I’ve been following the progress of East Maine School District #63’s (EMSD#63) Financial Task Force (FTF) from day one.
Purpose of FTF
On his blog, EMSD#63’s Superintendent, Dr. Scott Clay states the purpose as follows:
| “The East Maine School District 63 Financial Taskforce has been formed to bring the Board of Education recommendations by early Spring 2011 that can provide financial stability to the District for at least the next six to ten years.” |
Six Meetings Held To Date
Based on their published schedule, East Maine School District #63 Financial Task Force meetings were held on: 09/13/2011 – 09/13/2011, 10/04/2010, 10/18/2010,11/01/2010, 11/08/2010, 12/06/2010 and 01/10/2011. Future meetings are scheduled for: 01/31/2011, 02/23/2011 and 03/02/2011.
Note: Click on blue highlighted date to review the FTF presentation. Also, some of these EMSD#63 attachments take some time to open.
Financial Task Force Members
Initially, there were 21 members of the Financial Task Force. Take a look at the list to see how it’s grown.
At the November 1, 2010 Financial Task Force meeting, according to Dr. Clay, “over 100 staff, board members, and community members” attended. One blog site said there were more than 200 attendees.
Thinking the discrepancy between these two normally reliable sources as being somewhat large decided to FOIA EMSD#63 to get a copy the “official” sign-in sheet.
Curiously, no one can verify who actually attended that meeting as apparently, no sign-in sheet exists.
FOIA - 101116-001 - Requesting Nov. 1, 2010 Sign-in Sheet
Sign-in Sheets for meetings held on: 09/13/2011, 10/04/2010, 10/18/2010, 11/08/2010, 12/06/2010 and 01/10/2011 do exist.
Financial Taskforce Sign-in Sheets
Why would there be no sign-in sheet for the largest, most important and most attended Financial Task Force meeting held in this series.
Maybe someone who was there can make some sense of this conundrum.
So who are these people anyway? Why would they attend? What’s in it for them? What kind of dog do they have in the hunt?
First, let’s take a look who’s on the list – and who is not.
There are three parts to the report displayed below.
The 1st part shows the reader who is on the list, their title (Board, Administrator, Teacher, Union Activist, etc.), whether they were an initial member of the Financial Task Force. There is a matrix displaying each members attendance, the number times attended and their attendance rate.
The 2nd part is another matrix, one displaying the names of EMSD#63 Board Members who have not taken part in the proceedings.
Why they would choose to sit out this important process is beyond me.
The 3rd part displays attendance totals by title. For the most par, the attendance percentages speak for themselves. However, notice the small percentage of citizen participation.
Financial Task Force Member List
Why are they there?
Board Members
Board Members are there because it’s their duty and the Board can not afford to have the public perceive Board incompetence or willful neglect.
The real question is: why was the entire Board not fully involved?
Administrators, Teachers and Union Leaders
Administrators, Teachers and Union leaders are there because they have a dog in the hunt. No one wants to see their school activities or department budget slashed or diminished in any way without at least an opportunity to deflect the ax or protect their turf.
Concerned Citizens
Concerned Citizens are there because they actually believe that their participation will “make a difference”. I know, I was one of them in 2003.
Pre-Referendum Kabuki Dance
The Financial Task Force (FTF), as the Budget Reduction Committee (BRC) before it, is highly structured kabuki designed to give the impression that your will, will be done. It’s purpose is to place a stamp of civis veritate (citizen authenticity) on EMSD#63’s future and unpopular budgetary related Board decisions.
That’s why citizens are invited to participate.
EMSD#63 does not dance alone.
Other School Districts, like Former EMSD#63 Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Williams prior employer: Lawrence Kansas School District also has a Task Force.
Here for your consideration are a few other FTF references as found through Google; in no particular order.
Lets not forget Park Ridge District #64.
Failure to Address Fundamental Problems
Each FTF member is there, in my opinion, because the East Maine School District #63, led by President Jane Wojtkiewicz and former Superintendent Williams and Superintendent Clay, failed to adequately address the fundamental financial problems of the District following the last tax increase referendum of 2004.
The creation of a Financial Task Force or a Budget Reduction Committee as we called it in 2003, is the first step of a multi-step process designed to lead district citizens toward another tax increase referendum. This purely political process is specifically designed to insert citizen input into the budget reduction process, thus allowing the Board and Administration the luxury of blaming future changes or painful reductions in services, on someone else.
This kabuki dance will not solve the district’s underlying problems as last nights FTF recommendations will illustrate. The process will however, give the Administration and Board cover for what is to come.
4 comments:
Just looked over the FTF recommendations. Nickel and dime reductions! If everyone except new teachers, took a 15% hit for a couple of years and if the economy recovers, this district could once again be in good shape. Never happen though! Too bad.
Actually the administrators and the school board are trying to make the teachers and programs pay the price for their mistakes in mismanaging funds from what I gather.
It is nice to know that someone in the community is aware and interested in what is going on. Many people got "let go" yesterday. The increased class size and reduction in special services is very concerning. I wish more people in the area were aware of what is going to be happening with their children's education.
Anon: March 25, 2011 1:59 PM,
Thank you.
I am sorry the District leadership chose to take the easy way out by laying some people off rather than getting to the heart of the problem, total payroll costs. Lying off some teachers here and there will not bring about long-term financial stability. It will however, cause pain; the desired outcome for this part of the dance. Changing class size and eventually, eliminating cherished programs are also on the horizon. None of this had to be.
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