Just for the Record...
Editor's note: For myself, I stand on my previous responses which can be found -HERE-.
Thanks, -Craig Powers
After reading some of the Opinion letters in this week’s Villager against the June 9th referendum there are a few points I’d like to address:
First, it’s interesting that some of the proponents of the “NO” vote seem to focus most of their energies on personal attacks on the petitioners rather than the issues in the belief that somehow these personal attacks will gain them support. We’ll see.
On specific issues – Superintendent Baran and Mr. Corden defend the 9th grade proposal as being a response to a “financial shortfall” and an “unforgiving budget” in 2005. As I say – just for the record – the 2005-6 budget, which is the one that would have been on the table in 2005, had a 7.96% increase over the previous year’s budget – $13,550,343 vs. $12,551,521. There was a 41 student increase at Woodstock Academy that year, so yes, tuitions did go up considerably; however, after taking out ALL high school costs in both years, the record shows that PK-8 budget increased by 5.1% going from $7,712,379 to $8,105,893 with basically an unchanged enrollment – for reference, the inflation rate for the 12 months from July 2004 through June 2005 was 3.01%. “Unforgiving budget”, “financial shortfall”, who do they think they are they kidding?
Superintendent Baran also states that “There was no letter of ‘no confidence’ written or sent by ‘approximately 60 teachers’ to the BOE. In fact, I have enjoyed a very respectful, professional relationship with the Woodstock Association of Teachers” and “there was no letter to hide”. Superintendent Baran is correct, the letter did not say “no confidence” and was signed by the then Corresponding Secretary of the WAT “representing” 60 plus teachers. This from the minutes of the 6-22-06 BOE meeting, page 2:
“Dr. Baran then distributed copies of the correspondence he had received earlier in the day from the W.A.T. (Woodstock Association of Teachers). Dr. Baran read the letter aloud dated June 22, 2006. The letter was signed by Joyce Gresh, W.A.T. Corresponding Secretary, and stated the teachers’ dissatisfaction with the administration’s management decisions, handling of the end of year budget cuts, lack of communication, and classroom changes. Dr. Baran felt that there were many misstatements, misinformation, and untruths to the letter that he would appreciate that the Board discusses the letter prior to his writing a response to the W.A.T.”
Letter of “no confidence” or parsing words, you decide.
On Tuesday June 9th the people will decide; a YES vote will put and end to these shenanigans, a NO vote and the games will continue.
Dave Richardson
_______________________________________________________________
After reading tomorrow’s Villager on-line today, it is clear to me that the BOE and Dr. Baran are trying to protect themselves by making this about who people are and their beliefs, and not addressing the issues. So where do I stand? I am questioning Dr. Baran’s statements as is the duty of a BOE member.
Some are little things like how many spare buses there are. Last year at budget time he stated “we have one”, and after Mr. Shultz had a look into transportation operations, Dr. Baran answered the same question with “we have four”. I asked about why he said one last year and four this year; his answer was- “in what context did you ask me the question?”
Now that I have questioned him on the letter of “no confidence”, he claims there is “no such letter.” The letter was read June 22, 2006 by Dr. Baran in open BOE session and he called it a letter of “dissatisfaction”. Clearly such a letter exists and he is refusing to make it public even though he read it in an open public meeting. There is also a survey of the teachers that was the outcome of that letter, and it was spoken about in the Sept 28, 2006 BOE meeting. Dr. Baran so far has refused to release either document.
Dr. Baran stated: “The FOIC never told the town of Woodstock or the BOE that they were in violation of Statutes”. Look -HERE- and you be the Judge. Another ruling of violation can be found -HERE-
Dr. Baran stated: “The 9th grade hold back did not have anything to do with Academy negotiations.” If you lived in town then you know the answer to that. You can also review internal BOE email in my previous post that is relevant to that issue.
Going forward, it will be difficult for me to believe anything he says, and Mrs. Paul’s questioning of my statements after a BOF member took her to task for trying to mislead the BOF with false information is just laughable.
I was just elected by you at the last election by an overwhelming margin, so, to my constituents who have asked me to create change, now I am asking for your support once more. I ran to give Woodstock townspeople a voice on this board. If you the townspeople think that I am acting in the best interest of our students and town, which is my strong belief, you will have your say on Tuesday by voting YES so that we can move forward in a positive manner in addressing our issues head-on with integrity, for students and taxpayers alike. If not, I will respect your wishes and not have any issue with the outcome.
While my feeling is that they have already crossed the line with their various actions and statements, I ask my Superintendent and fellow BOE members to clean up their act and respect the process and ultimately the wishes of the voters.
Steven Rosendahl
As always, I am speaking as a concerned parent and citizen, not as a sitting member of the BOE.
Thanks, -Craig Powers
After reading some of the Opinion letters in this week’s Villager against the June 9th referendum there are a few points I’d like to address:
First, it’s interesting that some of the proponents of the “NO” vote seem to focus most of their energies on personal attacks on the petitioners rather than the issues in the belief that somehow these personal attacks will gain them support. We’ll see.
On specific issues – Superintendent Baran and Mr. Corden defend the 9th grade proposal as being a response to a “financial shortfall” and an “unforgiving budget” in 2005. As I say – just for the record – the 2005-6 budget, which is the one that would have been on the table in 2005, had a 7.96% increase over the previous year’s budget – $13,550,343 vs. $12,551,521. There was a 41 student increase at Woodstock Academy that year, so yes, tuitions did go up considerably; however, after taking out ALL high school costs in both years, the record shows that PK-8 budget increased by 5.1% going from $7,712,379 to $8,105,893 with basically an unchanged enrollment – for reference, the inflation rate for the 12 months from July 2004 through June 2005 was 3.01%. “Unforgiving budget”, “financial shortfall”, who do they think they are they kidding?
Superintendent Baran also states that “There was no letter of ‘no confidence’ written or sent by ‘approximately 60 teachers’ to the BOE. In fact, I have enjoyed a very respectful, professional relationship with the Woodstock Association of Teachers” and “there was no letter to hide”. Superintendent Baran is correct, the letter did not say “no confidence” and was signed by the then Corresponding Secretary of the WAT “representing” 60 plus teachers. This from the minutes of the 6-22-06 BOE meeting, page 2:
“Dr. Baran then distributed copies of the correspondence he had received earlier in the day from the W.A.T. (Woodstock Association of Teachers). Dr. Baran read the letter aloud dated June 22, 2006. The letter was signed by Joyce Gresh, W.A.T. Corresponding Secretary, and stated the teachers’ dissatisfaction with the administration’s management decisions, handling of the end of year budget cuts, lack of communication, and classroom changes. Dr. Baran felt that there were many misstatements, misinformation, and untruths to the letter that he would appreciate that the Board discusses the letter prior to his writing a response to the W.A.T.”
Letter of “no confidence” or parsing words, you decide.
On Tuesday June 9th the people will decide; a YES vote will put and end to these shenanigans, a NO vote and the games will continue.
Dave Richardson
_______________________________________________________________
After reading tomorrow’s Villager on-line today, it is clear to me that the BOE and Dr. Baran are trying to protect themselves by making this about who people are and their beliefs, and not addressing the issues. So where do I stand? I am questioning Dr. Baran’s statements as is the duty of a BOE member.
Some are little things like how many spare buses there are. Last year at budget time he stated “we have one”, and after Mr. Shultz had a look into transportation operations, Dr. Baran answered the same question with “we have four”. I asked about why he said one last year and four this year; his answer was- “in what context did you ask me the question?”
Now that I have questioned him on the letter of “no confidence”, he claims there is “no such letter.” The letter was read June 22, 2006 by Dr. Baran in open BOE session and he called it a letter of “dissatisfaction”. Clearly such a letter exists and he is refusing to make it public even though he read it in an open public meeting. There is also a survey of the teachers that was the outcome of that letter, and it was spoken about in the Sept 28, 2006 BOE meeting. Dr. Baran so far has refused to release either document.
Dr. Baran stated: “The FOIC never told the town of Woodstock or the BOE that they were in violation of Statutes”. Look -HERE- and you be the Judge. Another ruling of violation can be found -HERE-
Dr. Baran stated: “The 9th grade hold back did not have anything to do with Academy negotiations.” If you lived in town then you know the answer to that. You can also review internal BOE email in my previous post that is relevant to that issue.
Going forward, it will be difficult for me to believe anything he says, and Mrs. Paul’s questioning of my statements after a BOF member took her to task for trying to mislead the BOF with false information is just laughable.
I was just elected by you at the last election by an overwhelming margin, so, to my constituents who have asked me to create change, now I am asking for your support once more. I ran to give Woodstock townspeople a voice on this board. If you the townspeople think that I am acting in the best interest of our students and town, which is my strong belief, you will have your say on Tuesday by voting YES so that we can move forward in a positive manner in addressing our issues head-on with integrity, for students and taxpayers alike. If not, I will respect your wishes and not have any issue with the outcome.
While my feeling is that they have already crossed the line with their various actions and statements, I ask my Superintendent and fellow BOE members to clean up their act and respect the process and ultimately the wishes of the voters.
Steven Rosendahl
As always, I am speaking as a concerned parent and citizen, not as a sitting member of the BOE.
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