Jason Serra Not Picked for Athletic Director

Letter to the Editor: BOE Combined City Service Agreement Has Holes

Editorial submitted by Linda Salafia, former City Councilwoman.
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There is a workshop scheduled for Monday at 5:30 concerning the sharing of services between the City and the BOE. Seems to me that under Mayor Giuliano’s administration that this question was raised about combining services and was summarily dismissed. Part of the history of the famous or infamous lawsuit brought by the BOE against the City (yes, the BOE filed the lawsuit) was a direct result of the BOE wanting to maintain complete autonomy from the City. Now it seems like it’s a good idea. In all honesty, I don’t know if it’s going to be a cost saving measure any more or not.


Background: I worked for the City for 25 years in various positions; I held various union positions over those years; and I sat on the CC for one term. In my work capacity, I handled the payroll for the City side. Way back, the City and BOE financial activities used the same program purchased as a package but then modified over the years by in-house programmers to meet the needs of each office. However, the problem lies in that only the programmers who wrote the programs can really fix or handle any issues that may arise; not a good situation to be in. Several years ago the City purchased a new financial software program and went through the painful process of switching over. This means that the City Finance is no longer tied to it’s own programmers but is now tied to the company’s programmers. It seems to have worked although there are limitations as with any program; you get what you pay for but as they get requests for new things, new things get developed. This was very expensive undertaking and requires a continued relationship with the software developers.

The BOE continued with their “old” program but remember that the BOE is only one line in the City’s budget. Also, the payroll process was not switched over. Background: The City pays it’s employees (everyone including the Police and Fire) while the BOE pays those that work on that side including the certified and classified employees. Without going into a long dissertation, the financial program that the City had choosen for it’s new financial package could not handle the City’s payroll. It was actually designed for board of educations that pay people on a different schedule and on a set scale (overtime and the FLSA rules wrecked havoc with it). Also, the City maintains and administers it’s own pension system and therefore needs to have access to complete payroll histories which is not the same process as when pensions are handled by other entities (there you send off the info each month and are done with it, not so for the City where you actually print checks to your retirees).

Now I am thinking that the workshop scheduled for Monday is going to be used to present the benefits of again changing the financial accounting program to again another program. This is probably going to sound wonderful; however, I have reservations. First it’s going to be a very tedious and frustrating to do: every number is going to have to be examined and switched over to the new system, costly and time consuming. Secondly, have the users really been given a chance to weigh in on the new program; unless you are doing the work, you really don’t understand what it involved. Third, is it really worth spending the money now? Would it be better to change the BOE over to the system that the City is using instead? Why must the City change again? What exactly are we trying to accomplish with this change? What are the options?

The City’s budget has to be approved by May 15th. To be frank, I have a ton of questions about it and especially the BOE’s budget. I know from past experience that the BOE had it’s own way of doing things (hence the infamous/famous lawsuit) and now is trying (I think / hope) to change it’s methods but it’s going to take time. However, my gut reaction is to correct past mistakes first before venturing into new territory such as shared services and changing the financial programming.

Of course, since I’m out of the loop these days (ie not on the Common Council or in the union anymore) maybe shared services means canceling the Sodecxo contract and merging with Public Works to maintain the BOE schools and facilities. Considering that technically the City owns the buildings and is responsible for capital projects (BOE is responsible for education and operating expenses), that might be a great idea.

Elections Results Middletown 2013

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Candidate Bio: Linda Szynkowicz (R) Board of Education

Middletown Insider blog is accepting bios from all  municipal candidates. 
See criteria: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/08/request-for-candidate-bios-for-all.html
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Republican Candidate for Board of Education
Linda Szynkowicz

I am running for the Board of Education in the City of Middletown because I believe I can help make changes that will save the tax payers money without sacrificing the education of our children. I would bring a new perspective and fresh ideas to the Board of Education.

Husband: Vincent P. Szynkowicz (Elevator Mechanic)

Daughter: Andrea Juliana Nease - Attending Dartmouth in Hanover, NH.

Current Occupation: Professional Mystery Shopper (18 years), Security Auditor (14 years) and Entrepreneur

Author of the book series: “Police on Patrol” Interviewed over 3000 police and law enforcement officers across the country

Former Radio Host: “Police on Patrol” (7 ½ years)

Former Cable TV Host: “Public Safety on Patrol” (7 years)

http://www.middletownctgop.com/

Guest Blog: The Reorganization by John Milardo

Below is a essay by John Milardo. All opinions expressed are that of the author and not necessarily that of the Insider staff. The essay in its original format can be downloaded here:https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1OYjxtLEgUwYmItWUpkc1FmTWc/edit?usp=sharing

The Common Council will the vote on Mayor Drew's proposed budget just around the corner, the Council will be voting on the government re-org soon. Milardo discusses the impact below. See the Editor's note at the end of the article to read our past posts on the same subject for further background. Past newsletters from Mr. Milardo can be accessed on our site by typing in "And Justice for All" or "John Milardo" into the search area at the top of the page.
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“And Justice For All” is a newsletter involving my opinions, views, and commentary as a life long Middletown resident. In my capacity as a former employee of Middletown (retired) for over 41 years, I have a different perspective regarding how and why public figures do what they do.

Middletown’s Mayor Dan Drew commissioned a committee over a year ago called the “Bi-Partisan Task Force on Efficiency in Government”. The committee members were charged with reviewing how City departments operate, look into ways to save money and improve government efficiency. Every Mayor in the past 30 years has gone through these same steps. The only difference is they didn’t commission a group of individuals – mostly outside our town - to review it.

Each year, City departments are asked how they could downsize, consolidate programs, improve maintenance and performance, reduce overtime, and every other related issue. Over the years, there has been a reduction of budgets and employees. Most – and I say most, departments are operating with skeleton crews and the minimal budgets. There isn’t much fat to remove from most, while other departments get nearly everything they ask for…or pretty damn close to it. These same departments are always receiving the lion’s share of LOCIP funding (State grant money awarded to municipalities), millions of dollars in bonding for construction and improvements, and Capitol Budget funding to ensure their department has the proper equipment, vehicles, buildings, and whatever else needed for upkeep, maintenance, and service.

The report recommends the Public Works Department to oversee the Parks & Recreation’s Park Maintenance Division, and the Parking Authority. Currently, the Public Works Department entails the following divisions: the Building Division, Engineering Division, Sanitation Division, Recycling, and Construction. Rumor on the street is Mayor Drew is also entertaining the thought of having the Publics Work Department take over all Board of Education custodial work and employees. The other rumor on the street is the City will be looking into contracting the Board of Educations cafeteria services very soon. If I remember correctly, past history with the privatization of BOE custodial work failed. “Let’s try it again…we’re going to make our own history!”

The committee also recommended the Finance Department oversee the Tax Assessor’s office and the IT (Computer) Department. I don’t know why the committee recommended the IT department to be taken over by Finance; maybe the committee member who also once wanted the IT Director job still holds a grudge. The IT Department should be a stand alone department. Finance also currently oversees the Tax Collector, Purchasing, Payroll, and the Pension System.

Then, there is the Planning, Conservation, & Development Department being recommended to oversee the Building Division Inspectors, and Art’s & Culture Department. Planning, Conservation & Development is already in charge of the following Board and Commissions: Application Review, Citizen’s Advisory, Conservation, Design Review & Preservation, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, Redevelopment Agency, Wetlands & Watercourses, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Divisions of the department are: Community Development, Economic Development, Environment, Planning & Zoning, and Zoning Enforcement. Whewwww!! Isn’t that enough for one person to oversee? How can adding more divisions make this department work more effectively and efficiently for the public?

The lowly Recreation Division will keep to themselves and maybe inherit the Senior Center programming. (Since they’ve been doing it for the past several years anyway) What will happen to the employees of various departments if these consolidations take place? From my past as a Union Representative, there are many questions to be ironed out – and I know the public hates to hear this – through negotiations with the two (2) respective Unions; AFSCME and the Teamsters – it’s called Impact Bargaining, and part of our labor law here in Connecticut. Unless Mayor Drew is advised by the new City Attorney from Michigan, where \ labor organization members lost the right for collective bargaining?

If you are going to consolidate different departments into one, there is the question of cross

training all employees, so everyone knows each others work. If you’re not going to do that, what’s the sense of consolidating? If you do, you have wage issues. Public Works for instance has higher paid employees than the Parks Maintenance, Parking Authority, and BOE custodians. What about seniority? Do employees with more seniority and their CDL drivers license move over into a snow routes during the winter and Public Works employees get behind a tractor, snow blower or snow shovel? Do Public Works employees share work and overtime duties in the Parks Division, and the Parks employees with Public Works and the Parking Authority? Does everyone share work and overtime at the BOE? What about budgets? Will budgets be combined and intermingled so Public Works can use Parks funding for their projects, and vice-a-versa? If PW employees are allowed to take vacations during the summer as they do now, it would be no assistance to the Parks Maintenance side, where vacation requests are limited due to work loads. It can go on, and on, and on, and on. Consolidating departments isn’t something that you just do because you want to make “history” and put a star on you chest.

My calculations say this is going to cost the taxpayer more than anyone is anticipating, with no savings at all. How can I say that? Because the politicians who vote for these consolidations are going to appropriate and bond more and more money to make sure it works! Just look at Mayor Drew’s proposed budget for 2014 – new positions hired in the City Attorney’s Office, and the Finance Office.

There are going to be large raises for only a few Directors. The City will have three (3) giant departments which will be dynasties for those Directors, for life. What could the reason be why Mayor Drew wants this to happen? It’s much easier to control three (3) individuals that you have promoted with a hefty pay raise, than it is to control a dozen Directors who may have a different opinion than your own; Directors who only want the best for their respective departments and the public. Are these new Directors going to know how to run the different aspects of the departments they will take over? Absolutely not! There will be either the same managers in place, as well as additional hires. You can’t get a direct answer on issues pertaining to a department from one of the purported dynasty Directors now!

The Mayor has what he calls his “Cabinet” members. (Drew has unilaterally changed the Administrative Aide to the Mayors job title to Chief of Staff). Mayor Drew has also told Directors that they must be part of his “team”, and endorse his proposed budget recommendations, regardless if his budget is not in the best interest of their departments and the public. If they do not adhere to his directive, they will be considered to be insubordinate. You think this isn’t factual? See what Directors say about the Mayor’s budget when the Common Council has there upcoming Budget Hearings.

Some people say that Mayor Drew reminds them of past Mayor Maria Madsen-Holzberg, who ruled by intimidation and threats. Claims are she was charming when the camera was rolling, and vindictive behind closed doors; just like the current Mayor. The similarities are not too far fetched, as rumors have it, she is one of his mentors. The other mentor is a past Mayor who can’t get over he wasn’t elected for a second term and is still holding political and personal grudges.

Stay strong. Stay involved. Stay together. Seek the truth.

John Milardo

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Editor's note background: 

 Want to know more about the Government ReOrg?Read the Insider Staff's analysis of the Government ReOrg here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/12/city-governmen-re-org-part-ii.html  
The misleading merge of City Legal & BOE Legal:http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/01/apple-oranges-boe-budget-hikes.html 
John Milardo spoke of the downsides of the Governmnet ReOrg in a previous Guest Blog piece here:://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/01/guest-blog-his-town.html

Councilmember Linda Salafia also comments on negative aspects here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/01/letter-editor-government-reorg-costly.html
Chairman of MRTC Ken McClellan discusses the reorg here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/02/letter-to-editor-mayor-daniel-drews.html

Read the full report for yourself here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/12/mayors-task-force-on-efficiency-report.html and packages here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/01/who-gets-what-drew-cleans-house-with.html

Letter to the Editor: Councilwoman Salafia Talks Frechette & BOE

Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the views of the Insider Staff, burden of proof is on the author.

Dear Middletown Insider,

     I attended a meeting of the Insurance and Claims Commission; the regular monthly meeting held at 7:00 p.m. On the agenda was an executive session:  discussion regarding settlement of claim City of Middletown - Board of Education former School Superintendent pursuant to sections 1-200 (6) (A) and 1-225 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.

     This item was on the previous month's agenda although a different section of the CGS was cited and at that time I objected to the section cited as it indicated discussion of pending litigation and this was to be discussion of an already completed settlement agreement.  I abstained from the Executive Session at that time.  The result of last month's session was to postpone to this month's meeting.     
     This month the Executive Session was pursuant to personnel issues.  Again I abstained from the discussion and session - I actually left the room so do no know what was actually said in the executive session.

      After the executive session was closed, the regular meeting resumed and a motion was made and passed by Councilpersons Faulkner and Kasper to approve what was discussed during the executive session.

     Although I did not participate in the discussion and the resultant motion, what happened tonight was that the Insurance and Claims Commission agreed to make a payment to the former Superintendent of Schools per his severance agreement with the Board of Education from the Insurance and Claims fund  or at least to reimbursement the BOE for the payment (same thing).  Apparently there is a non-disclosure clause (although I have to take the word of those in the know) in the severance agreement with the BOE and Dr. Frechette that prohibits the release of the details of his "package" for leaving his position as Superintendent of Schools.  But whatever payments were agreed to by the Board of Education are now being paid for from the Insurance and Claims fund of the City of Middletown.  At least it's not the General Fund.

     I am and was opposed to this - should not have been done in executive session and should not have been charged to the insurance and claims fund either.  Also, I am hearing rumors that Dr. Frechette is still receiving payments for consulting on issues at the BOE at the rate of $300.00 per hour with a two hour minimum.  I plan to request the details and history of any of such payments made as i  was under the belief that his exit agreement that I saw indicated that he would be available for consultation for the court case between the City and BOE which has/ was settled awhile ago now. (Therefore no more payments since the settlement {and appropJust riation by the CC to pay the BOE for said settlement}).

Just an FYI to the Middletown Insider after our meeting tonight. 

Sincerely,

Linda Salafia

Councilperson - R

Letter to the Editor: Kleckowski Goes the Extra Mile

To the Editor:

     This letter is to urge ALL voters in the 100th District to elect Deborah Kleckowski as our next state representative. A dedicated mother of two and councilwoman, Deb always goes the extra mile for her constituents.

She is a proponent of making the Board of Education its own taxing authority, has made public safety a top priority and will work to repeal the prisoner early release program.

Matt Lesser is all about voting the party line — which means HIGHER TAXES, violent criminals being let loose on our streets and no capping of our exorbitant gas tax.

The choice is obvious — vote for Deb.

Patricia Knowles, Middletown

Letter to the Editor: Pessina: "I disagree with Teachers' Union Endorsement"

An Educational Advocate:

Over the past two years, Councilwoman Kleckowski has worked tirelessly assisting special needs families in working with local officials and those at DCF after the wake of the unfortunately named "scream room" controversy that occurred at Farm Hill School.  She worked with individual families who sought her help in establishing better standards of care for special needs students after the dismantling of the previous district wide Special Education program that had been held at Spencer School.

              Deb has continued to display her advocacy stemming from her being a member of the DECA Advisory Board for 20 years, a state DECA Judge for 6 years, an annual speaker for the Middletown High Community Service program for over 10 years and a supporter for Ryan Woods Autism Foundation.   She participated in the resolution the 466 labor-breach of contract by the previous BOE Administration.

As a Councilmember, she supported sick day donation for ill City employees and a professional advocate for educational opportunities and access for all students for over 20 years.   She is also a member of the newly created Career-Technical Education Advisory Board.   What is amazing, is as a mother of two young children, is that her advocacy is all volunteer time to better her community.  She does this in addition to her position as an Adjunct Professor at Middlesex Community College.

             Despite all the hard work I have mentioned that Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski has put into Middletown education- the teacher's union Middletown Federation of Teachers Local 1381 has chosen to endorse Matt Lesser.
                Although Representative Matt Lesser is on the State Legislature's Education Committee, he could have done and/or could be doing so much more for the students of Middletown.  He supported the passing of a law that any incidences of restraint used in special education services have to be reported to the state after the fact; notwithstanding the issue that the current programs are failing our most vulnerable students- something that Candidate Kleckowski has already been actively trying to fix in Middletown.   

One wonders could the support from the Teachers Union he received be based upon his support for legislation regarding tenure that the teacher's union campaigned for?  If so, why didn’t they also support Deb for her tireless efforts she advocated for here in our city of Middletown?
                The statement given by Middletown Federation of Teachers Steve McKeever could also have been more complimentary to Deb, as she has proven her dedication to our Teachers and Educational system here in Middletown as Matt has done with his work on the Education Committee at the state level.   From my point of view and I am sure other Educational Advocates (Parents & Teachers), THEY BOTH are committed to improving education in our city and state in ways that make sense for all stakeholders!
                This endorsement sends a political negative message for a person who works so hard for education in our community which Deb does not deserve.   Also, when using the terminology ‘stakeholders’ it is our children, and youth who are the final stakeholders of our educational system too.  ,

 Councilwoman Deb Kleckowski will continue and always has been an Educational Advocate; in her eyes our children and youth of our city are the ones that matter most to her.    

 I don’t agree with the Teacher’s Union’s endorsement;  I ask that the voters of our city to show their appreciation for all of Deb’s efforts when they go to the polls by voting for Candidate Kleckowski.  

Please remember, when you cast your vote don’t send the wrong message to our children and youth by basing it purely on politics.  For if you do, the message is simple: “that hard work does not matter- it’s who can give you a hand up, not necessarily work or the greater good of all."

Councilman Phil Pessina
Minority Leader of the Common Council

City 411:New Superintendent Contract in Plain English, Grievances, Settlements, & Dumbed Down Hiring Requirements

    The Middletown Insider has become aware of rumors afloat that there will soon be a special council meeting called to vote on the appointment of a new city attorney.  The city attorney position has been vacant for several years now since the retirement of Trina Solecki.   Deputy City Attorney Tim Lynch was appointed Acting City Attorney under Mayor Giuliano's administration.  When Mayor Drew took office, he decided to advertise for the position which the Personnel Office did.  There were applicants who were certified as qualified by the Personnel Department including the current Acting City Attorney.  At the June Common Council meeting, the job description for the city attorney position was changed in that the required number of years of experience was reduced from 7 to 5 years on the premise of widening the recruitment pool with no change in salary. 
    This was passed by a vote of 7 to 4 (Serra, Klattenberg, Bartolotta, Daley, Santangelo, Kasper and Berch in favor; Faulkner, Pessina, Bibisi and Salafia dissenting and Kleckowski absent).  The new job description reads:  Jurist doctorate with five years of municipal law related experience with an emphasis on employment law, labor relations experience.  It would be now assumed that the recommended candidate is going have a very solid 5 years of experience in that area.   It should be noted that the acting city attorney has indicated that he will be retiring from city service and had withdrawn his name from consideration.  Please note that there is also residency requirement attached to this position.
    At the time the job re-posted, the qualifications were still the more stringent, seven years' experience in municipal law, labor relations version. The Council, over the objections of the Republicans, led by Councilwoman Linda Salafia (if you recall, it was she who asked whether Dan Drew had someone specific in mind, as there appeared to be no other reason why anyone would lower the bar when there were three candidates who already met the higher standard) reduced the seven-year requirement (which had been inserted two years earlier at the insistence of Councilman Loffredo) to five years. Because this was done AFTER the posting was published, the posting had to be extended.
      Also, rumors are out there about the Council being asked to approve a job description for a second deputy city attorney.  This is coming from the recommendation of the Mayor's Bipartisan Task Force on Efficiency in Government, April 2012.  However, this we believe will require an appropriation as only one Deputy Attorney was budgeted.  After the interview for the City Attorney position, that Attorney Phrances Leverton Szewczyk was the choice along with the Michigan candidate and another attorney "from Middletown" (what that means is unclear, as it does not appear that it is currently a resident, but is someone who is "moving in.” The Insider reported before that Szewczyk does not appear to meet even the lowered qualifications, however, is a member of the Democratic town committee.Reader here. Readers should not that Councilman Tom Serra made on the record comments regarding  appointed Chief Patrick McMahon as not being a Middletown resident even though he bought a house here and was in town 5 nights a week- Serra objected and said on record  that McMahon wasn’t a true Middletown resident because he “didn’t worship here.” So kind how is someone from Michigan going to fit the precedent of strict enforcement of residency Serra set forth in the past?
   This report has not been officially presented to the Council, vetted by the Council or accepted by the Council; however, the Council is being (or as rumored d going to be) presented with accepting one of its recommendations that being the hiring of a second deputy city attorney.  This in effect would increase the legal staff in the office from one currently to three.  According to the report issued, the Task Force consisted of three members of the common council and 6 other members of the public plus Attorney Ryan Barry and Joseph Samolis as staff for the Task Force. 
     From the second paragraph of the final report: " Mayor Drew also asked the Task Force to make specific recommendations for consolidations and efficiencies within city government to the Finance and Government Operations Commission of the Common Council, and to make specific recommendations regarding the structure and hierarchical organization of city government."  It would seem that this was not an unbiased study of the mechanisms/ structure of the government operations.  The report indicated how much was spent on outside legal services during the past three years however, it was just a number inserted in the report without detail or explanation or history or comparison to current outside expenses or part expenses.  Oh, and no report or receipts from China... 
      There is a special council meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 7 to appropriate funds and approve a settlement agreement between the City and Local 466.  This settlement agreement will basically draw a line from which the city, the BOE and the union start fresh.  We could spend hours and hours debating the history behind the need for this settlement agreement and probably never come to a consensus on the cause.  We've a new administration now at the BOE with a new Superintendent of Schools so we hope that the atmosphere of intimidation and retaliation has ended and it seems as if it has.  However, this agreement comes with a dollar cost attached which is not insignificant, but again we will probably never be able to all completely agree as to responsibility.  Many hours were put into coming to this agreement and much discussion, it was not easy but a settlement agreement has been worked out that both sides seem to be able to work with.  Thankfully the despicable work environment that some of the men and women of 466 had to endure is over, they should be applauded for coming forward and being whistle blowers and doing what is right!
     The story broke today with headlines the Mayor Drew settled 30+ grievances and that according to him "the slate is clean." However,this is highly misleading. Basically, the City has chosen to pay out to the Union for the BOE administrations mistakes and infractions that the State Labor Board declared the BOE administration under Dr. Frechette did in fact commit. As readers should recall, Frechette refused to pay workers who were part of emergency operations at the storm shelter during last summer’s hurricane, and  communicate at all with former Mayor Giuliano when he called for an investigation into the missing $1 million dollars from the BOE budget. Read past explanations of the confusing paradigm here. 

Other grievances and lawsuits against the BOE still exist and have not been resolved; Drew's statement  that they all have is false. 

 Part of the deal is also that Councilwoman Hope Kasper's son in law illegal hire- Josh Berger, former real estate agent, gets to keep the job as Business Adminstrator at the BOE that was created for and given to him by a hiring committee that Kasper was on. 

     Last week the Insider published the Superintendent's contract ( here) Dr. Patricia Charles .
The legalese is not always easy to understand; so we have broken it down below and done the yearly percentage increases:
 
For 2012/13 Charles will receive:   Base Salary $187,000 + $15,000 to her retirement fund, $3,000 bonus for having a doctorate degree + $6,500 for mileage = $211,500.00 for the year
For 2013/14 Charles will receive:  Base Salary a minimum of $191,675 + $19,168 to her retirement fund,  + $3,000 for having a doctorate degree + ,$6,500 for mileage = $220,343 for the year
For  2014/15 Charles will receive: Base salary a minimum of $196,467 + $19,648 to her retirement fund, $3,000 for having a doctorate degree and $6,500 for mileage = $225,615 for the year.
 
The base salary for the last two years is tied into the  district’s highest  principals' salary.  The principals’ contract is up as of 6/30/2013, so school principal's will be negotiating a new contract; basically if they get a raise, Charles will probably get a raise too; to keep the spacing the same.  It appears Charles makes $50,000 more than the top high school principals, and because the contribution to the retirement fund for her is 10% of salary that would also go up.
     Superintendent Frechette also got a payment to a retirement fund in addition to his salary plus money for being a phd, and the mileage stipend. Charles is getting credit for the previous time that she worked for the BOE towards her retirement for medical insurance, plus the BOE are giving her back, reinstating, previously accumulated sicktime that she lost when she left her principal’s position.
Other superintendent contracts and salaries from Ct are available online, and it is a positive note that Charles chose to release the terms of her contract to the public. Superintendents in Ct are typically paid in the six figure range; Frechette's highest salary was approximately $154,000.

Common Council will also decide on upcoming Deputy Police chief position soon. Read background information &  one reader's concerns here:

Letter to the Editor: Our Wallets Depend on Electing Kleckowski

Dear Insider:

I urge everyone in the 100th District to vote for Middletown Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski for your State Representative. I will even tell you WHY you should vote for Councilwoman Kleckowski: your wallet depends on it.

Our current State Representative, Matthew Lesser, is a SOLID vote for the entire Malloy agenda. Gov. Malloy — the same guy that gave CT the largest tax increase in state history. And get this — Gov. Malloy has said he just may raise taxes AGAIN.

(We currently have a deficit in CT of $190 million. What do you think the likelihood of another tax increase is?). Lesser went along with the first tax increase ... and how much do you want to bet he will vote for the next one? Lesser has always voted with the Democrats — tax increase and all.

He is a "ask no questions/make no waves" kind of guy. Check his record and see for yourself. Put another way — Lesser is a total sell-out to the Malloy agenda. He has not voted against even ONE of Malloy's initiatives.

Another reason to vote for Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski — she is a proponent of making the Board of Education its own taxing authority thereby making the Board of Education autonomous. It would levy its own school district tax and the nine people on the Board of Education would becoming directly accountable to the taxpayers.

Remember, foilks, the biggest chunk of your taxes goes toward the education budget. So this would be in the best interest of all the taxpayers in the 100th District.

Vote for Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski. As I said at the outset — your wallet depends on it.

Sincerely,

Roy Atherton, Middletown

Letter to the Editor: Where is the Transparency at the BOE?

Letter to the Editor:
This is a letter in response to the comments by Board of Education member Ed Mckeon left on his blog post on the Middletown Eye " Living in a No Paper Town, Part II." Mckeon responded to anonymous comments asking about his role on the BOE and transparency asking anyone concerned with transparency to sign his or her name for him to answer.
I will use my name as I have no issue using it,
What I would like to know is: Where is the transparency when it comes to the BOE budget? I think it should be a detailed line item budget like every other department in the city. What do we get? A one line budget with no details. That is one issue you Ed specifically, and others, highlighted in your campaign a year ago; yet I see the same old thing as I saw before. The budget is clouded in mystery. While improvements have been made as far as more committees regarding curriculum, the people of Middletown still don't know what is going on within in the BOE as far as where our tax money is being spent dollar for dollar like in all other departments. This is not a partisan issue, but it does take a majority to make it happen.

Signed
William Wilson


Editor's note: William Wilson is vice chariman of the Middletown Republican Town Committee.
All letters to the Insider are printed as a courtesy to readers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Insider.  We want to hear from you! Please submit thank you!

BOE Seeks Community Imput- For Real This Time

The  Middletown Board of Education is seeking community members to serve on committees.

link is here : http://www.middletownschools.org/page.cfm?p=9529.

Hopefully with more transparency, and the Evil Triumvirate gone, another million dollars won't disappear!

Description of Board of Education Committees

Committee	Description	Date & Time
Budget	The committee reviews the current budget monthly and makes recommendation to the BOE regarding next year’s budget and other spending items.	2nd Monday of the month at 4 p.m.
Communications	The committee currently reviews the district’s website, and is charged with highlighting events in the district	3rd Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m.
Curriculum	This committee's charge is to be apprised by the Assistant Superintendent of district curriculum, give input on it, support (or not) new curriculum proposals that will eventually go to the entire Board. This committee receives an abundance of information on district programs, curricula, etc. It is comprised of 3 Board members, the Assistant Superintendent and when available, a community representative. The Assistant Superintendent brings teachers and administrators as necessary to offer their expertise.	3rd Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m.
Policy	This committee's role is to set and review policies for the school district. The committee is comprised of 3 Board members, Kathy Bengtson (from Central Office) and when available, a community representative. It is usually joined by the administrators to assist in policy setting and review.	3rd Tuesday of the month at 8 a.m.