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SCHENECTADY
Ely keeps staff out of budgeting process
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    Superintendent Eric Ely prepared this year’s school budget without ever asking department heads and principals for possible cuts.
    Proposals were only submitted after Board of Education President Maxine Brisport sent out a letter late last week asking for ideas.
    It was a decision that surprised budget planners elsewhere. At the Shenendehowa and Albany school districts, department heads and principals are involved from the start. The same is true for the city of Schenectady’s municipal budget.
    Ely’s decision to develop the budget alone was sharply criticized by his own staff, but he told them publicly that he was certain they would offer nothing valuable.
    “What you mostly get is, ‘Don’t cut this, cut that instead,’ ” he said.
    But he also admitted that he could think of no further ways to reduce spending at the district.
    “I’m out of ideas, folks,” he said at last week’s budget session.
    Administrators union president and Assistant Athletic Director Steve Boynton told him his members have plenty of ideas.
    “We know what programs are necessary to meet the needs of our children … and what fat to cut,” he said at last week’s meeting, adding that the school principals “are a valuable source of information and knowledge.” ....................>>>>....................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00902&AppName=1

"There is no fat"-lol-stated Linda Bellick. And they needed her back because she was so experienced?

     Another complete debacle that could occur only in Schenectady-the dysfunctional district-that State Education must take over. The Business Advisory Committee met for months and came up with a 5 point plan to save $7.5 MILLION. Get back to neighborhood schools, cut busing grade/middle school students, fire 10% of the administrators.

     Naah. let's pretend there are no major fiscal issues, fire no one and raise taxes again.

Quoted from benny salami

"There is no fat"-lol-stated Linda Bellick. And they needed her back because she was so experienced?

     Another complete debacle that could occur only in Schenectady-the dysfunctional district-that State Education must take over. The Business Advisory Committee met for months and came up with a 5 point plan to save $7.5 MILLION. Get back to neighborhood schools, cut busing grade/middle school students, fire 10% of the administrators.

     Naah. let's pretend there are no major fiscal issues, fire no one and raise taxes again.

Unless the faces and names change, it will be business as usual. Bad habits are hard to break. I wouldn't expect any of the sitting board members to change their stripes. These are children and taxpayers they are impacting on here.

Right but they said they needed her "expertise" when they stuck her back on the disgraceful bored.

      The bored has no plan, the Superintendent is too busy making exit plans, the administration has no plans. If you have no plan then resign in disgrace.

     Most telling is President Maxine Brisport who only asked for ideas last week not 6 months ago like anyone with sense would have done. She can't be serious about running for another term. Go back to the Business Advisory Committee ideas since you have nothing else.

Disgraceful all of them.  Get a new board, a new super, and close Zoller and open Howe.

If you don't have any ideas on cutting a bloated $160 MILLION budget-from a district that paid an explosive janitor $130,000-then resign!

     Get out Maxine Brisport, Linda Bellick, Farkas, Superintendent and clean out the entire administrative offices. Keep the athletics director at least he is seeking solutions. Maybe make him acting Superintendent.

I say give new people a try at cleaning up this disaster! I'm sure this is the last thing that many employees of the school system want. I'd bet the farm that there were 'many' who profited and benefited from this lame board. It's time to clean up and start over!