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Zefy Christopoulos May 22, 2013 at 08:46 am
Firstly, our community has just about 27,000 residents....not 16,000 as noted by board member…Read More Huggins. I am pretty sure there are at least 13,000 registered voters in Glen Cove. In general, school board/budget votes are notorious for having low voter turnout even though voters pull the lever for those who would have fiduciary responsibility on 60 percent of our total tax bill which in turn gives them responsibility to guide and implement programs and services fornour students. My guess for this election's poor voter turnout is, among other things, our community has been decimated by the former bad judgment Superintendent and his yes-people board members, one of whom was re-elected, unfortunately. Our community has been reeling from the majority board members' disregard of our community. I do have hope, though. Rich Maccarone returns to the Board bringing with him a breath of fresh air and commitment to our community. Perhaps the fresh air will wake up the majority board members from the Laria induced stupor so that we can all get down to the business of educating our students while being sensitive to our taxpayers. Time will tell.
Tom Terrific May 22, 2013 at 08:39 am
I agree with Mr. Huggins' assessment entirely. Also, to a certain degree, I blame the media for not…Read More publicizing this important event enough. Even THIS media source, Patch.com, on the day of the election, has as its lead two uninteresting and wholly forgettable crime reports. Where are your priorities? Where is your sense of obligation to *THIS* community? And Newsday doesn't get spared in this, either. All year long they report and editorialize on public school financial matters, and when the day to vote arrives, nothing! Maybe it will be a small line on the front page with a little blurb buried inside on page seven or so. It should be plastered all over the front page! I'm certainly not making excuses for those who deliberately chose not to vote; it's incomprehensible to me why anyone would take that route. However, this election is held in the third week of May, and we're basically conditioned to vote in November. That's why more needs to be done to publicize this event. It's sad and frustrating to have only about 8% of the eligible voters deciding issues of this importance. It almost makes the results meaningless.
Gene May 22, 2013 at 08:26 am
Fascinating that only 10% of the voting population voted. More fascinating is that on Long Island…Read More only 6 school districts voted down the budgets. This shows that the general population is brainwashed that if you vote a budget down it will hurt the quality of education, take away after school activities for the students and will prevent improvements to the infrastructure. In the real world we ask companies/homes/individuals to manage a budget. In the 120 school districts they just tell the taxpayers to take more money out of their pockets to fund teachers pay and benefits.
cc May 21, 2013 at 01:16 pm
To Fellow Glen Cove Residents:
It is your responsibility to vote today to fill 2 open seats on the…Read More School Board and to vote on the 2013-2014 School Budget. Polls open at 7am and close at 9pm.
Consider the following before casting your vote for the new budget.
If you've been attending the Board meetings you know by now that this budget is top heavy with teachers' salaries and pensions. Yet the Board voted to hire a second Assistant Principal in a school that already has one, with a salary budgeted at $180,000 when no such position was filled or needed for years. Does this sound like belt-tightening to you?
At a recent Board meeting, the President of the Board, disclosed that a new room costing approximately $100-150,000 was needed for the middle school orchestra. That is until a parent asked why we needed to construct a new room when an orchestra room in the high school was already available. Good question. More belt-tightening?
The boiler at one of our schools is in need of replacement. The Board has included the $400,000 cost of a new boiler in next year's budget, despite the fact that a "reserve" fund of about $3,000,000 sits waiting to be used for just such a capital improvement. This means that the $400,000 cost of the new boiler will be shouldered entirely by the taxpayer.
The message we send to this Board will depend on your vote. Your vote counts...use it.
The Shadow May 21, 2013 at 07:58 am
There is no reason for a tax increase this year. There is nearly $3 million in a reserve fund which…Read More should be used for the $400,000 Landing school boiler. No need to hire all the new people budgeted for either. No need to spend $100,000 on altering the wood shop for orchestra practice etc. etc. etc. A NO vote gives us a 0% tax increase for the first time ever this year!
Tom Terrific May 20, 2013 at 07:53 pm
It's not an easy thing, at least for me, to just say that I'm going to support the budget every…Read More year. Once approved, these things lock in ... and then compound year after year. Even relatively small increases have that effect. It's all built upon everything that has gone before. There are times that truly call for a zero percent tax increase. That means when a person opens his tax bill in August, it's *exactly* the same as the previous year. Property owners now have the power to see that this happens. All it takes is a majority 'no' vote in two voting sessions: May 21, and the date of the scheduled revote (TBD).
There are certainly good arguments on both sides of this issue. We frequently hear the 'pro' arguments; oftentimes couched in a lot of emotional language regarding the kids' after-school programs and other extracurricular activities. Less often, and frequently with a lot less attention, we hear the 'no' arguments; equally sincere and valid. Gloria Mathey's excellent post (above) is a very good example.
I'm not going to say how I'll vote in tomorrow's election, but I will say this much: At some point in time, the brakes are going to have to be applied to the spending increases that take place in Long Island's public school system. And that, unfortunately, includes Glen Cove.
cc May 21, 2013 at 12:28 pm
To Fellow Glen Cove Residents:
It is your responsibility to vote today to fill 2 open seats on the…Read More School Board and to vote on the 2013-2014 School Budget. Polls open at 7am and close at 9pm.
Consider the following before casting your vote for the new budget.
If you've been attending the Board meetings you know by now that this budget is top heavy with teachers' salaries and pensions. Yet the Board voted to hire a second Assistant Principal in a school that already has one, with a salary budgeted at $180,000 when no such position was filled or needed for years. Does this sound like belt-tightening to you?
At a recent Board meeting, the President of the Board, disclosed that a new room costing approximately $100-150,000 was needed for the middle school orchestra. That is until a parent asked why we needed to construct a new room when an orchestra room in the high school was already available. Good question. More belt-tightening?
The boiler at one of our schools is in need of replacement. The Board has included the $400,000 cost of a new boiler in next year's budget, despite the fact that a "reserve" fund of about $3,000,000 sits waiting to be used for just such a capital improvement. This means that the $400,000 cost of the new boiler will be shouldered entirely by the taxpayer.
The message we send to this Board will depend on your vote. Your vote counts...use it.
PAtRINA GRELLA May 20, 2013 at 11:12 am
And so we are clear Mr. Howard Dr. Hinton's current health issues was never in question!! What was…Read More in question was the truth on how and why the Board is not being truthful on why Hinton left. But yet the whole community is very aware of what is really going on.....did we all make this up???
Eddie J May 19, 2013 at 03:54 pm
Glenn,
Just a question, how is it that you are aware of this undisclosed health condition that he…Read More has been fighting for over a year when most of those I have talked to who have close ties to the administrative staff were not aware of this?
OR could it be he had a medical condition and the stress of the this witch hunt caused him go out on medical leave?
The SCHOOL BOARD owes him a full public apology not school tax payers who have been kept in the dark....
Glenn Howard May 12, 2013 at 02:49 pm
Eddie J. You owe Dr. Hinton a full public apology regardless of his return to health or not (an…Read More issue he has been fighting for over a year) at some point. be prepared to put in it the newspaper and not in a moronic blog.
cc May 9, 2013 at 06:47 pm
This is the worst run school district on the north shore. It is a disgrace for the amount of school…Read More tax that we pay and then if we want out children to get a good education we have to opt for private schools.The Sunshine board should be held accountable for the mess.
Tom Terrific May 13, 2013 at 08:01 pm
To Mr. Bailey: I want to thank you very much for your response, and it does answer my question.…Read More Hope everything is okay, and I wish you all the best in the upcoming election.
Eric Bailey May 11, 2013 at 08:24 pm
I appreciate the well wishes and opportunity to get better acquainted with everyone. Tom, my…Read More apologies for the delay, but I was tied up with a family medical issue. Your question certainly deserves an answer. In this economy, taxpayers are hurting just as much as our schools (financially at least). That is the reason the tax cap was established in the first place. I feel that the school district must look into other sources for meeting it's budgetary needs. I have long been an advocate of grant applications and am aware of at least a dozen potential sources that the district could and should look into as just one way to ease the burden on taxpayers. I hope this answers your question.
Tom Terrific May 10, 2013 at 08:27 am
Mr. Bailey, I think it's safe to assume that you're computer literate and that you're aware of the…Read More existence of Glen Cove Patch. After all, they just did a profile on you, right? Okay, I asked a question - a serious question (above) - that I really expect to be answered before I can consider voting for you in the upcoming school election. And, you know, with an overall voter turnout hovering around 8% or so, every vote counts that much more. So, although I would like you to address the question here, it would also be acceptable if you were to acknowledge it, and respond at any venue that's convenient for you. Just to reiterate, I will not vote for *any* candidate that doesn't answer the question.
Samantha Caps May 16, 2013 at 01:17 am
Not renew under personnel issues is what sticks out to me most when reading. Working in Human…Read More Resources myself over the years ....this usually eludes to some internal strife or abuse of power over other employees.
From what i can ferret out sounds like this might have been the case & if that is the problem then no wonder why the district has been thru 4 spuperintendant in 9 yrs. .. the fish stinks from the head & if you chop of the head and it still stinks -- keep chopping ... I applaud them cleaning house!
Kristina S. Heuser April 29, 2013 at 03:18 pm
On the contrary, I am expressing my support for the public and their right to have their grievances…Read More heard and addressed.
Gloria Mathey April 28, 2013 at 08:55 am
Glenn why can't information be given to actions while leaving the persons accused of such actions…Read More anonymous until a determination is made? That gives the taxpayers and community answers while not causing irreversible damage to a
Anyone's reputation until facts are established.
Pazzo April 28, 2013 at 08:42 am
The school budget vote is coming up. Does any of the school budget go to legal fees?
The Shadow April 26, 2013 at 02:17 pm
Regarding transparency: As I said at the last School Board meeting, translucency would be a better…Read More choice of word, and even that would be an improvement. The decision by six of the seven Board members to fire Kevin Wurtz, who I think was the best administrator we have ever had, with 10 years of experience, is the worst decision that they have ever made. Donna Brady's praise of Keven, just before she voted to fire him was the epitome of hypocrisy. The community is very unhappy and will continue to show it.
Glenn Howard April 25, 2013 at 08:04 pm
In all of the comments posted by cc (who hides behind a pseudonym) on Patch there have been none…Read More that offered one iota of proactive information or commentary on Glen Cove or the region. All have been negative and accusatory with some bordering on libel with no basis in any factual information. This commentor seems to have no real postive interest in or respect for the Glen Cove community. Sad. However freedom of speech gives persons who do this the right to present this self image and gives the rest of us a good base line comparator for a destructive versus a constructive approach.
cc April 16, 2013 at 01:13 am
Sad what has happened to the city! Not only the schools corrupt but what about city hall? It is all…Read More about the money and power. Follow the money and you find the answers to all the city's problems. Did you ever see a politician leave office with less then he came in with.
tj April 16, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Any real detective could grill these kids into the truth, the more who claim this the easier it…Read More should be to find holes....But like some said, innocent or guilty just by seeing his picture, the worlds fondling, young boys...I hate him....Damn media and your mind controlling ways...
Daniel April 16, 2013 at 01:43 pm
in our system a person is not found innocent.. they are found not guilty...Huge difference. the…Read More children are also protected due to there age.. Time will tell.. but in a case like this everyone looses .. even if true.. I'm not gonna play judge or jury from an article
The Shadow April 19, 2013 at 09:08 am
There is another very disturbing issue going on at the moment which has been overshadowed by the…Read More testing scandal. Very quietly, the School Board, at the recommendation of the Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Laria, has not renewed the contract of the most important employee of the School District - the Assistant Superintendent and Business manager, Kevin Wurtz. He has been doing a superlative job for us for 10 years - far longer than anyone in the administration presently or even in recent memory. What is going on? Why will the School Board or Dr. Laria not address this issue?
LT May 10, 2013 at 12:40 pm
CC maybe we should look at the fact that Suozzi and council members are products of the GC…Read More educational system. Found out that the gal who did my Brazilian the other day not only went to GC but her father is on the city council. Quite a testament to the high level education one gets here.
The Shadow April 12, 2013 at 01:03 pm
Obfuscation, not transparency, is now, and has been the policy of this and many other School…Read More Districts. Why has it taken since November to announce this investigation? Why are teachers, whose job performance and rewards, both monetary and otherwise, be permitted to proctor exams? This is a problem all over this country, most recently involving Atlanta, Georgia. The education departments of the Federal and State governments are responsible for these stupid policies. And testing in all types of non educational jobs is just as suspect. I wouldn't be so anxious to blame some teachers who might feel that their students need a little extra help in looking a little better on the rapidly increasing proliferation of standardized tests. The real culprit is the government and it's policies.
Glen Cove School Budget Passes by Slim Margin
5 1 Recommend Adina Genn (Editor)