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School Funding

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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 9:52am
swOH: Get real- in the private sector there would be one spokeman for a Fortune 500 company making $Bb in revenue, not every damn district in the state having a mouthpiece. The President's communications spokes person under Bush made about $94,000. You are missing the point: take this needless position which has gone away, but district trying to bring her back in a 'new and improved' capacity and you multiply that role times how many districts? Needless overhead.
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John Beagle View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Beagle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 11:29am
The teachers association voted to accept a new 3-year contract which will decrease their salaries by 1 percent the first two years. During the third year, salaries will be frozen.

The new contract is expected to save the district more than $4 million over the next three years.
John Beagle

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News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio.
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 3:42pm
C'mon swohio75! Good Lord! The woman says two or three lines every other month in the newspaper, is paid over $60 grand (ok- $98 thou with bennies and perks) a year to do so and you have the audacity to make her title appear to be something worthy of that amount with your "experienced communications/community relations professional"...... Face it, she's nothing more than a glorified, overpaid speaker, reading from a scripted sheet of paper and reading what she is told to read. Professional? Hardly. No special skill needed here but the skill to read simple words. You are over dramatizing the position and it's importance....not to mention she gets paid more than skilled people in various disciplines who produce meaningful results that actually matter.


$66,127 is still too much for what the position appears to contribute, middletownscouter.
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middletownscouter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 4:34pm
I wasn't arguing whether it was or wasn't an acceptable salary level, merely that you were overstating the salary by about 50%.
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 5:48pm
Good lord, how dead does the horse have to be, before you stop beating it? We announced months ago that Ms. Alberico's position was being eliminated as of the end of this school year (June 30), and her duties (which I have previously described on this site and which are composed of much more than you acknowledge) will be assigned to the remaining central office administrators.  She has not been hired back for another position.
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Smartman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smartman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 5:52pm
Amen Marcia!! Clap
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Neil Barille View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Neil Barille Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 7:51pm
Sounds like a respectable contract, in light of the other 3 year deals I've read about in other districts. 
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LMAO View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LMAO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 03 2011 at 9:08pm
Can save even more money if the BOE would take a cut in pay.LOL
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TonyB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TonyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 04 2011 at 1:48pm
Vet,
 
thanks for the post and giving me a shout out. I understand what your problem is with union representation. What you continue to say is that the free ride for public employees is over and I continue to point out that they didn't have a free ride. They spent years in school to qualify for the positions they got and have to spend more money for continuing their education and qualifications. What you continue to miss is that unions raise the bar for all employees. The advances that unions make do translate into the private sector. What you fail to grasp or simply won't acknowledge is that the wealthy owners of this country have private and public sector employees fighting for scraps while they enjoy unprecedented growth in their bottom line. While we bitch and moan that someone else has it better that me, that "better" gets smaller and smaller. It won't be long until this country is hit with a depression that will make the 30's look look like a small bump. When that happens, this dispute will seem very small. If you haven't caught on, the only people taking cuts in pay are the people who do the WORK!!! You don't see CEO's pay decreasing. As for the spokesperson job at MCSD, I'm in communications and I'd love to have a job like that!!! It's a good job if you can get it.
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Smartman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smartman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 04 2011 at 5:17pm
Clap Very well said Tony B. I work in the public sector and I have had to take a $12000 yr cut due to lost bonuses. Dont get me wrong I did not plan to live on those,it was extras, but it has caused me to change what I do so I can pay my daughters tuition at college this coming year.
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 04 2011 at 6:40pm
TonyB....

"What you continue to say is that the free ride for public employees is over and I continue to point out that they didn't have a free ride".

IT IS A FACT THAT IN THE PAST, UNION MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED HIGHER PAY AND HAVE HAD MORE OF THEIR BENEFITS PAID FOR BY THE COMPANY THAN NON-UNION PEOPLE. WHEN MAKING THIS COMPARISON, YES, THE UNION PEOPLE HAVE HAD SORT OF A FREE RIDE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ENJOYED MORE PAY AND PAID-FOR BENEFITS.

"They spent years in school to qualify for the positions they got and have to spend more money for continuing their education and qualifications."

WHAT? AND NON-UNION PEOPLE HAVE NOT SPENT YEARS IN SCHOOL TO QUALIFY FOR THE POSITIONS THEY GOT AND HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY FOR CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATIONS TO WORK THEIR WAY UP THE LADDER? OF COURSE THEY DO TONY. BOTH SECTORS MUST DO THIS TO GIVE THEMSELVES MORE OF A CHANGE FOR A PROMOTION.

"What you continue to miss is that unions raise the bar for all employees. The advances that unions make do translate into the private sector".

IF THOSE SO-CALLED ADVANCES THAT UNIONS PROVIDE FOR ALL WORKERS IS TRUE, WHY, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IS THE NON-UNION COMPANY WORKER MAKING A GOOD $10-15 LESS PER HOUR THAN THE UNION WORKER? WHY ARE MOST JOBS OFFERED BY EMPLOYERS NOWADAYS IN THE $7 TO $10 PER HOUR RANGE AND NO BENEFITS OFFERED? WHY HAS THE NON-UNION WORKER BEEN ASKED FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS TO PAY MORE OUT THE PAYCHECK TO HELP THE EMPLOYER PAY THE BENEFIT PREMIUMS AND THE UNION PEOPLE ARE JUST NOW BEING ASKED TO DO THE SAME THING?


"If you haven't caught on, the only people taking cuts in pay are the people who do the WORK"!!!

TONY....I'VE CAUGHT ON. I'M INCLUDED IN THE WORKING CLASS IN THE ORGANIZATION. FOR OVER 40 YEARS I HAVE "CAUGHT ON" ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORKPLACE. NOT A ROOKIE HERE.


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Smartman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smartman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 04 2011 at 6:48pm
Correction I work in the private sector!
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TonyB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TonyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 04 2011 at 9:49pm
Vet,
 
The non-union worker makes less because he doesn't have the clout that organizing provides!!! That's why employers will fire anyone who even talks about organizing!!! The non-union worker has indeed benefitted from union bargaining with better pay (although not at union scale) and benefits such as health care and retirement options. Do you think any employer would offer these things if they had an option? I did not say anything about non-union workers not having to educate themselves for their job. I pointed out that it is REQUIRED for teachers to have a degree in Education. I've held private sector jobs because I had a degree even though my degree was in no way related to the job; that doesn't happen in the education field. By the way, the union people are being asked to pay more because unions have been abandoned by the Democratic Party so there is no political cover for unions. Look at all the Republican union busting going on around the Midwest where private sector unions such as the UAW have lost the support of the Democrats. Unions used to have the clout to get good pay and benefit packages. I just don't understand the concept of cheering while workers rights are abused and hard-won benefits are taken by greedy corporations and public workers are demonized for all the ills of government. Taxes are at the lowest point at the Federal level since before the last depression. Government spends money at times very foolishly which is why you see such a backlash about taxes but the reality simply doesn't match the facts. The Bush tax cuts are in their 10th year; WHERE ARE THE JOBS!!!
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 9:48am
LMAO, in response to comments about the agreement reached with the teachers union, which will save about $4 million over 3 years, you state, "Can save even more money if the BOE would take a cut in pay."
 
Members of the Board of Education are paid $125 for each official public meeting of the board which we attend.  We are not paid for preparation time (reading materials, asking questions, etc), for meetings of board committees, for attending public functions in a ceremonial or public outreach role, for responding to phone calls and emails from parents and community members, or anything else. In my 6 years on the board, this has ranged between $3000 to $4500 per year, before taxes.  We do not receive any employee benefits.  There are 5 board members, so the total pay for the 5 BOE members is between $15,000 to $22,500 per year.  Whether or not that is too high or too low, changing it won't make any real difference to the $70 million budget.
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LMAO View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LMAO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 1:08pm
Ms Andrew,Every little bit helps.We taxpayers pay a hell  of alot more.Everytime the district wants more you come with your hands out. Be understandable if we actually seen progress in the district. Teachers are taking a cut why not donate your $125 back to the district? Remember its for the kids?Smile
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jsmith2011 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsmith2011 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 1:53pm
I find Mrs. Andrews remarks about the board and their salary truly astonishing. When the board was letting the aides, hall monitors and library managers go, after some having as much as 27 years with the school district, every little bit counted then and it was referred to as "trimming the fat". Some of those employees made that much in a year and someone's job could have been saved. When it's the school board, it won't make a real difference?

What about the other costs of the board meetings? Paying people to set up the sound and to prepare the rooms at the different schools? Isn't it true at your meetings you have lunch or dinner brought in? I'm sure you are all paid mileage to go to and from your meetings. What other costs are involved?   

No wonder people continue to "beat a dead horse". You can't believe anything you hear. The facts are changed each time.
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Neil Barille View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Neil Barille Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 2:25pm
You're really going to make an issue of a few thousand dollars for all the time the BOE members put in?  Really?  So if ALL of them skipped these payments the MCSD could save, what, ONE hall monitor?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 3:09pm
[QUOTE=Marcia Andrew] LMAO, in response to comments about the agreement reached with the teachers union, which will save about $4 million over 3 years, you state, "Can save even more money if the BOE would take a cut in pay."


Man, I misread the message from LMAO on that one. Ms. Andrew didn't notice the after LMAO's message as if to imply (in a joking fashion) that he was aware the amount wasn't alot and the savings would be nominal. I wonder if the message was taken as written (joking) by Ms. Andrew? Does appear she took it in a serious nature with her defensive posture. The savings pertaining to the school board giving up pay is minimal in the overall scheme of things, isn't it? Need to attack the admin. positions/re-evaluate the job duties for actual need in the entire organization to really make a dent in the old budget, don't we Ms. Andrew? Why aren't we cutting more assistants (primarily principals) in the schools? Has the school board gotten a breakout of all the positions and are sure the super has made as many cuts as possible? Surely there must be some overlap and duplication in areas. No areas where there could be some shared duties while eliminating some more positions? Have you cut to the bare bone or is there still some excess?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsmith2011 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 4:28pm
My issue isn't what the board gets paid or how much time they put in or don't put in.....my issue is that no matter what the question, the answer is never the same.....and if it is, you can't believe it anyway.

Also, go talk to that one hall monitor or one aide or one library manager who are now filing for unemployment....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsmith2011 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 4:32pm
Vet....I believe all the information you asked is available to us through the Freedom of Information Act. I will take it upon myself to go to the board office, research each job description and salary for each employee starting with the superintendent down to the assistant principals (although I think they now have other positions) and post it on here. I would also like to see the contracts and salaries of the administrators from this past school year and their salary for next school year. All the teachers are taking a 1% cut and have been told it will be across the board. Wanna bet?

Give me a few months (or before the next levy in 2012).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cmason54 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 10:40pm
Mrs. Andrews and Mr. Barille - I am one of the library managers who lost her job after 15 years with Middletown City Schools.  I didn't make much money, less than $30,000.00 a year but I loved my job and I loved those kids.  I went above and beyond, as did all the library managers who were let go.  We all did the jobs of certified librarians who make over $60,000.00 a year.  
When we were all laid off, I personally wrote a letter to the superintendent and the school board members and Mrs. Andrews wrote me back and told me that every penny counted towards "trimming the fat" so I should quit complaining about losing my job, not take it personally and move on.  So, I personally take offense to her comments that the amount the board is paid won't make a difference especially when I had to apply for unemployment today.
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 07 2011 at 2:17pm
Mark this down, I am actually agreeing with Vet on something!  As he put it, my point was that any savings pertaining to school board giving up pay is minimal in the overall scheme of things.  The "overall scheme of things" is that the district will save $5 million per year due to the restructuring involving Verity and Highview and related cuts announced several months ago, and another $4 million (over 3 years) as a result of the agreement reached with the teachers.  Even if the board gave up 100% of its pay, that approximately $20,000 total per year would not be enough to hire back even one hall monitor or library manager, especially when you add in the cost to the district of an employee's retirement and health care benefits.   If we cut our pay 1% or even 10%, those numbers are even less signifcant ($150 -- $2250 for the whole board). That is entirely consistent with the fact that eliminating the positions of library managers, plus some assistant principals, directors, custodians, secretaries and other employees, 64.5 in total, does add up to significant dollars.  
 
Vet is also correct that I missed the humor in LMAO's post, if it was so intended. 
 
Yes, JSmith, it costs some money (not much) to set up sound and whatnot for the board meetings.  Would you rather we meet in private, like City Council?  No, board members are not reimbursed mileage for driving to and from meetings.  No, we don't have meals brought in for meetings, except in rare situations where we are meeting for an extended period of time including meal time. 
 
Yes, all non-union employees of the district will take the same pay cuts and increased benefits costs that the teachers agreed to.  That was announced at last night's board meeting.
 
Finally, while I will not rehash the issue of RIF'ing library managers (which I have posted about in another thread), I have never said that by cutting library managers we were "trimming the fat."  In fact, I have explained both publicly and privately that the board and administration believe that the cuts that were made this year were all cutting to the bone, cutting employees that were valuable to the district --any fat had already been cut in prior years.  Regardless, difficult decisions still had to be made, and the district will have to find ways to get the job done with the remaining staff --reorganizing job duties, restructuring the way things are done in the buildings, relying more on volunteers, etc.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 07 2011 at 3:48pm
Well alright Ms. Andrew!!! I knew with a little prodding, you would see it my way. Kinda of a satisfying feeling knowing you are on the winning side, right?   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote keisha008 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 15 2012 at 1:40am
Regarding school issues, aside from school funding, there is no such thing as a relaxed school morning for working parents. In all the disarray, who has time to make school lunches? Pre-packaged items and lunch money are so much easier, right? But by taking just a little time to plan and make preparations in much easier moments, you can effortlessly make them much better lunches, and save money, too. Pay for lunch for your kids with an installment loan.



”Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.”
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