Click here to read the article with an embedded video stream of last night's broadcast of the piece. The article has overlapping information and is not identical at all to the video. You can leave comments on this page.
I tried to find a way to embed the video here, but could not make it happen. If you go to this link, there is an option to post a link on your facebook page, on twitter, etc.
The video has a great interview with Natalie Coffey on this issue. And the interview with the State Board of Accounts Examiner, Bruce Hartman, is also informative. His final word on the subject is :
Hartman said members of the public have the ultimate oversight of schools' budgets, with their voice at public meetings and their vote.
"If (school leaders are) not doing the job, maybe someone else should be put in there to do the job," he said. "It's important for fiscal cash management to know what you've got and what you don't have. Failure to do that can really lead you to have some problems."
We are working on it Mr. Hartman. Thanks for all the work you do at the SBOA. I know I for one, appreciate it. And, thanks to Kara Kenney for the great reporting !
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18 comments:
Jim Buck has agreed to look into this. Any idea on how to contact him?
Also who else can we contact besides the school board which I feel is a waste of time?
I know a lot of schools are facing a shortfall. But most schools don't have a budget that looks like this! Just think we may have been more prepared if the administration at Decatur actually paid attention to what was going on and happening. They have known this tax cap was coming for the last 4 years and did not prepare for it!
I saw that Natalie posted in a different section that she now has yard signs. We need to make sure these signs get in some highly visible areas! So if you have a lot of traffic that drives by your house please, please, please step up! Thank You!
Jim Buck can be reached at s21@in.gov
anon 10:00 - I'll try to find the contact info for Buck. I'll find our Statehouse reps as well.
anon 10:02 - Natalie can be reached at 455-9886 or necoffey@comcast.net -- great suggestion about high traffic properties.
anon 10:16 -- you beat me to it, thanks !
Thank you for providing info to access this Channel 6 report. Hope the board, Stinson, and the Baers see that this is not a Jerry Springer show - it is an Indiana news report and they blame the State. Guess they'll blame the State if the prosecutor steps in to investigate. Natalie Coffey did a good job - not surprising that the superintendent would not be interviewed???????? There may not be "criminal" charges yet but with the many things being revealed there may be things that will still become "official" public knowledge.
anon 12:07 - folks with facebook, twitter, etc., accounts can link to the report through those social networks and help spread the word.
Follow the money, retirement accounts, vacation deals, business deals resulting in conflict of interest, kickbacks for Don Stinson, Jeff Baer, Candi Baer, Susan Adams, Gary Pellico, those employees in Central Office, and board members, and personal use of school equipments all at the expense of Taxpayers!
Hartman said members of the public have the ultimate oversight of schools' budgets, with their voice at public meetings and their vote.
"If (school leaders are) not doing the job, maybe someone else should be put in there to do the job," he said. "It's important for fiscal cash management to know what you've got and what you don't have. Failure to do that can really lead you to have some problems."
6News e-mailed and called a dozen lawmakers, including members of the Education and Career Development Committee, about the issue of continued fiscal problems. Member Sen. Jim Buck said he would look into the issue.
Interesting that the State Board of Accounts auditor stated the above to the Channel 6 reporter. SO-o-o no one should fear going to board meetings and stating the many, many mone questions to the board at a public meeting. It is a citizen's responsibility to make these statements. If someone does not state it verbally the person can pass a written statement to the board members and the media.
There are so many $$$ questions that Stinson and Baer do not have credibility when they speak negatively of those who are asking questions.
The teachers union should get their state representation (Troxell) to work with the Teachers Retirement Fund to get to the bottom of the taxpayers' fleecing with Jeff Baer's retirement and other things in that area.
Without pressure and a change in board members it will "legally" go on and on.
There is "fear" and maybe intimidation so the teachers must demand help because others don't have help to turn to. Others can continue to ask questions - even though they may not be answered.
Has Stinson accused Channel 6 of a personal attack?? He seemed so happy to appear on news shows when he was attacking the governor and state legislators. Maybe he cannot afford a new suit.?
If they are going to fill an assistant athletic director position when they already have way too many administrators, this is INSANE. Why would this be allowed when class size is going out of sight with 61 riffed teachers?????? There has to be a way to stop this. The horses are out of the barn and now someone has set the barn on fire. Where are the firefighters????
Peterzak and Lineweber get all of their insurance paid so why can't they do the evening supervision - they are supposedly licensed principals???? There is so much waste. What about Sullivan - since she is not going to fly all over the country all the time and she is a former physical education teacher who runs marathons - can't she do the track and cross country stuff????? Another reinvention runs on the curriculum map!
Just saw the Channel 6 report on administration expenses for 11% of the general fund. AMAZING!!!!! Kara Kenney said she had asked for detailed expenditures of this $4 mln but had not received the info. Is this public record and could it be posted on the blog??
Had Enough Indy? said...
anon 12:07 - folks with facebook, twitter, etc., accounts can link to the report through those social networks and help spread the word.
April 16, 2010 12:21 PM
Please use hashtag #DecTwpSch for anything related to Decatur Township Schools on twitter. Makes it easier to search for each other and then repost what you find for our own followers.
Fat chance on getting ANY detailed public records from the MSD until Jeff Baer, his wife Candace, and possibly Stinson himself, have bailed out the door with their golden parachute retirements and pockets full of our kids' cash in July. Baer's largely hiding from public view right now due to the info revealed on this blog, except for his tawdry "business" lunches at Squealer's, and attempts to whip the bus drivers into some sort of disciplined order so life will be easier for Susan the dragon lady Adams when she gets promoted to asst supt in July. Baer and Stinson want to be long gone when the chickens start coming home to roost on how badly they've robbed from our kids' future. Susan Adams will then focus on getting promoted to THE superintendent's position, as is her manifest destiny. At least in her self-aggrandizing mind.
I think all CO administrative retirement packages should be frozen until a line by line expense report is given to the public.
Aree with Anon 6:23
Also, contact Indiana Teacher Retirement Fund and find how a formal complaint can be filed.
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