Questioning school expenses

It is interesting to note that in 2009/10, our schools spent over $28,000 to provide phone service for 32 mobile phones, including 22 iPhones, provided free-of-charge to school personnel. This does not include the cost of the iPhones themselves. The $182,000 telecommunications expense in the 2009/10 budget, is the same amount budgeted for 2010/11 - the Superintendent and School Board could see no way to make any savings here. This expense is broken down as $135,000 in the Instruction category under “Improvement of instruction” and $47,000 in the Technology category under “Classroom instruction”. Apparently there are no administrative telecommunications expenses, despite the fact that many central office personnel appear to have iPhones.

On August 19, many parents will attend “Business Day” to pay the recently approved fees for their children to attend Goochland schools in 2010/11. For middle school students, in addition to the $20 instructional fee, there is an $8 exploratory/electives fee, a $5 science lab fee and a $15 gym uniform fee. Examples of high school fees include, in addition to the $20 instructional fee, a $25 fee for high school juniors, a $10 class fee for seniors and a $10 Art/Technology fee. While the high school will offer more AP courses this year, the downside is that test fees are not included, and range from $43 - $86 per subject.  For our three children, these fees total $343, plus the expense of all the required materials on their school supply lists, without which, they will be assigned zero grades by their teachers.

Assuming 2,400 students, every $20 in school fees should generate $48,000 in revenue. School fees are a regressive form of taxation which is unavoidable, because all students study science, all students have electives and all students have to attend physical education classes.

Parents of middle school children could purchase a T-shirt of any color, and a pair of shorts for $5, but are instead required to pay $15 to purchase the school’s kit.

Teachers, textbooks, supplies and core education programs are apparently expendable items, and the parents of GCPS children can be nickel-and-dimed for numerous school fees, but school personnel cannot manage without iPhones provided at the taxpayer’s expense.

Go figure!

Jane A. Christie
Manakin Sabot

Seeking responsibility

I read with interest the letter last week in The Gazette from Supervisor Jim Eads where he discussed his support of a new form of government for Goochland County.

That would be a county manager instead of a county administrator.

Mr. Eads has been one of the managers of this mess we as citizens are trying to cope with today.

The auditors, Robinson, Farmer and Cox, who have been doing business with Goochland for at least twelve years, have given us “misinformation’’ (that must be a new term for sloppy auditing) for quite a while.

The Tuckahoe Service District is desperately overwhelmed with repairs and debt, and the homeowners will have to assume financial burdens for this problem.

Mr. Eads was on the Audit Committee and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors when the audits were performed and the Tuckahoe Service District was started.

I really haven’t made a decision on County Manager/County Administrator forms of Government but, all the proclaimed problems occurred under the watch of Jim Eads.  Look in the mirror Mr. Eads to find the reason Goochland has endured multiple problems. Most of the responsibility belongs to you Mr. Eads!

This situation reminds me of the sinking of the Titanic… the only thing missing is the band.

Anne Mehfoud Rockecharlie
Manakin Sabot

Reflections on the school board

After attending last week’s school board meeting, it is quite apparent our county government’s frolicking fiscal frivolity is not just limited to the antics and escapades KPMG recently brought to light on the supervisors’ side of Goochland’s governmental house.  The same school board that controls more than half of our county’s tax dollars finally received, not last year’s (FY 2009–2010), but prior year’s (FY 2008-2009), activity fund audit results.  This same board that previously rubber stamped a 43-page technology plan with expenditures increasing 33 percent ($476,193) over 5 years now faces a $19,000 general activity fund deficit, an $18,000 athletic uniform fund deficit and an $8,000 cheerleading fund deficit!  I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for last year’s (FY 2009–2010) audit.  Looks like we might have to cut Hendron’s iPad budget or Gretz’s doctoral studies’ stipends!

 Speaking of waiting, as a now regular school board meeting attendee, where is the  new and improved organization chart showing all lines pointing to King Linda’s throne which was tabled a few meetings ago?  Where is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) presentation, illegibly presented by another of the king’s cronies during last month’s school board workshop meeting?  They should not use the term “tabling.”  Perhaps “carpeting” is a better term considering that’s where these past unaddressed agenda items have gone, “swept under the carpet.”

Only three board members attended the meeting, with the third “quorum maker” arriving late.  Besides school administrators and a media representative, only five citizens attended - a Boy Scout needing a public meeting attendance for a merit badge, his mother, the leader of Goochland’s Republican Committee, myself, and my wife.  Where was GEPA? 

Where was the Goochland Tea Party?  Where were the board’s alleged supporters, the oft referenced, silent (and invisible!) majority?

Vacation mode was not only apparent in the audience, but also on the raised dais where our school board rules their fiefdom.  One board member actually asked if an item on the agenda would require a vote…duh!  This same member also mentioned he could not access his school board e-mail account for two weeks! 

 When leaving the momentous meeting a few months ago where our board voted unanimously to adopt our current bureaucratically top-heavy Goochland County Public Schools budget, a fellow citizen remarked, “You can’t make this stuff up,” referring to our board’s boorish behavior.  Truer words were never spoken, then, and last week.

Michael M. McDermott
Maidens