kilpatrick, can you?
When an organization is in crisis, employee support and goodwill can mean the difference between success and failure. This BOE and Administration not only don’t have the support of their employees, but it appears they keep alienating them more and more. Doesn’t make any sense, does it?
If the people shout loud enough, perhaps the walls will come a tumblin’ down on Wisconsin.
Why don’t we be the first community to reinvent this failure called public education?
kcdad, sounds like a good idea to me. Where can I sign up to volunteer?
CJ & PrairiCelt – Thank you for the references and insight. I look forward to examining your viewpoints. I hope all are in agreement that the District should not go back to deficit spending. Given the fiscal challenges throughout the state, funding is beyond the Districts control, but cost structure remains one of the few variables where oversight can have a positive influence.
this is so funnnnnnnnnnnny!
Stable “jim” will examine these viewpoints.
Gosh, I wonder what PEORIA will do? Let alone Peoria Proud! I bet it’s a hoot around your house with this one and that one coming and going!
tsk tsk tsk…looks like gag orders just aren’t what they used to be!
Nite nite ^oo^~
one_feral – To whose house might you be referring to?..If you quit eating out of your litter-box, you might wake-up in a better frame of mind.
jimmy, jimmy, jimmy
Is that the best you or wifey-po can come up with?
Surely I thought you might challenge me to a game of round ball, or financial planning, but “eating out of a litter-box?”
King Hinton won’t even give you a C for that one!
^oo^~
Prairie Celt, it has begun with the home schooling coops in the area. We (the people, teachers and students) need the education voucher programs supported and passed. What wee need is not balance the budget at District 150 but eliminate it. Let them spend their own money if they want to “educate our kids” for a couple of years and see how they like it.